View source for Expediency Discernment Council

{{Short description|Advisory council to the Supreme Leader of Iran}}
{{Over-quotation|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox legislature
 | background_color   = 
 | text_color         = 
 | name               = Expediency Discernment Council
 | native_name        = {{nobold|{{lang|fa|{{noitalic|مجمع تشخیص مصلحت نظام}}}}}}
 | coa_pic            = 
 | session_room       = 
 | house_type         = <nowiki>Advisory council</nowiki>
 | leader1_type       = Chairperson 
 | leader1            = [[Sadeq Larijani]]
 | party1             =  
 | election1          = 30 December 2018
 | leader2_type       = Secretary
 | leader2            = [[Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr]]
 | party2             = 
 | election2          = 19 September 2021
 | leader3_type       = Spokesperson
 | leader3            = Mohsen Dehnavi
 | party3             = 
 | election3          = 9 January 2025
 | members            = 35+13
 |structure1={{Switcher|[[File:Edc 2022.svg|300px]]|By faction|[[File:EDC 2022 - present.svg|300px]]|By party}}
| political_groups1  = 
{{Collapsible list
 | title =By faction
|{{Color box|#0077B6}} [[Iranian Principlists|Principlists]] (38)
|{{Color box|#48D1CC}} [[Iranian Reformists|Reformists]] (7)
|{{Color box|#FFFFFF}} Vacant (3)
}}
{{Collapsible list
 | title =By party
|{{Color box|#8D9075}} [[Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom|SST]] (9)
|{{Color box|#050065}} [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|IRGC]] (6)
|{{Color box|#77A2CE}} [[Iranian Principlists|Independent principlists]] (6)
|{{Color box|#93E1DD}} [[Iranian Reformists|Independent reformists]] (3)
|{{Color box|#00844B}} [[Islamic Coalition Party|ICP]] (3)
|{{Color box|#EFDB50}} [[Islamic Society of Engineers|ISE]] (3)
|{{Color box|#7996E2}} [[Combatant Clergy Association|CCA]] (2)
|{{Color box|#B0C4DE}} [[Front of Islamic Revolution Stability|FIRS]] (1)
|{{Color box|#000000}} [[Society of Pathseekers of the Islamic Revolution|SPIR]] (1)
|{{Color box|#0A479C}} [[Society of Devotees of the Islamic Revolution|SDIR]] (1)
|{{Color box|#0E6130}} [[Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran|PJPII]] (1)
|{{Color box|#008080}} [[Resistance Front of Islamic Iran|RFII]] (1)
|{{Color box|#0997E1}} [[Association of Combatant Clerics|ACC]] (1)
|{{Color box|#FFFFFF}} [[Omid Iranian Foundation|OIF]] (1)
|{{Color box|#E30E21}} [[Executives of Construction Party|ECP]] (1)
|{{Color box|#CDCDCD}} [[Independent Politician|Independents]] (5)
|{{Color box|#FFFFFF}} Vacant (3)
}}
 | meeting_place      = 
 | website            = {{Official website|http://www.maslahat.ir}}
}}
{{Politics of Iran}}

The '''Expediency Discernment Council of the System'''<ref>[http://www.majma.ir/ مجمع تشخیص مصلحت نظام<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061127140629/http://www.majma.ir/ |date=2006-11-27 }}</ref> ({{langx|fa|مجمع تشخیص مصلحت نظام}} ''Majma'-e Tašxis-e Maslahat-e Nezâm'') is an administrative assembly of [[Iran]] appointed by the [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/iran_power/html/expediency_council.stm Expediency Council] ''BBC News''</ref> and was created upon the revision to the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran|Constitution]] on 6 February 1988.<ref>[http://www.farhang.gov.ir/iran-media/psir.htm Foreign press and media department<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821193912/http://farhang.gov.ir/iran-media/psir.htm |date=2007-08-21 }}</ref> It was originally set up to resolve differences or conflicts between the [[Majlis of Iran|Majlis]] and the [[Guardian Council]], but "its true power lies more in its advisory role to the Supreme Leader." According to Hooman Majd, the Leader "delegated some of his own authority to the council—granting it supervisory powers over all branches of the government" following President [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]'s election in 2005.<ref>Majd, Hooman, ''The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran'', Doubleday, 2008, pp. 246-7.</ref>

