The Beginning of a New Era for the Expediency Discernment Council without Nategh
The new era of the Expediency Discernment Council begins today with the issuance of the sixth term’s decrees by Ayatollah Khamenei. This institution, under the leadership’s supervision, starts its new term while there is no news of extending the term of Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, a former member of this body.
Nategh Nouri, who is considered a moderate in today’s political arena, was removed from his last official and governmental position, despite being, alongside his other well-known peer Velayati, one of the most experienced members of the council.
Among his prominent and important experiences are his roles as the head of the Ministry of Interior and the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. In June 1997, he was seen by many domestic and foreign analysts as the predetermined winner of the system, but suddenly, with the surprising participation of voters and twenty million votes for his charming rival Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, he lost the political race, though never his ethics.
After that competition, he announced that he would no longer participate in any electoral competitions and, following the traditions of ancient sports, which is his favorite sport, he stood firm on this decision.
This was in a situation where he was approached and requested by the former rival and current ally at several important junctures. However, the storm of events in 2009 was also shocking for Nategh, and the financial accusations and statements by Ahmadinejad against the children of the principlist sheikh pushed him towards the rival’s base. Gradually, Nategh adopted a more moderate stance than principlism, to the extent that in the last presidential and Assembly of Experts elections, he supported the reformists’ chosen list and echoed their demands.
These stances have now placed the bill on Nategh’s table, with the least cost being the removal of his name from the Expediency Discernment Council, although reliable sources close to him had previously reported his lack of interest in returning to this body.
Therefore, it can be said that Sheikh Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri has reached the end of a lifetime of political activity, and an effective and moderate figure has been removed from the not-so-colorful chessboard of the Islamic Republic’s politics.
