High-ranking state and military officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, stood in rows behind Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei who led the funeral prayer for his “old friend, comrade and ally” at University of Tehran.

After the prayer, the Leader sat at Ayatollah Rafsanjani’s coffin for the last farewell. Other dignitaries and family members followed suit.

In his condolence message, Ayatollah Khamenei said Rafsanjani’s “loss is hard and overwhelming”.

Outside the university, mourners flooded Enqelab Avenue as a truck carrying Rafsanjani’s casket topped with his white clerical turban inched down the iconic thoroughfare along which black banners and posters showing the two-time president were raised. Some of them read “goodbye old combatant”.

The pallbearers yelled slogans in a show of sympathy and unity with mourners weeping and beating their chests in grief.

Officials said more than 2.5 million people attended the ceremony.

The cortege finally made its way through the throngs to reach the mausoleum of Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, the late founding father of the Islamic Republic, in the south of Tehran where the body of Ayatollah Rafsanjani was laid to rest.

Popularly known as a “Pillar of the Revolution”, Ayatollah Rafsanjani played a pivotal role in the course of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the ensuing years. He served as president from 1989 to 1997 and had been the chair of the State Expediency Council since he left office.

The ayatollah died on Sunday after suffering a heart attack. Since his passing, condolence messages have poured in both from home and abroad.

The post Photo: Iran’s memorable farewell to unforgettable man: Hashemi Rafsanjani appeared first on IRAN This Way.

President Hassan Rouhani appeared at Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani’s mourning ceremony in Jamaran Husseiniya and extended condolences to the Supreme Leader.

The post Photo: Hashemi Rafsanjani’s life pictures appeared first on IRAN This Way.

Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, chairman of the Expediency Council and former president of Iran, passed away at the age of 82 on Sunday afternoon in a hospital in Tehran.

He died of severe heart condition, according to people close to the Rafsanjani family.

A funeral ceremony has been arranged for Tuesday.

“The soul of the great man of the revolution and politics, the paragon of patience and resistance, ascended to the heavens,” said President Hassan Rouhani in a tweet.

Rafsanjani, a true follower of Ayatollah Khomeini, founder of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, led a life of political dynamism and eclecticism for over six decades.

Born in 1934 in a village in eastern province of Kerman, Rafsanjani grew up in a wealthy family.

He started his political career in the 1960s, acquainting himself with the views of the to-be founder of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini.

Soon he proved leadership qualities, winning the trust of Ayatollah Khomeini. He was arrested time and again by security forces of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last monarch of Iran, for his key role in anti-monarchy campaigns.

With the triumph of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Rafsanjani became the first parliament speaker of the post-revolution Iran.

In 1980, Ayatollah Khomeini tapped Rafsanjani as commander of the war after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein waged a war against the fledgling revolution.

He served the revolution in his capacity as parliament speaker (1980-1988), president (1989-1997), and chairman of the Expediency Council (1998-to his death). He was also the head of the Assembly of Experts from 2007 until 2011 and interim Friday prayer preacher of Tehran from 1981 to 2009.

“Men of history will be remembered for ever. Ill-wishers should bear in mind that Hashemi is alive because the movement is alive,” said Ayatollah Khomeini of Rafsanjani after he survived an assassination attempt on May 25, 1979.

The unwavering ayatollah established the Servants of the Construction Party in 1995. He was also one of the co-founders of the Islamic Republic Party and the Combatant Clergy Society.

Leading a hectic political life did not prevent Rafsanjani from acting as a pragmatic politician.

The post-war “reconstruction” era of Rafsanjani (1989-97) saw economic development, private sector growth, and rising prosperity for the middle and upper classes.

He also established the Islamic Azad University, now the largest mortar-and-brick university in the world, accounting for half university seats in Iran.

The seasoned Rafsanjani was also a man of letter, writing a number of books, including the “Story of Palestine” and the multi-volume Tafsir Rahnama, a contemporary 20-volume exegesis of Quran.

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President of French National Assembly Claude Bartolone said on Wednesday that his visit to Tehran indicates fresh round of cooperation between Iran and France in light of nuclear agreement.

 Larijani, Bartolone discuss terrorism, bilateral ties

Iran’s Parliament speaker has received President of French National Assembly before a joint press conference on Tuesday.

Mr. Claude Bartolone arrived in Tehran Monday night to discuss with Iranian officials the ongoing crisis in the region as well as bilateral relations. His first host was Mr. Ali Larijani, Parliament Speaker who met him before they held a joint press conference Tuesday morning. “Iranian and French Parliament have enjoyed good relations and Mr. Bartolone’s visit will be a turning point in further improvement of inter-parliamentary relations; economy provided an important topic on today’s meeting with crisis and terrorism in the region coming the second on the agenda,” Mr. Larijani told the press. “We were unanimous in some of the issues in bringing solutions to perennial crisis in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon; we hope Mr. Bartolone’s visit will be successful.”

