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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Alireza Arafi

Alireza Arafi is an Iranian Shia cleric and politician.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Alireza Arafi is an Iranian Shia cleric and politician who has held senior roles in Iran's religious and political system. Born in 1959 in Meybod, he has served on the Guardian Council, Assembly of Experts, and as head of Iran's seminaries.

Who is Alireza Arafi?

Arafi was born in 1959 in Meybod, Yazd Province, into a clerical family. He rose to become an ayatollah and Islamic scholar, leading Iran's seminary system since 2016. He also served as rector of Al-Mustafa International University.

Political roles

Arafi has been a member of Iran’s Guardian Council since 2019 and was elected to the Assembly of Experts in 2022. These bodies are key institutions in Iran's governance, with the Guardian Council vetting candidates and legislation, and the Assembly of Experts overseeing the Supreme Leader.

Public positions

Since 2015, he has served as Friday Prayer Imam of Qom, a prominent religious role. In 2016, he became head of Iran's seminaries, overseeing clerical education across the country.

In short

  • He is a Shia cleric and politician.
  • Member of Guardian Council since 2019.
  • Member of Assembly of Experts since 2022.
  • Head of Iran's seminaries since 2016.

Quick questions

Who is Alireza Arafi?
He is an Iranian Shia cleric and politician who has held senior religious and institutional roles in Iran.
When was Alireza Arafi born?
He was born in 1959.
What positions has he held?
He has served on the Guardian Council, the Assembly of Experts, as head of Iran’s seminaries, and as Friday Prayer Imam of Qom.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alireza_Arafi
    Supports: Birth year, cleric/politician role, head of seminaries since 2016, Friday Prayer Imam of Qom since 2015, and later leadership-council reporting.
  2. Biyografiler — https://www.biyografiler.com/en/biography/alireza-arafi
    Supports: Iranian cleric, Islamic scholar, and senior religious administrator; appointed to interim leadership council in 2026.
  3. Middle East Institute — https://www.middleeastinstitute.org/publication/islamic-republics-next-generation-leaders-profile-alireza-arafi/
    Supports: Ayatollah title, scholarly background, and description of his expertise.
  4. Reuters — https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/alireza-arafi-appointed-irans-leadership-council-isna-reports-2026-03-01/
    Supports: Appointment to Iran's Leadership Council in 2026.
  5. Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/1/iran-to-form-interim-council-to-oversee-transition-after-khameneis-killing
    Supports: Interim council reporting and confirmation of his role in the provisional leadership body.