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Khomeini's grandson sends praising letter to Rafsanjani, regrets his disqualification

Iran Materials 23 May 2013 10:34 (UTC +04:00)
Another member of the Khomeini family has expressed his support for the ex-president of Iran, Ayatollah Hashemi-Rafsanjani.
Khomeini's grandson sends praising letter to Rafsanjani, regrets his disqualification

Azerbaijan, Baku, May 23 /Trend S.Isayev, T. Jafarov/

Another member of the Khomeini family has expressed his support for the ex-president of Iran, Ayatollah Hashemi-Rafsanjani, who has not been allowed to participate in the upcoming presidential elections by the Guardian Council, Jamaran.ir website reported.

Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ruhollah Khomeini, in his letter to Rafsanjani noted that the name of Iran's former president "will live forever".

"Your name will forever remain in memory of people as hope for tomorrow," he said in his letter.

Hassan Khomeini also expressed regret for the fact that Guardian Council disqualified Rafsanjani and prevented him from participating in the election race.

"I didn't believe that your candidacy was disapproved by the Guardian Council. Those who love you also didn't believe it, and this issue hurts them," he said in the letter.

Khomeini also noted that he himself loves Rafsanjani because of the big role he played being near Imam Khomeini and for the sacrifices he has made.

"You possess such capabilities that very few people have," he said in the letter.

Hassan Khomeini was not the only member of the family who expressed his support for Rafsanjani. On May 22, Zahra Mostafavi Khomeini, the daughter of Imam Khomeini issued an open letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, defending Rafsanjani.

"By the views of Ayatollah Ruhollah Mostafavi Musavi Khomeini, Rafsanjani had all the qualities to be a competent leader," she said in the letter, asking Khamenei to look into the issue, and allow Rafsanjani to participate in the presidential race.

Khomeini's daughter also noted in the letter that Rafsanjani was close to Khomeini, and was helping him during his ruling. She also wrote that Rafsanjani played a role in establishing of Islamic Revolution.

Rafsanjani was a speaker of the Iranian parliament for 10 years, then served 8 years as country's president, and is currently the head of the Expediency Council of Iran.

Late on May 21, the Guardian Council of Iran revealed the list of names approved for participation at the upcoming presidential elections in the country.

The council said that the country's Constitution and the election law were the criteria for vetting presidential hopefuls.

The Guardian Council approved MP Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, Hassan Rohani, the director of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council, former First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi, and former Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Velayati.

Iran will hold the 11th presidential election on June 14, 2013.

The voters will select the successor of the current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is not able to participate in the elections for the third term according to the country's constitutional laws.

The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election and the Guardian Council vets the candidates for qualifications.

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