Members of the council are chosen by the Supreme Leader every five years.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/government/Expediency.html |title=Islamic Republic of Iran Expediency Discernment Council of the System |access-date=2013-07-05 |archive-date=2013-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522094534/http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/Expediency.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History and role==
By 1987, the legislative process as well as the country's long-term policy formation had come to a standstill due to the doctrinal conflict between radical factions of the [[Islamic Consultative Assembly]] and the Guardian Council, which officials described as coercive at the time. Consultations in February the following year led to [[Ayatollah Khomeini]] ordering the appointment of a 13-member council that was given legislative authority: it could pass temporary laws (effective for three-year periods). Article 112 of Iran's Constitution states the EDC will be convened by the Supreme Leader to determine expedience cases where the Guardian Council finds an Islamic Consultative Assembly decision against the principles of religious law or the constitution, and where the Consultative Assembly is unable to satisfy the Guardian Council in view of the expedience of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Formally, the Expediency Discernment Council of the System (or Regime) is primarily a constitutional advisory body for the Supreme Leader (at the latter's behest), as described in article 112 of the Islamic Republic's Constitution. It is meant to "discern the interests of the Islamic Republic" by resolving internal regime conflicts.<ref>Amin Tarzi, 2011. Iranian Puzzle Piece: Understanding Iran in the Global Context. DIANE Publishing. p. 92. {{ISBN|978-1-4379-4423-5}}.</ref> The Council consisted of thirteen members when originally convened, and included six clergy members (appointed by the Supreme Leader), six public officials (President, Prime Minister, Majles Speaker, Supreme Court Chief Justice, Prosecutor General, and a Supreme Leader representative), as well as the Majles member whose legislation was overturned. The EDC Chairman is appointed every five years by the Supreme Leader.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Karadag|first1=Murat|title=Iran appoints chief of influential expediency council|url=http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/iran-appoints-chief-of-influential-expediency-council/884409|website=Anadolu Agency|access-date=11 January 2018}}</ref> Even though the Supreme Leader is a member of the Council itself (and it being his advisory council), he can deputize the Council. Nine years later, in 1997, Khamenei expanded its membership to thirty-four, twenty-five of whom were thence appointed for five-year terms. During February 2007, a new Council was formed, with twenty-seven members being directly chosen by the Supreme Leader this time.<ref>Yonah Alexander; Milton M. Hoenig. 2008. The New Iranian Leadership: Ahmadinejad, Terrorism, Nuclear Ambition, and the Middle East. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 17. {{ISBN|978-0-275-99639-0}}.</ref>

As stated by article 111, if the position of Supreme Leader is undeclared for whatever reason, a council composed of President, head of the Judiciary, and one of the jurisconsults of the Guardian Council chosen by the EDC shall discharge his functions collectively and temporarily. If any of them is unable to discharge his duties, another person shall be appointed by the EDC in his place. The Council also resolves disputes that concern the [[Guardian Council]] and the [[Majles]]. Domestic and foreign policies of the regime are determined only after consultation with the Expediency Council, according to article 110 of the Constitution (with oversight of the Supreme Leader). The Expediency Council is only meant to act on behalf of the legislative branch, although in reality it intercedes as a mediator between all bureaucratic branches, including the executive. If ratification of the Consultative Assembly is not confirmed by the Guardian Council (and deputies insist on implementing the ratification), the EDC can intervene to make a decision. The Expediency Discernment Council can advise the [[faqih|faghih]] on policy and strategy (in accordance to article 111 of the Constitution), and despite not being part of the legislative branch, it can remove parliamentary powers. As an example of this, in April 2000 it removed from parliamentary capacity the faculty to investigate institutions under the control of the Supreme Leader, such as the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|Pasdaran]] and the Council of the Guardians. In practice, its composition almost guarantees its rulings mirror the legal opinion the Guardian Council, and more importantly, the Supreme Leader's. Being dominated by conservative [[ulama]], this has furthered the faction's grip over Iran.<ref>Yvette Hovsepian-Bearce, 2015. The Political Ideology of Ayatollah Khamenei: Out of the Mouth of the Supreme Leader of Iran. Routledge. pp. 112–113. {{ISBN|978-1-317-60582-9}}.</ref><ref>Barry Rubin, 2015. The Middle East: A Guide to Politics, Economics, Society and Culture. Taylor & Francis. p. 224. {{ISBN|978-1-317-45577-6}}.</ref>

During August 2001, the Council was convened by the Supreme Leader to resolve the dispute between the Judiciary and the Assembly. The latter was dominated by reformers, while the former was dominated by conservatives, so the [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]] [[Ali Khamenei]] wanted the EDC to settle this political confrontation. The confrontation referred to the parliament's rejection to approve conservative candidates' appointments to the Guardian Council. Conservatives did not want to lose control of the Guardian Council, dreading president [[Mohammad Khatami]] and reformist allies would push through political and social reforms. Members of the Council are generally [[ayatollahs]] and [[Hujjat al-Islam|hojatoleslams]] (a step before ayatollah). In 2005, the capacity of the Council to act as a government supervisory body was supplemented to its powers. The EDC's influence grew when cleric [[Hashemi Rafsanjani]] joined it.<ref>Ahmad Reza Taheri, 2012. The Baloch in Post Islamic Revolution Iran: A Political Study. Lulu.com. pp. 45–46. {{ISBN|978-0-557-32837-6}}.</ref>

