TEHRAN – A ceremony was held in Tehran on Thursday to mark the third year that Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani passed away. A number of political figures and lawmakers attended the ceremony. 

Mohsen Hashemi, the son of Rafsanjani, was one of the figures who addressed the ceremony held at Tehran's OIC Conference Hall. 

“Akbar Hashemi was avoiding extremism,” said Mohsen Hashemi, who is the current chairman of the Tehran City Council. 

Masoumeh Ebtekar, the vice president for women’s and family affairs; Ali Asqar Monesian, the minister of cultural heritage, handicrafts, and tourism; Hossein Ali Amiri, the vice president for parliamentary affairs; Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology; senior Lawmaker Ali Motahari; and some other officials attended the ceremony. 

Ayatollah Rafsanjani passed away on January 8, 2017, of a heart attack. The body of the first-generation revolutionary figure was buried at the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

Rafsanjani’s death anniversary was postponed due to unexpected events such as the U.S. assassination of General Qassem Soleimani on January 3, Iran’s retaliation on January 8, and the subsequent tragic incident of the Ukrainian passenger plane.

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

Rafsanjani became the first parliament speaker of the post-revolution Iran in 1980.

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.

MJ/PA