Died, the former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani died Sunday after suffering a heart attack, said the Iranian state media. He was 82 years old. Rafsanjani, who served two terms as President of Iran from 1989 to 1997, remains an influential figure in Iranian politics.
At the time of his death he was Chairman of the expediency Council, the purpose of which is to resolve disputes between Parliament and the Council of Trustees. Throughout his political career, the ex-President was seen as the man who tried to improve relations with the West. In a sign of mourning, state television Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN) aired a black banner in the corner of his broadcast.
Rafsanjani has been a vocal supporter of the current President of Iran Rouhani. After his death, Rouhani sent a laudatory message on Twitter about the former President, who once earned the nickname of Akbar Shah, or Great King. "The spirit of the giant revolution and politics, a symbol of patience and endurance skyrocketed". Rafsanjani was seen as a key figure in the moderate movement of Iran, after losing the presidential bid against former uncompromising Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005.
In 2009, during the re-election of Ahmadinejad, Rafsanjani became the critic, blaming the election results that gave Ahmadinejad another convincing victory. "He was one of the smartest people who ever were in Iranian politics. Not to say that he was unscrupulous.
He was very good in politics," said Marandi, whose father served as health Minister in the Rafsanjani administration. Rafsanjani enjoyed great prestige in political circles, even among his opponents, he added Marandi.
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