==Members==
=== Current members (2022–''Present'')===
{| class="toccolours"
|-
|
{{legend|#4169E1|[[Iranian Principlists|Conservative]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|#00A693|[[Iranian Reformists|Reformist]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
|}

{{Col-begin}}{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-left;"
|+ [[Natural person]]alities
!#
! colspan="2"|Name
|-
|1
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Sadeq Larijani]] (Chairman)
|-
|2
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr]] (Secretary)
|-
|3
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Gholam Reza Aghazadeh]]
|-
|4
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ali Agha-Mohammadi]]
|- 
|5
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ali Akbar Ahmadian]]
|-
|6
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]
|-
|7
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohsen Araki]]
|-
|8
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Majid Ansari]] 
|-
|9
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad-Javad Iravani]] 
|-
|10
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad-Reza Bahonar]] 
|-
|11
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ahmad Tavakkoli]]
|-
|12
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Saeed Jalili]]
|-
|13
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel]]
|-
|14
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Kamal Kharazi]]
|-
|15
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Davoud Danesh-Jafari]]
|-
| rowspan="2"|16
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Parviz Davoodi]] {{small|(until 2024)}}
|-
| style="background:#C0C0C0"|
|''Vacant''
|-
|17
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi]]
|-
|18
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohsen Rezaee]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|19
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Hassan Sane'i]] {{small|(until 2023)}}
|-
|style="background:#00A693" |
||RADM [[Ali Shamkhani]] {{small|(from 2023)}}
|-
|20
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Mohammad Sadr]]
|-
|21
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Hossein Saffar Harandi]]
|-
|22
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Mohammad Reza Aref]]
|-
|23
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad Forouzandeh]]
|-
|24
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei]]
|-
|25
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ali Larijani]]
|-
|26
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Hossein Mohammadi]]
|-
|27
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mahmoud Mohammadi Araghi]]
|-
|28
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad Mokhber]]
|-
|29
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Gholamreza Mesbahi-Moghaddam]] 
|-
|30
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||[[Hossein Mozaffar]] 
|-
|31
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mostafa Mir-Salim]]
|-
|32
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Morteza Nabavi]]
|-
|33
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ali Akbar Velayati]]
|-
|34
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Sadegh Vaez-Zadeh]] 
|-
|35
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ahmad Vahidi]]
|-
|}
{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-left;"
|+ [[Ex officio member]]s
!#
!Office
! colspan="2"|Name
|-
|rowspan="3"|1
|rowspan="3"|[[President of Iran|President]]
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||[[Ebrahim Raisi]] {{small|(until May 2024)}}
|-
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||[[Mohammad Mokhber]] (acting) {{small|(from May 2024 until July 2024)}}
|-
|style="background:#00A693" |
||[[Masoud Pezeshkian]] {{small|(from July 2024)}}
|-
|2
|[[List of Speakers of the Parliament of Iran|Parliament Speaker]]
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf]] 
|-
|3
|[[Chief Justice of Iran]]
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i]] 
|-
|rowspan="2"|4
|rowspan="2"|[[General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran|Chief-of-Staff]]
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||MG [[Mohammad Bagheri (general)|Mohammad Bagheri]] {{small|(until 2025)}}
|-
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||MG [[Abdolrahim Mousavi]] {{small|(from 2025)}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|5
|rowspan="2"|[[Supreme National Security Council|SNSC Secretary]]
|style="background:#00A693" |
||RADM [[Ali Shamkhani]] {{small|(until 2023)}}
|-
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||[[Ali Akbar Ahmadian]] {{small|(from 2023)}}
|-
|6
|rowspan="6"|[[Guardian Council]] Jurisprudents
(only for dispute cases between Parliament and Guardian Council)
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Ahmad Jannati]] 
|-
|7
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mehdi Shabzendedar Jahromi|Mehdi Shabzendedar]]
|-
|8
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ahmad Hosseini Khorasani]]
|- 
|9
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad-Reza Modarresi Yazdi]] 
|-
|10
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ahmad Khatami]] 
|-
|11
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Alireza Arafi]] 
|-  
|12
|The Administration, which is being discussed in Council
| 
|Minister or Head Office of it
|-
|13
|The Parliament Commission related to discussion in Council 
| 
|Head of Commission
|}
{{Col-end}}

