Ban upheld on grandson of Iran regime’s founder

State media says Tehran’s Guardian Council won’t let Hassan Khomeini join clerical body that picks the supreme leader

By AP 10 February 2016, 11:29 am Edit

Hassan Khomeini, right, grandson of the Islamic Republic of Iran's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, registering his candidacy for the Assembly of Experts elections at the interior ministry in Tehran on December 18, 2015. (AFP/STR)

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s official news agency says that the country’s constitutional watchdog has rejected an appeal by the grandson of the Islamic Republic’s founder against his disqualification from running as a candidate for a top clerical body.

IRNA reported Wednesday that the Guardian Council upheld a ban preventing Hassan Khomeini from running for election to the Assembly of Experts, a body empowered to pick Iran’s supreme leader.

The Assembly of Experts election will be held on February 26, alongside parliamentary elections in which moderates hope to make gains.

The decision to bar Khomeini likely serves as pushback against anyone proposing changes to Iran’s clerical leadership after the nuclear deal with world powers negotiated by moderate President Hassan Rouhani’s administration.

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