Iran's influential Assembly of Experts elected Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as its chairman yesterday in a move that could strengthen the pragmatic former president's position in the political hierarchy. Reformists and pragmatists will be encouraged by his new role.

The vote consolidates the position of Mr Rafsanjani, who was vice-chairman of the assembly and who served two terms as Iranian president (1989-1997) but lost, unexpectedly, to Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad in his attempt to win a fresh term in 2005.