===Historic membership===
;Eighth council (2017–2022)
{| class="toccolours"
|-
|
{{legend|#4169E1|[[Iranian Principlists|Conservative]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|#00A693|[[Iranian Reformists|Reformist]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
|}

{{Col-begin}}{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-left;"
|+ [[Natural person]]alities
!#
! colspan="2"|Name
|-
| rowspan="2"|1
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi]] {{small|(Chairman until 2018)}}
|-
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Sadeq Larijani]] {{small|(Chairman from 2018)}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|2
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohsen Rezaee]] {{small|(Secretary until 2021)}} 
|-
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr]] {{small|(Secretary from 2021)}}
|-
|3
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ahmad Jannati]]
|-
| rowspan="2"|4
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ebrahim Amini]] {{small|(until 2020)}}
|-
| style="background:#C0C0C0"|
|''Vacant''
|-
|5
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]]
|-
|6
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri]]
|-
|7
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Hassan Sane'i]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|8
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i]] {{small|(until 2021)}}
|-
| style="background:#C0C0C0"|
|''Vacant''
|-
|rowspan="2"|9
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari]] {{small|(until 2021)}}
|-
| style="background:#C0C0C0"|
|''Vacant''
|-
| rowspan="2"|10
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ebrahim Raisi]] {{small|(until 2019)}}
|-
| style="background:#C0C0C0"|
|''Vacant''
|-
|11
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi]]
|-
|12
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mahmoud Mohammadi Araghi]]
|-
|13
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Majid Ansari]]
|-
|14
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Gholamreza Mesbahi-Moghadam]]
|-
|15
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Gholam Reza Aghazadeh]]
|-
|16
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ali Agha-Mohammadi]]
|-
|17
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]
|-
|18
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad-Javad Iravani]]
|-
|19
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad Reza Bahonar]]
|-
|20
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ahmad Tavakoli]]
|-
|21
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Saeed Jalili]]
|-
|22
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel]]
|-
|23
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Davoud Danesh Jafari]]
|-
|24
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Parviz Davoudi]]
|-
|25
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Mohammad Sadr]]
|-
|26
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|BG [[Hossein Saffar Harandi]]
|-
|27
|style="background:#00A693" |
|[[Mohammad Reza Aref]]
|-
|28
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad Forouzandeh]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|29
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|MG [[Hassan Firouzabadi]] {{small|(until 2021)}}
|-
| style="background:#C0C0C0"|
|''Vacant''
|-
| rowspan="2"|30
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||[[Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf]] {{small|(until 2020)}}
|-
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Ali Larijani]] {{small|(from 2020)}}
|-
|31
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Hossein Mohammadi]]
|-
|32
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Hossein Mozaffar]]
|-
|33
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mostafa Mir-Salim]]
|-
| rowspan="2"|34
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Mohammad Mirmohammadi]] {{small|(until 2020)}}
|-
| style="background:#C0C0C0"|
|''Vacant''
|-
|35
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Morteza Nabavi]]
|-
|36
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ali Akbar Velayati]]
|-
|37
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|BG [[Ahmad Vahidi]]
|-
|38
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Sadegh Vaez-Zadeh]]
|}
{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-left;"
|+ [[Ex officio member]]s
!#
!Office
! colspan="2"|Name
|-
| rowspan="2"|1
| rowspan="2"|[[President of Iran|President]]
|style="background:#00A693" |
||[[Hassan Rouhani]] {{small|(until 2021)}}
|-
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||[[Ebrahim Raisi]] {{small|(from 2021)}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|2
| rowspan="2"|[[List of Speakers of the Parliament of Iran|Parliament Speaker]]
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||[[Ali Larijani]] {{small|(until 2020)}}
|-
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf]] {{small|(from 2020)}}
|-
| rowspan="3"|3
| rowspan="3"|[[Chief Justice of Iran]]
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Sadeq Larijani]] {{small|(until 2019)}}
|-
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Ebrahim Raisi]] {{small|(from 2019 until 2021)}}
|-
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ezhe'i]] {{small|(from 2021)}}
|-
|4
|[[General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran|Chief-of-Staff]]
|style="background:#4169E1" |
||MG [[Mohammad Bagheri (general)|Mohammad Bagheri]]
|-
|5
|[[Supreme National Security Council|SNSC Secretary]]
|style="background:#00A693" |
||RADM [[Ali Shamkhani]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|6
|rowspan="7"|[[Guardian Council]] Jurisprudents
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Mohammad Momen]] {{small|(until 2019)}}
|-
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Alireza Arafi]] {{small|(from 2019)}}
|-
|7
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad-Reza Modarresi Yazdi]]
|-
|8
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mehdi Shabzendedar Jahromi|Mehdi Shabzendedar]]
|- 
|rowspan="2"|9
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Mohammad Yazdi]] {{small|(until 2020)}}
|-
| style="background:#4169E1"|
|[[Ahmad Khatami]] {{small|(from 2020)}}
|-
|10
|style="background:#4169E1" |
|[[Ahmad Hosseini Khorasani]] {{small|(from 2021)}}
|-
|11
|The administration concerned depending on the subject under discussion 
|
|Minister or Head Office of it  
|-
|12
|The parliament commission concerned depending on the subject under discussion
|
|Head of Commission
|-
|}
{{Col-end}}

