Tehran, Iran, December 18
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, grandson to late Iranian revolution leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, signed up for the candidacy of the Assembly of Experts.
The Assembly of Experts is a key governmental body in Iran responsible for qualifying the country's supreme leader when a former leader dies or ceases to qualify.
Khomeini announced that he is running as an independent figure in the upcoming Assembly of Experts election, IRNA reported December 18.
The election will be held on February 2016 to send 86 ayatollahs to the assembly for eight years.
Khomeini's candidacy has become controversial as many more conservative figures are opposed to it. However, Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani supported him.
Rafsanjani, who was chairman of the assembly from 2007 to 2011, also said he will run for a seat.
Earlier this week ILNA news agency quoted Rafsanjani as saying the assembly has formed a team to identify best-fitting people as candidates for replacing incumbent Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei if he passes away.