Editing Assembly of Experts (section)

===First Assembly (1983–1991)===
The first elections for the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership were held in December 1982 and the Assembly first convened in 1983. 76 of the total of 83 members were elected in the first round, the rest in the second. The full list of members and election results is available on the Princeton Iran Data Portal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts/1982 |title=Iran Data Portal |website=Princeton.edu |access-date=2017-02-26 |archive-date=19 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219083257/http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts/1982/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

As a number of members died, by-elections for replacement candidates were held in April 1988.

The Assembly was chaired throughout the term by [[Ayatollah]] [[Ali Meshkini]], who chaired the Assembly also in subsequent terms until 2007.

In 1985, the Assembly chose Ayatollah [[Montazeri]] as the successor to Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah [[Khomeini]]. But on Sunday, 26 March 1989 Khomeini dismissed him in a letter: "[...]you are no longer eligible to succeed me as the legitimate leader of the state."<ref>[http://www.irvl.net/Translation%20of%20Ayatollah%20Khomeini's%20Letter%20Dismissing%20Montazeri.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070306183950/http://www.irvl.net/Translation%20of%20Ayatollah%20Khomeini%27s%20Letter%20Dismissing%20Montazeri.htm|date=6 March 2007}}</ref> Following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini on 3 June 1989, the Assembly of Experts chose [[Ali Khamenei]] to be his successor as Supreme Leader in what proved to be a smooth transition.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5314.htm |title=Background Note: Iran |publisher=State.gov |date=1 February 2012 |access-date=1 June 2012 |archive-date=21 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121022127/https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5314.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Initially, a council of three members, "Ali Meshkini, [[Mousavi Ardabili]] and Ali Khamenei", were proposed for Leadership. After rejection of a Leadership Council by the assembly, and lack of votes for Grand Ayatollah [[Mohammad Reza Golpaygani|Mohammad-Reza Golpaygani]], Khamenei became the Supreme Leader by two-thirds of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.khobreganrahbari.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=76 |title=خبرگان رهبری – رييس مجمع تشخيص مصلحت نظام: از مهمترين پيشرف |publisher=Khobreganrahbari.com |access-date=2012-07-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206014905/http://www.khobreganrahbari.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=76 |archive-date=6 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iran57.com/Rafsanjani%20T%20dar%20sal%2068%20mokhalef%20rahbarie%20fardi'%20Ilna%2016%20Azar%201385.doc |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-12-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615024327/http://www.iran57.com/Rafsanjani%20T%20dar%20sal%2068%20mokhalef%20rahbarie%20fardi%27%20Ilna%2016%20Azar%201385.doc |archive-date=15 June 2007}}</ref>