;Seventh council (2012–2017)
On 14 March 2012, a new council was appointed for a five-year period. Eight months before the end of the council, chairman [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]] dies and [[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]] became interim chairman until the end of the council period. 
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
# [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]] (Chairman until January 2017)
# [[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]] (Chairman from February 2017)
# [[Mohsen Rezaei]] (Secretary) 
# [[Ahmad Jannati]]
# [[Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi]]
# [[Ebrahim Amini]]
# [[Hassan Rouhani]]
# [[Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri]]
# [[Ali Larijani]]
# [[Hassan Sane'i]]
# [[Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i]]
# [[Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi]]
# [[Mahmoud Mohammadi Araghi]]
# [[Majid Ansari]]
# [[Gholamreza Mesbahi-Moghadam]]
# [[Gholam Reza Aghazadeh]]
# [[Ali Agha-Mohammadi]]
# [[Abbas Vaez-Tabasi]], followed by [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]
# [[Mohammad Javad Irvani]]
# [[Mohammad Reza Bahonar]]
# [[Habibollah Asgaroladi]]
# [[Saeed Jalili]]
# [[Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel]]
# [[Hassan Habibi]]
# [[Davoud Danesh Jafari]]
# [[Parviz Davoudi]]
# [[Hossein Saffar Harandi]]
# [[Mohammad Reza Aref]]
# [[Mohammad Forouzandeh]]
# Lt. General [[Hassan Firouzabadi]]
# [[Hossein Mohammadi]]
# [[Hossein Mozaffar]]
# [[Mostafa Mir-Salim]]
# [[Morteza Nabavi]]
# [[Ali Akbar Velayati]]
# Lt. General [[Ahmad Vahidi]]
# [[Sadegh Vaez-Zadeh]]

{{col-break}}
''[[Ex officio]]'' members:

# President: [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], followed by [[Hassan Rouhani]]
# Parliament Speaker: [[Ali Larijani]] 
# Judiciary Chief: [[Sadeq Larijani]]
# SNSC Secretary: [[Saeed Jalili]], followed by Rear Admiral [[Ali Shamkhani]]
* Clergy members of Guardians Council at one point:
*[[Ahmad Jannati]]
*[[Mohammad Momen]]
*[[Mohammad-Reza Modarresi Yazdi]]
*[[Mehdi Shab Zende Dar Jahromi|Mehdi Shabzendedar]]
*[[Mohammad Yazdi]]
*[[Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi]]
# The minister concerned depending on the subject under discussion 
# The parliament commission head concerned depending on the subject under discussion 
{{col-end}}

;Sixth council (2007–2012)
The following is a list of its members of the years (2007-2012):<ref>[http://www.baztab.com/news/61695.php تركيب تازه اعضاي مجمع تشخيص مصلحت<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302073957/http://www.baztab.com/news/61695.php |date=2007-03-02 }}</ref>

