TEHRAN, Iran — Before being elected president of Iran in June 2013, Hassan Rouhani was known as a close friend and constant companion of Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Rouhani’s management of the initial round of nuclear negotiations with the West — the failed engagement with Britain, France and Germany in 2003-2005 — earned him the nickname “the Diplomat Sheikh.” However, throughout his career, including when he was secretary of the Supreme National Security Council during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, when he was removed from this post by then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and finally when he started his election campaign in 2013, everyone thought of Rouhani as Rafsanjani’s right-hand man. A review of the political offices that Rouhani has held clearly shows that he has always stood alongside Rafsanjani.

When Rouhani was elected president, a majority of political analysts in Iran noted the importance of Rafsanjani in Iranian politics and the game he had played behind the scenes. Addressing members of the Joint Campaign of the Supporters of the Administration and Reformists on Feb. 19, one week before the Feb. 26 parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections, Rafsanjani bluntly stated in reference to the June 2013 presidential contest, “One week before the elections, Rouhani had 3% of votes. With my support he shot up to 53%.”

Despite their long history of working together, there are now rumors in Tehran about Rouhani and Rafsanjani having disagreements that are leading them to distance themselves from one another. The Feb. 26 Assembly of Experts elections exposed one of the main aspects of this political fault line.

The original electoral ticket put forward by the Reformists and other supporters of the Rouhani administration was topped by Rafsanjani, with Rouhani’s name in second place. After a few days, on Feb. 21, supporters of the Rouhani administration published a new list, “Supporters of Moderation,” which Rouhani led while Rafsanjani was moved to second place. The swap was enthusiastically reported by media outlets opposed to the Rouhani administration in a torrent of articles and analyses. In the end, Rafsanjani finished first with substantially more votes than Rouhani. Rouhani not only failed to receive the highest number of votes, but didn’t even come in second. He placed third after conservative cleric Mohammad Emami-Kashani.