Iran's supreme leader appoints new judiciary chief

TEHRAN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Sadeq Larijani as Iran's new judiciary chief, local English-language Press TV reported on Saturday.

Khamenei appointed Sadeq Larijani as the country's new judiciary chief in a decree on Saturday, the report said.

The 49-year-old Sadeq Larijani, who is currently a member of the Guardian Council, is the younger brother of Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.

He has also been elected twice to the Assembly of Experts, the top clerical body that chooses and supervises the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Press TV said.

Khamenei also thanked the former chief Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi who has reached the end of his second term for his service and expressed hope that the new chief would use Shahroudi's experience and expertise to "revitalize" the justice system.