Iran bars grandson of Khomeini from election

TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian hardline watchdog body has banned a grandson of the country's late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini from running for parliament next month, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The March 14 vote for parliament, now dominated by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's backers, will test the popularity of the hardline president who came to power vowing to share out oil wealth more fairly but failed to curb inflation.

Hopefuls have to go through a vetting process by government executive committees and the conservative-controlled Guardian Council, which has stopped hundreds of reformist candidates in the past.

Among many hopefuls barred from running in the election is Ali Eshraghi, a 39-year-old civil engineer who is also a grandson of Khomeini, founder of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

Eshraghi told the Kargozaran newspaper he had not been told why he was rejected. "My neighbours told me they were questioned about my private life, including ... whether I shaved, whether I pray or fast or smoke," Eshraghi said.

Reformists were defeated in the 2004 parliamentary vote, when another grandchild of Khomeini, Zahra Eshraghi, was barred. That election helped pave the way for Ahmadinejad's presidential win in the 2005 race.

Pro-reform politicians say many of their number, including 30 lawmakers and three former ministers, have already been banned from running this time around. The final list of approved candidates will be announced on March 5.

The hardline-run council can reinstate hopefuls or bar others based on criteria such as loyalty to the Islamic system.

Reformists and other moderate politicians opposed to Ahmadinejad are confident the election will deliver a change in 290-seat parliament, partly because of what they say is growing popular frustration with Ahmadinejad's economic policies.

Eshraghi said he had the blessing of the country's most powerful figure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to run. "I informed the leader over my decision to run before the registration," he said.

(Reporting by Zahra Hosseinian, Editing by Dominic Evans)