[2] Grand Ayatollah Zanjani studied religion in Zanjan and Qom and was promoted to degree of Marja', thus being a mujtahid.

Among his teachers were Allameh Tabatabaei, Morteza Motahhari, Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Araki and Golpaygani.

He was elected three times to Iranian parliament where he represented the city of Zanjan.

Grand Ayatollah Zanjani was among the influential clerics who supported ex-prime minister Mousavi and questioned the legitimacy of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency.

No part of our country’s laws assigns any mission or responsibility to this vigilante force,” and accused it of committing “repression and immoral acts.”[5]