Will Khamenei dismiss Iran’s judiciary chief?
Reports are being circulated in Iranian media about the possible dismissal of Iran’s judiciary chief amid rising criticism of his performance.
Reports are circulating in Iranian media that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is planning to appoint Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Modarresi Yazdi as the new judiciary chief.
On March 27, the Reformist Emtedad news website reported that hard-liner Modarresi Yazdi is undergoing training to assume the position.
The judiciary chief is directly appointed by the supreme leader for five-year terms, with Khamenei commonly extending the term once, meaning such posts are held for a decade.
At present, the judiciary is headed by Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani, who was preceded by Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi. The latter is now the chairman of the Expediency Council. In 2009, the supreme leader named Amoli Larijani, who is the brother of moderate conservative parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, as the head of the judiciary and extended his tenure in 2014 for another five years. His term will end on Aug. 14, 2019.
