Has Rafsanjani been defrocked?
Demoted. The regime has issued a public notice (which they cannot do as an ayatollah is not a formal position) that Rafsanjani should no longer be referred to as an ayatollah in the Press or official correspondence and only a Hojat-ol-eslam (mid-level cleric).
Clerical titles depend on the number of followers you CLAIM to have and when you think yo have enough prominence you declare yourself an ayatollah.
A Grand Ayatollah requires two ayatollahs to declare that you are their religious mentor or source of religious advice.
Last week Khamenei dclared himself an Imam, on a par with Ayatollah Khomeini, founder of the regime. He is thus the direct emissary of Allah and must be obeyed just as Allah would be. Power play.