“Easing banking restrictions, JCPOA, and French private sector’s participation in Iran’s economic projects also discussed,” he added. Mr. Bartolone also addressed the press conference briefly. “My delegation includes the head of Parliamentary Friendship group and members of defense and foreign policy commission; we thank Mr. Larijani’s condolences to French government and people on terrorist attacks, events which delayed my impending visit to Tehran,” he said. “Such exchanges provides representatives of people to talk about nuclear issue, crises in the region, and improving economic ties; French National Assembly welcomes keeping a good relations with Iranian parliament, and visit by head of foreign policy commission to Iran before hitting JCPOA provide testimony to this enthusiasm, with Iranian ministers meeting Paris, and Ségolène Royal, France’s Minister for Ecology, being the last in exchanges,” Bartolone told the press. /MNA

Rapid, accurate implementation of agreements contributes to better Tehran-Paris ties/Cementing parliamentary ties essential/Full implementation of JCPOA commitments a criterion for trust, better ties

Rapid and accurate implementation of agreements between Iran and France stated in the roadmap of development of relations well contribute to better political, economic, cultural and scientific relations between Tehran and Paris, said President Rouhani in a meeting with President of French National Assembly.

President of French National Assembly: Iran’s involvement is essential for the region’s stability and security/We back top French banks to develop cooperation and investment in Iran

“We are witnessing progress in implementation of some of the agreements and their implementation can contribute to better Tehran-Paris ties,” said Rouhani on Tuesday, referring to the documents of cooperation signed between state and private sectors of the two countries during his first visit to France after the JCPOA.

He also said that parliamentary cooperation is essential for development of ties between the two countries and added: “The nuclear agreements has created a new groundwork and we should use it in the best way we can”.

“There are a great number of attractions in the field of history, literature and culture between Iran and France and we are happy that friendly relations and political ties between the two countries have developed,” continued Dr Rouhani.

The goal of Islamic Republic of Iran in negotiations with 5+1 was to prove its rightfulness and serious resolve in having constructive interaction with the world, added the President.

He also referred to the role that France played during the negotiations and said: “Full implementation of JCPOA commitments is a criterion for trust and development of ties” adding that Iran has fulfilled all of its commitments in JCPOA.

On terrorism, he said: “Iran and France should develop cooperation and consultation to resolve regional issues”, especially terrorism.

Dr Rouhani also mentioned the Syrian and Iraqi crises in dealing with terrorism and added: “Everybody knows which countries inside and outside the region are helping terrorists and where their weapons are supplied from”.

“Stability in the region depends on cutting terrorist supports. Defeating terrorism, restoration of stability and security to the region, return of the displaced to their houses and people’s resolve and votes are among common goals in the region,” he continued.

In the same meeting, President of French National Assembly Claude Bartolone also referred to friendly and historical relations between the two countries and said: “French people have always been fascinated by Iranian history and show great interest in Iranian art, literature, architecture and trade with Iran”.

“French National Assembly strictly supported Iran’s negotiations with the P5+1 and currently we are seriously following the implementation of agreements made in JCPOA,” he continued.

He also said: “We back top French banks to develop cooperation and investment in Iran”.

President of French National Assembly added: “Iran’s involvement is essential for the region’s stability and security”.

“Today everyone believes that we need collective effort and resolve to combat terrorism,” he continued. /President.ir

France’s Bartolone meets with Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani

The President of French National Assembly Claude Bartolone who is visiting Tehran met on Tuesday with the Chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Zarif meets France’s Bartolone

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Claude Bartolone, President of French National Assembly, met in Tehran on Tuesday.

Iran’s Shamkhani receives French Bartolone

Iran’s Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani received the visiting President of French National Assembly Claude Bartolone on Tuesday in Tehran.

French parliamentarian upbeat with fresh Tehran-Paris cooperation

President of French National Assembly Claude Bartolone said on Wednesday that his visit to Tehran indicates fresh round of cooperation between Iran and France in light of nuclear agreement.

Bartolone made the remark in a press conference in Tehran after a meeting with head of the Center for Strategic Studies affiliated to the Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati.

He said that the new round of durable relations between Iran and France has begun following nuclear accord between Iran and the international parties in Vienna.

‘We hope that with full implementation of agreement by the either party all-out relations between Iran and France will expand at the international level.’

‘We share common stances on many regional and international issues. Acknowledging regional importance of Iran, France is ready to give an impetus to bilateral relations and facilitate commercial ties and expand investment in various economic and industrial sectors of Iran, thus preparing the ground for necessary and due elevation of the creative Iranian young generation.’

The French parliamentarian expressed deep concern about deterioration of the humanitarian situation by terrorism and the difficulty the immigrants to Europe have been exposed to.

Bartolone said that Europe and France face global problem of terrorism and flow of immigrants and refugees. The key to the problem is the Islamic Republic of Iran’s cooperation with the international parties to help settlement of disputes by the diplomatic means as Tehran has rich experience in helping resolve the regional crises, he added.

‘France is ready to play its watch role, it used to have over success of nuclear accord, today to ensure the resolution provisions are fully implemented.’

He noted that through implementation of the resolution through lifting barriers to banking activity and investment in Iran, ‘we can help restore Iran’s role in the region so that the role will end the problems and sufferings of regional nations.’

He noted that the world and countries of the region are today in need of Iran’s return to the international scene.

He lauded experience of former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati, saying, ‘Today, good talks were held on the humanitarian situation in such countries as Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.’

He hoped that good cooperation will start for investment and presence of French companies in Iran.

‘The cultural attraction can serve as a trump card that will finally afford effective help for cooperation on global issues like campaign against terrorism.’

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