Ahmad Jannati
2nd Chairman of the Guardian Council
Incumbent
Assumed office  1988
Deputy	Abbasali Kadkhodai
Preceded by	Yousef Sanei
Born	1926 Isfahan
Political party	None
Residence	Tehran, Iran
Profession	Politician, Islamic cleric
Religion	Shia Islam

Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati Massah (Persian: احمد جنتی, born 1926 in Esfahan) is an Iranian politician, fundamentalist cleric and a founding member of Haghani school with close ties with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mesbah Yazdi. He is the conservative chairman of the Guardian Council^[1], the body in charge of checking legislation approved by Majlis with the Constitution and sharia, and approving the candidates in various elections. He is also a temporary Friday prayer imam of Tehran.

Contents 1 Career 1.1 Views on the United States 2 See also 3 References 4 External links 4.1 Video clips

[edit] Career

He has been a member of the Guardian Council since 1980 and has been its chair since 1988.^[2] Ahmad Jannati wields considerable influence because he simultaneously holds seats in the Guardian Council, Expediency Discernment Council, and Assembly of Experts.

Jannati was one of the founders of Haghani School, one of the most influential religious schools in Iran, and has had an influence on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Jannati is considered close to the Iranian Islamic conservatives, and is heavily criticized by the reformists for his active role in not approving reformist candidates to run in various elections and blocking their legislation.

During a Friday Prayer on 4 August 2006 Jannati asserted, "[S]upport for Hizbollah [is] a duty."^[3]

On Iraq he has said: “Fortunately, after years of effort and expectations in Iraq, an Islamic state has come to power and the constitution has been established on the basis of Islamic precepts”.^[4]

[edit] Views on the United States

In a speech aired on Iranian TV Channel 1 on June 1, 2007 (as translated by MEMRI), Jannati stated:

People are increasingly inclined towards the Koran, towards Islam, towards the Islamic Revolution and the Imam [Khomeini]. Just like this movement destroyed the monarchical regime here, it will definitely destroy the arrogant rule of hegemony of America, Israel, and their allies... At the end of the day, we are an anti-American regime. America is our enemy, and we are the enemies of America. The hostility between us is not a personal matter. It is a matter of principle. We are in disagreement over the very principles that underlie our revolution and our Islam.^[5]

In April 2008, he pontificated, "You cried: "Death to the Shah," and indeed, he died. You cried: "Death to Israel," and it is now on its deathbed. You cry: "Death to America," and before long, Allah willing, the prayer for the dead will be recited over it."^[6]

[edit] See also

• Expediency Council
• History of fundamentalism in Iran
• Reza Ostadi

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Quotations related to Ahmad Jannati at Wikiquote
• (Persian) Membership history
• (Persian) There is no hope for a free election
• Jannati and Karroubi debate on the policy for the evaluation of candidates (BBC Persian)
• The Gates of the U.N. and the Security Council Should Be Closed
• The English Are the Father of the Great Satan Excerpts from a Friday sermon at Tehran University, Feb. 2005
• To the U.S: Invade Iran, If You Dare Feb. 2007 transcript

[edit] Video clips

• Video clip: We Are Determined to Obtain Nuclear Technology 26 November 2004
• The English Are the Father of the Great Satan Feb. 2005
• To the U.S: Invade Iran, If You Dare Feb. 2007

Preceded by Yousef Sanei

Chair of Guardian Council 1988-present

Succeeded by Incumbent