# [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani|Hashemi Rafsanjani, Akbar]], [[Ayatollah]] (Chairman of the Council) *
# [[Mohsen Rezaee]], [[PhD]]* (Secretary General)
# [[Ahmad Jannati|Jannati, Ahmad]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Abbas Vaez-Tabasi|Vaez Tabasi, Abbas]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Ebrahim Amini|Amini Najafabadi, Ebrahim]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel|Haddad-Adel, Gholam Ali]], [[PhD]] *
# [[Mohammad Emami Kashani|Emami Kashani, Mohammad]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Ali Movahedi-Kermani|Movahedi-Kermani, Ali]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Hassan Habibi|Habibi, Hassan Ebrahim]], [[PhD]] *
# [[Mir Hossein Mousavi|Mousavi, Mir Hossein]] [[Master of Science|MSc]] *
# [[Ali Akbar Velayati|Velayati, Ali Akbar]], [[Doctor of Medicine|MD]] *
# [[Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi|Dorri Najafabadi, Ghorbanali]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri|Mohammadi Reyshahri, Mohammad]], [[Hojatoleslam]] *
# [[Hassan Sane'i|Sane'i, Hassan]], [[Hojatoleslam]] *
# [[Hassan Rouhani|Rouhani, Hassan]], [[Hojatoleslam]], [[PhD]] *
# [[Habibollah Asgar Owladi|Asgar Owladi, Habibollah]] *
# [[Ali Larijani|Larijani, Ali]], [[PhD]] *
# [[Mohammad Reza Bahonar|Bahonar, Mohammad Reza]]
# [[Mohammad Reza Tavassoli|Tavassoli Mahallati, Mohammad Reza]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Mostafa Mirsalim|Mirsalim, Mostafa]] *
# [[Morteza Nabavi|Nabavi, Morteza]] *
# [[Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri]], [[Hojatoleslam]] *
# [[Hassan Firouzabadi|Firouzabadi, Hassan]], [[Major General]] *
# [[Gholam Reza Aghazadeh|Aghazadeh, Gholam Reza]] *
# [[Bijan Namdar Zanganeh|Namdar Zanganeh, Bijan]] *
# [[Ali Agha-Mohammadi]]
# [[Mohammad Forouzandeh]]
# [[Davoud Danesh-Jafari]]
# [[Majid Ansari]]
# [[Hossein Mozaffar]]
# [[Mohammad Javad Irvani]]
# [[Mohammad Reza Aref]]
# [[Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i]]
# [[Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani]]
# [[Parviz Davoodi]]

''[[Ex officio]]'' members:
# President
# Speaker of Majles
# Chief of the Judiciary
# The minister concerned depending on the subject under discussion
# The representative of Majlis commission concerning the subject discussed
* If mediating between [[Majlis]] and [[Guardian Council]], the council will also include the six clerics of the Guardian Council.


;Fifth council (2002–2007)
The following is a list of its members of the years 2002-2007.<ref>[http://www.majma.ir/contentstopless.aspx?p=7336ed18-f803-4ea1-a442-88916bb1d554 مجمع تشخیص مصلحت نظام<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622061547/http://www.majma.ir/contentstopless.aspx?p=7336ed18-f803-4ea1-a442-88916bb1d554 |date=2007-06-22 }}</ref>
# [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani|Hashemi Rafsanjani, Akbar]], [[Ayatollah]] (Chairman) *
# [[Ibrahim Amini Najafabadi|Amini Najafabadi, Ibrahim]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Abbas Vaez Tabasi|Vaez Tabasi, Abbas]], [[Hojatoleslam]] *
# [[Mohammad Emami Kashani|Emami Kashani, Mohammad]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Mir Hussein Mousavi|Mousavi, Mir Hussein]] *
# [[Ali Akbar Velayati|Velayati, Ali Akbar]] *
# [[Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri|Mohammadi Reyshahri, Mohammad]], [[Hojatoleslam]] *
# [[Hassan Sane'i|Sane'i, Hassan]], [[Hojatoleslam]] *
# [[Hassan Rouhani|Rouhani, Hassan]], [[Hojatoleslam]], [[PhD]] *
# [[Habibollah Asgar Owladi|Asgar Owladi, Habibollah]] *
# [[Qorbanali Dorri Najafabadi|Dorri Najafabadi, Qorbanali]], [[Hojatoleslam]] *
# [[Ali Larijani|Larijani, Ali]] *
# [[Mostafa Mirsalim|Mirsalim, Mostafa]] *
# [[Mohammadreza Tavassoli Mahallati|Tavassoli Mahallati, Mohammadreza]], [[Ayatollah]] *
# [[Morteza Nabavi|Nabavi, Morteza]] *
# [[Hassan Firouzabadi|Firouzabadi, Hassan]], [[Major General]] *
# [[Gholamreza Aqazadeh|Aqazadeh, Gholamreza]] *
# [[Bijan Namdar Zanganeh|Namdar Zanganeh, Bijan]] *
# [[Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani|Rafsanjani, Mohammad Hashemi]] *
# [[Hassan Ibrahim Habibi|Habibi, Hassan Ibrahim]] *
# [[Mohsen Rezaee]] * (Secretary General of the Council)
# [[Ahmad Jannati]]
# [[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]]
# [[Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri]]
# [[Mohammad Reza Aref]]
# [[Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel]]
# [[Majid Ansari]]
# [[Mohammad Reza Bahonar]]
# [[Hossein Mozaffar]]
# [[Mohammad Javad Irvani]]
# [[Mehdi Karroubi]] (appointed at 2004)


:(*) Re-appointed

''[[Ex officio]]'' members:
# President
# Speaker of Majles
# Chief of the Judiciary
# The minister concerned depending on the subject under discussion
# The representative of Majlis commission concerning the subject discussed
* If mediating between [[Majlis]] and [[Guardian Council]], the council will also include the six clerics of the Guardian Council.


