Former Iranian president Rafsanjani dies of heart attack

The former president of Iran, Hashemi Rafsanjani, has died aged 82, according to Iranian state media reports. Mr Rafsanjani, who led his country from 1989 to 1997, suffered a heart attack in Tehran. A leading figure in Iran since before the over-throw of the Shah in the 1979 revolution, Mr Rafsanjani often played kingmaker. He supported current president Hasan Rouhani, who has been in office since 2013. He was also head of the Expediency Council, a body that advises Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Middle East