{
  "id": 10891583,
  "title": "Shobeiri Zanjani: The quiet ayatollah who bridged Iran’s political divide",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/shobeiri-zanjani-the-quiet-ayatollah-who-bridged-irans-political",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T08:08:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/shobeiri-zanjani-quiet-ayatollah-who-bridged-irans-political-divide"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Grand Ayatollah Mousa Shobeiri Zanjani, a revered and influential religious figure across Iran's political spectrum, passed away at the age of 98 on 20 September 2026. Known for his distance from political power, Shobeiri's students included former reformist President Mohammad Khatami and, according to a source, Mojtaba Khamenei, the current supreme leader. Despite his political neutrality, Shobeiri's authority rested outside of politics, making him an important figure during moments of conflict between Iran's political and religious establishments. Belonging to a conservative strand of the Iranian clergy, Shobeiri believed clerics should focus on preserving the independence of seminaries, maintaining the institution of marjaʿiyyah, and addressing religious and social affairs, rather than directly participating in political power. He argued that excessive political involvement could undermine the clergy's religious standing and weaken religious faith. Shobeiri's expertise in fiqh, or Islamic jurisprudence, was highly respected, and students across Iran's political spectrum attended his classes.",
  "summary": "Shobeiri Zanjani: The quiet ayatollah who bridged Iran’s political divide Submitted by MEE correspondent on Mon, 09/28/2026 - 12:38 Grand Ayatollah Mousa Shobeiri Zanjani passed away on 20 September at the age of 98 Grand Ayatollah Mousa Shobeiri Zanjani was a highly respected and influential religious figure across Iran's political spectrum (X) Off When Grand Ayatollah Mousa Shobeiri Zanjani…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}