The Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly () is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) in Iran. It was founded in 1990 by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and a group of Shiite elites under the supervision of the Islamic authority of the Shiites to identify, organize, educate and support the followers of Ahl al-Bayt. According to US based pressure group, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), this group is known for its propaganda and support of Islamist militant groups in the Middle East.
One of the most important objectives of the Iranian government following the Iranian Revolution was to foster unity among Muslims across the globe. In order to reach that goal, the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly was established in 1990. Its first conference was held on 21 May 1990. More than three hundred scholars and Muslim elite, mostly Shia, attended. At the end of this conference, through a letter, the participants asked Ali Khamenei to establish the Ahl al-Bayt Assembly and he accepted. Its statute ordained Tehran as the main center of this INGO.
According to Abdul Karim Soroush, the establishment of the Assembly was a counter-offensive of traditionalist Shiite Clerics inside the powerful elite against Tehran's Ecumenical Society () because they suspected it was developing tendencies to encroach upon the Sunnis.
The following topics were discussed at the first conference:
The General Assembly has a group of Islamic scholars and religious and cultural figures of the Islamic world. According to the statute, the General Assembly is held every four years. The first was held in February 1994 and was attended by more than 330 members of this Assembly from 61 countries as well as scholars and researchers from different fields and Muslim countries.
Some elite members of the General Assembly are or have previously been members of this council. According to the statute, members of this council are chosen by Vali-e-Faqih for five years. The council is responsible for the adoption of policies, programs, the budgets' assembly and supervision of the Executive Assembly.
The first General Secretary of this assembly was Ayatollah Mohammad-Ali Taskhiri, from 1990 until 1999. The second General Secretary was Ali Akbar Velayati, followed by Ayatollah Mohammad Mahdi Asefi. Hojjat al-Islam Mohammad Hasan Akhtari, a former Iranian ambassador to Syria, is the current General Secretary of the assembly.
The Secretariat is divided into the Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of International Affairs, Department of Executive Affairs, Department of Economic Affairs, Office of the Secretary-General and the Planning and Supervision Office.
The following goals are declared in the statute:
The Ahl Al-Bayt World Assembly has attracted several controversies. The organization is among several Iranian-backed groups accused of exporting the Islamic Revolution, and also of participating in activities waging a campaign to delegitimize Israel. It also has ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as Islamist militant groups in the Middle East region such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
In February 2019, the Canada Revenue Agency revoked Ahlul Bayt Assembly of Canada's status after it was alleged to be âÂÂacting as a facilitator organization to support the operational goalsâ of ABWA.