Hadi Khamenei

Hojatoleslam Hadi Khamenei is a mid-ranking cleric ["Reformist Kin Of Iran Leader Is Attacked By Militants.(Foreign Desk)." The New York Times. (Feb 14, 1999). [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE2D9153AF937A25751C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink] ] who is a member of the reformist Association of Combatant Clerics, and a former member of the Majlis of Iran representing a district in Tehran. [ [http://www.payvand.com/news/03/jan/1059.html Three editors of banned daily arrested over controversial cartoon ] ] He is a younger brother of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with whom he disagrees and from whom he is estranged. [Zahedi, Dariush. "The Iranian Revolution Then and Now: Indicators of Regime Instability" Westview Press: 2001. p. 50.] [ [http://www.farsinet.com/news/feb99wk3.html FarsiNet News - News related to Iran, Iranians and Persians - February 1999 ] ]

Early life

Hadi Khamenei grew up in the 1950's, one of eight siblings, spending his free time raising birds and playing sports. He says that his father did not force him into religious studies. [Schneider, Howard. "Iran's Supreme Leader May Have to Follow; Khamenei and Other Conservative Clerics Will Be Key to the Pace of Reforms." "The Washington Post." Feb. 27, 2000, p. A25.]

Politics

Hadi Khamenei became a leading reformer in the 1990s, putting him at odds with his older brother, whose official position he criticized as having too much power. Hadi Khamenei was an important adviser to reformist President Mohammad Khatami. [ [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tehran/inside/elections.html frontline: terror and tehran: inside iran: by popular demand - iranian elections, 1997-2001 | PBS ] ] He was a deputy minister in the 1980's. [Ehteshami, Anoushiravan. "After Khomeini: The Iranian Second Republic". Routledge: 1995 p. 63.]

Aside from Association of Combatant Clerics, Hadi Khamenei is Secretary-general of the Society of Forces Following the Line of the Imam (Khat-e-Imam). [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3496723.stm BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iran elections: Key people and parties ] ]

`The political right in this country say that the supreme leader is above the law, that he can change the law, that he can decree anything he feels is right. Those powers can cause a dictatorship,` he told American journalist Robin Wright in a 2000 interview in Tehran. Hadi Khamenei argues that the Guardian Council's vetting of candidates threatens Iranian democracy. He believes that some reformist candidates are wrongly kept from running. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/600741.stm BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | Khamenei's brother attacks reformist purge ] ] In 1998, the Guardian Council rejected Hadi Khamenei's candidacy for a seat in the Assembly of Experts. [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/2000/3-170100.html RFE/RL Iran Report ] ] Hadi Khamenei was rejected for having "insufficient theological qualifications." [ [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tehran/inside/elections.html frontline: terror and tehran: inside iran: by popular demand - iranian elections, 1997-2001 | PBS ] ]

Attack

In the 1990s Hadi Khamenei spoke at seminaries across Iran and launched a newspaper to provide alternative coverage to the media. Opponents responded by physically attacking him during lectures, (he requiring hospitalization for head injuries suffered at a Qom mosque), banning his newspaper, disqualifying him from running for the Assembly of Experts. [Wright, Robin, "Sacred Rage", Simon and Schuster, (2001), p.283.] In February 11 1999, around one hundred people attacked Hadi Khamenei in Qom. ["Reformist Kin Of Iran Leader Is Attacked By Militants.(Foreign Desk)." The New York Times. (Feb 14, 1999). [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE2D9153AF937A25751C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink] ] The attackers fractured Hadi Khamenei's skull. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E0D9163DF93AA25751C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink World Briefing - New York Times ] ] The mob used "stones, sticks, iron rods and shoes" to attack Hadi Khamenei. ["Reformist Kin Of Iran Leader Is Attacked By Militants.(Foreign Desk)." The New York Times. (Feb 14, 1999). [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE2D9153AF937A25751C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink] ] The Iranian police arrested 45 people who were suspected to be involved in the attack. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E0D9163DF93AA25751C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink World Briefing - New York Times ] ]

The editors of the newspapers "Salam", "Khordad", "Sobh-i Imruz", "Hamshahri", "Akhbar", "Iran", "Etelaat", "Iran News", "Zan", "Arya", and "Kar va Kargar" signed a letter condemning the attack on Hadi Khamenei. [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/1999/8-220299.html RFE/RL Iran Report ] ] The Ministry of Islamic Guidance and Culture and the "Society of Lecturers and Researchers at Qom's Theological Seminary" also condemned the attack. [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/1999/8-220299.html RFE/RL Iran Report ] ]

Some conservatives blamed Hadi Khamenei for the attack. Member of Parliament Rajab Rahmani argued that Hadi Khamenei staged the attack to get attention and pity. [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/1999/8-220299.html RFE/RL Iran Report ] ] Mohammad Mohajeri of the "Kayhan" newspaper suggested that Hadi Khamenei's comments were "the root cause of violence." [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/1999/8-220299.html RFE/RL Iran Report ] ]

Newspapers

The Special Court for the Clergy, a tribunal appointed by the Supreme Leader, accused Hadi Khamenei's newspaper, "Hayat-e No", of "press offenses." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/919078.stm BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | Ayatollah's brother faces court summons ] ] The newspaper was accused of insulting Imam Khomeini in a cartoon. In parliament, Hadi Khamenei said that he would have rather died than be accused of insulting the imam. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2651691.stm BBC NEWS | Middle East | Cartoon sparks mass Iran protests ] ] The Special Court for Clergy temporarily banned "Hayat-e No" in January 2000. [ [http://www.payvand.com/news/03/jan/1059.html Three editors of banned daily arrested over controversial cartoon ] ] According to the Guardian, "Hayat-e No" is regarded as reliable. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/feb/18/iran.afghanistan Bin Laden's No 2 'captured in Iran' | World news | The Guardian ] ] According to the "Financial Times," "Hayat-e No" is a pro-reform daily. [Dinmore, Guy (2000, September 11). "Blow to Iran pro-reform media": [London edition] . "Financial Times", p. 08.] Hadi Khamenei's other newspaper, "Jahan-e Islam", was shut down in 1995. The newspaper was accused of insulting Islamic beliefs and publishing false information. [Zahedi, Dariush. "The Iranian Revolution Then and Now: Indicators of Regime Instability" Westview Press: 2001. p. 50.] [ [http://www.farsinet.com/news/feb99wk3.html FarsiNet News - News related to Iran, Iranians and Persians - February 1999 ] ] According to the "The New York Times," "Jahan-e Islam" was a moderate daily. ["Reformist Kin Of Iran Leader Is Attacked By Militants.(Foreign Desk)." The New York Times. (Feb 14, 1999). [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE2D9153AF937A25751C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink] ] However, in 1995, "The New York Times" characterized as Hadi Khamenei's newspaper, "Jahan-e Islam," as a "hard-line Islamic newspaper." ["World News Briefs; Hard-Line Islamic Paper Is Banned by Iran.(Foreign Desk)." The New York Times. (Feb 13, 1995).]

Notes

ee also

* Shahram Jazayeri-Arab
*List of members of Constitutional Amendment Council of Iran