;Fourth council (1997–2002)
The following is a list of its members of the years 1997-2002.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/Expediency-members.html |title=Islamic Republic of Iran, Members of the Expediency Discernment Council of the System<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2007-01-03 |archive-date=2006-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021190237/http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/Expediency-members.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
# [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani|Hashemi Rafsanjani, Akbar]], [[Hojatoleslam]] (Chairman)
# [[Mohsen Rezaee]] (Secretary General from Sept. 1997) 
# [[Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani|Mahdavi Kani, Mohammad-Reza]], [[Hojatoleslam]]
# [[Ebrahim Amini|Amini, Ebrahim ]], [[Ayatollah]]
# [[Ahmad Jannati|Jannati, Ahmad ]], [[Ayatollah]]
# [[Ali Movahedi-Kermani|Movahedi-Kermani, Ali]], [[Ayatollah]]
# [[Tabasi, Abbas]], [[Hojatoleslam]]
# [[Mohammad Emami Kashani|Emami Kashani, Mohammad]], [[Ayatollah]]
# [[Mir Hussein Mousavi|Mousavi, Mir Hussein]]
# [[Ali Akbar Velayati|Velayati, Ali Akbar]]
# [[Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri|Mohammadi Reyshahri, Mohammad]], [[Hojatoleslam]]
# [[Hassan Sane'i|Sane'i, Hassan]], [[Hojatoleslam]]
# [[Hassan Rouhani|Rouhani, Hassan]], [[Hojatoleslam]], [[PhD]] *
# [[Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha|Mousavi Khoeiniha, Mohammad]], [[Hojatoleslam]]
# [[Habibollah Asgar Owladi|Asgar Owladi, Habibollah]]
# [[Qorbanali Dorri Najafabadi|Dorri Najafabadi, Qorbanali]], [[Hojatoleslam]]
# [[Ali Larijani|Larijani, Ali]]
# [[Mostafa Mirsalim|Mirsalim, Mostafa]]
# [[Mohammadreza Tavassoli Mahallati|Tavassoli Mahallati, Mohammadreza]], [[Ayatollah]]
# [[Abdullah Nouri|Nouri, Abdullah]], [[Hojatoleslam]]
# [[Morteza Nabavi|Nabavi, Morteza]]
# [[Hassan Firouzabadi|Firouzabadi, Hassan]], Lt. General
# [[Gholamreza Aqazadeh|Aqazadeh, Gholamreza]]
# [[Bijan Namdar Zanganeh|Namdar Zanganeh, Bijan]]
# [[Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani|Rafsanjani, Mohammad Hashemi]]
# [[Mohsen Nourbakhsh|Nourbakhsh, Mohsen]]
# [[Hassan Ibrahim Habibi|Habibi, Hassan Ibrahim]]

{{col-break}}
''[[Ex officio]]'' members:

# President: [[Mohammad Khatami|Khatami, Mohammad]], [[Hojatoleslam]] 
# Majlis Speaker: [[Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri]], [[Hojatoleslam]] ''followed by'' [[Mehdi Karroubi|Karroubi, Mehdi]], [[Hojatoleslam]]
# Judiciary Chief: [[Mohammad Yazdi|Yazdi, Mohammad]], [[Ayatollah]] ''followed by'' [[Mahmoudd Hashemi Shahroudi|Hashemi Shahroudi, Mahmoud]], [[Ayatollah]]
# The minister or head office of administration concerned depending on the subject under discussion
# The representative of Majlis commission concerning the subject which is being discussed 
* Clergy members of Guardians Council at one point: (Only in case of mediating between [[Majlis]] and [[Guardian Council]])  
# [[Ahmad Jannati|Jannati, Ahmad]], [[Ayatollah]]
# [[Reza Ostadi|Ostadi, Reza]], [[Ayatollah]] 
# [[Gholamreza Rezvani|Rezvani, Gholamreza]], [[Ayatollah]]
# [[Mohammad Mo'men|Mo'men, Mohammad]], [[Ayatollah]] 
# [[Mohammad Yazdi|Yazdi, Mohammad]], [[Ayatollah]] 
# [[Hasan Taheri Khoram-Abadi|Taheri Khoram-Abadi, Hasan]], [[Ayatollah]]
{{col-end}}

;Third council (1992–1997)
The following is a list of its members of the years 1992–1997.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
#[[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]] (chairman)
# [[Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani]]
# [[Hassan Sane'i]]
# [[Ahmad Khomeini]]
# [[Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha]]
# [[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]]
# [[Mohammadreza Tavassoli Mahallati]]
# [[Abdullah Nouri]]
# [[Hassan Rouhani]]
# [[Hassan Ibrahim Habibi]]
# [[Mir Hussein Mousavi]]

