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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
(Reporting by Zahra Hosseinian, Editing by Dominic Evans)
