Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has extended his condolences over the passing of Chairman of Iran's Expediency Council Ayatollah Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi.
In his message on Tuesday, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed grief at the loss of a great scholar and scientific figure, who also served as an influential member of the Guardians Council.
The Leader offered his sympathy to the cleric’s family, colleagues and students at the Islamic Seminary School in the city of Qom and prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace.
Meanwhile, various Iraqi parties and political figures, including the country’s Islamic Supreme Council, Iraqi National Congress and Secretary General of the Islamic Dawa Party Nouri al-Maliki, have expressed their commiserations over the demise of the cleric.
Ayatollah Hashemi-Shahroudi passed away at the age of 70 after months of battling illness on Monday.
During his lifetime, Ayatollah Shahroudi served in many crucial positions in the Islamic Republic. He was born in 1948 in the Iraqi city of Najaf, which has hosted many Muslim scholars.
In Iraq, Ayatollah Shahroudi attended classes held by the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini.
He fought against the dictatorial rule of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and was jailed and tortured by his Baathist forces.
Ayatollah Shahroudi traveled to Iran in the wake of the the Islamic Revolution to serve as an intermediary between Imam Khomeini and Iraqi scholars and leaders.
He took the helm of the Expediency Council in 2017 to succeed the late Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani. The Expediency Council is mainly responsible for arbitrating between the Iranian Parliament and the Guardian Council, which itself supervises the Parliament.
Ayatollah Shahroudi also served as the head of Iran’s Judiciary for 10 years. His attempts for speeding up due processes and establishing close contact with ordinary people were among the achievements he was credited for.
Ayatollah Shahroudi also was a member and vice president of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, which elects and oversees the performance of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
He had been a member of the Guardian Council for years as well.
Ayatollah Khamenei will lead the funeral prayer for the late cleric during a ceremony in Tehran on Wednesday.
His body shall be laid to rest at Hazrat Masoumeh shrine in the holy city of Qom in north-central Iran.
In a message of condolence on Tuesday, chairman of the Islamic Seminaries of Iran Ayatollah Alireza A’rafi said religious centers will be closed on Wednesday to pay tribute to the late cleric.