{{col-break}}
''[[Ex officio]]'' members:

# President: [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]] 
# Majlis Speaker: [[Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri]]
# Judiciary Chief: [[Mohammad Yazdi]]
# The minister or head office of administration concerned depending on the subject under discussion
# The representative of Majlis commission concerning the subject which is being discussed 
* Clergy members of Guardians Council at that time.
{{col-end}}

;Second council (1989–1992)
The following is a list of its members of the years 1989-1992.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
# [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]] (chairman)
# [[Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani]]
# [[Yousef Saanei]]
# [[Hassan Sane'i]]
# [[Ahmad Khomeini]]
# [[Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha]]
# [[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]]
# [[Mohammadreza Tavassoli Mahallati]]
# [[Abdullah Nouri]]
# [[Mir Hussein Mousavi]]

{{col-break}}
''[[Ex officio]]'' members:

# President: [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]] 
# Majlis Speaker: [[Mehdi Karroubi]] ''followed by'' [[Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri]]
# Judiciary Chief: [[Mohammad Yazdi]]
# The minister or head office of administration concerned depending on the subject under discussion
# The representative of Majlis commission concerning the subject which is being discussed 
* Clergy members of Guardians Council at that time.
{{col-end}}

;First council (February 6, 1988–1989)
The following is a list of its members of the year 1988-1989.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
# [[Ali Khamenei]] (chairman)
# [[Mohammadreza Tavassoli Mahallati]]
# [[Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha]]
# [[Mir Hussein Mousavi]]
# [[Ahmad Khomeini]] (Reporting the decision outcomes of Council to [[Ruhollah Khomeini]])

{{col-break}}
''[[Ex officio]]'' members:

# President: [[Ali Khamenei]] 
# Majlis Speaker: [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]] 
# Judiciary Chief: [[Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili]]
* Clergy members of Guardians Council at that time.
{{col-end}}

== Chairpersons==
Colour key:
* {{legend|{{party color|Combatant Clergy Association}}|[[Combatant Clergy Association]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
* {{legend|{{party color|Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom}}|[[Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan=2|№
!colspan=2|Chairperson
!colspan=2|Tenure
!rowspan=2|[[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]]
|-
!Name
!Picture
!Took office 
!Left Office
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Combatant Clergy Association}};"|1
|[[Ali Khamenei]]
|[[File:Portrait of Ali Khamenei - circa 1987.jpg|80px]]
|7 February 1988
|4 June 1989
|[[Ruhollah Khomeini]]
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Combatant Clergy Association}};"|2
|[[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]]
|[[File:Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani by Fars 01.jpg|80px]]
|4 October 1989
|8 January 2017<br>{{small|(died in office)}}
|rowspan=5|[[Ali Khamenei]]
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Combatant Clergy Association}};"| —
|[[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]]{{Clear}}{{small|(Acting)}}
|[[File:Ayatollah Movahedi-Kermani at Principlists Congress.jpg|80px]]
|1 February 2017
|14 August 2017
|-
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom}};"| 3
|[[Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi]]
|[[File:Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi in Qom(cropped).jpg|80px]]
|14 August 2017
|24 December 2018<br>{{small|(died in office)}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Combatant Clergy Association}};"| —
|[[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]]{{Clear}}{{small|(Acting)}}
|[[File:Ayatollah Movahedi-Kermani at Principlists Congress.jpg|80px]]
|29 December 2018<ref>[https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1397/10/08/1909684/%DA%86%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A2%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%AA%D8%B4%D8%AE%DB%8C%D8%B5-%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AA-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D9%85%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%AF چه‌کسی در فقدان آیت‌الله شاهرودی مجمع تشخیص مصلحت را اداره می‌کند؟]</ref>
|30 December 2018
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom}};"| 4
|[[Sadeq Larijani]]
|[[File:Sixth International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada, Tehran (15) (crop of Sadeq Larijani).jpg|80px]]
|30 December 2018
|Incumbent
|}

==See also==
* [[Center for Strategic Research (Iran)|Center for Strategic Research]]

==References and notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.maslahat.ir}}
* [http://www.rferl.org/reports/iran-report/2004/09/31-130904.asp Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty(RFE/RL) 13 September 2004], mentions Expediency Council
* [http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article1148 A Caliphate disguised as a republic]

{{Unicameral legislature of Islamic Republic of Iran}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Advisory councils for heads of state]]
[[Category:Government of Iran]]
[[Category:Organisations under control of the supreme leader of Iran]]