Ali Khamenei Prevents Hassan Khomeini from Running in Presidential Election

Yaser Khomeini, grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, says his brother Hassan Khomeini intended to run as a candidate in the 1400 presidential election but withdrew from this decision following the opposition of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.

Yaser Khomeini said on Monday, 23 Farvardin, to the Jamaran news website that Hassan Khomeini “was in doubt while consulting and examining the matter until today, according to his scheduled meetings with the leadership, he went to meet with them. During this meeting, the leader of the revolution did not deem his candidacy in the election appropriate.”

He added that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asked the grandson of Ruhollah Khomeini “not to enter this arena under current circumstances.”

In recent days, some groups, including the Sacrificers Assembly, met with Hassan Khomeini and asked him to become a candidate in the presidential election.

Nevertheless, Yaser Khomeini said that following Ali Khamenei’s statement, “it is natural that his decision is clear and my brother certainly has no intention to run as a candidate.”

Hassan Khomeini had previously also abstained from participating in elections. He registered to run for membership in the Assembly of Experts in December 2015, but his qualification was rejected by the Guardian Council.

The Guardian Council cited the reason for rejecting his qualification as “his failure to appear in the jurisprudence exam,” and Hassan Khomeini, referring to this matter, said that the rejection of his “academic qualification” by the Guardian Council surprised him and many others.

At that time, Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, then head of the Expediency Discernment Council, criticized the rejection of the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic in the Assembly of Experts election and asked the Guardian Council members “where they obtained their authority and who gave them permission to judge?”

The thirteenth presidential election in Iran is scheduled to be held on 28 Khordad of this year, coinciding with the sixth round of elections for city and village Islamic councils.

Reformist groups that have prepared themselves to participate in this election have not yet been able to introduce a candidate, while conservative factions have introduced multiple candidates, particularly from among military figures.

On the other hand, independent individuals such as Ali Motahari, former parliamentary representative, have also entered the electoral arena.

Previously, Hossein Dehqan, former Defense Minister and military advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, and Mostafa Kavakebian, Secretary-General of the People’s Party, officially announced their candidacy for participation in this round of elections.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister, and Saeed Mohammad, commander of the Khatam al-Anbia headquarters, are also mentioned as other potential candidates.

Source: Radio Farda