Rafsanjani in Tehran on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Tehran, Sept. 4 (Reuters): Clerics picked Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani today to lead a powerful Iranian government body, in a boost for the former President who wants better ties with the West and a blow to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Rafsanjani’s victory over a hardline rival to become speaker of the Assembly of Experts is a further step in his political recovery at the expense of Ahmadinejad, a vociferous critic of the West who beat the pragmatic, mid-ranking cleric in the 2005 presidential race, analysts said.

But the change will not herald a shift in Iran's foreign or nuclear policy nor would it have a big impact on the assembly's tendency to stay clear of day-to-day politics, analysts added.