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Reformist cleric skips Assembly of Experts session

The 16th session of Iran's Assembly of Experts, which supervises and chooses the supreme leader, has convened without its speaker due to illness and one member who abstained in protest over Basiji persecution.
EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on their ability to film or take pictures in Tehran.
Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Mahdavi-Kani (C, top table) gives the opening speech during Iran's Assembly of Experts' biannual meeting in Tehran March 6, 2012. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi  (IRAN - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR2YWR0
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Iran’s Assembly of Experts convened its 16th session without its speaker Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi-Kani, who suffered a heart attack in early June and fell into a coma. The meeting of the assembly, which is constitutionally tasked with supervising and choosing the supreme leader, was led by deputy speaker Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi.

Grand Ayatollah Ali Mohammad Dastgheib, the assembly representative from Fars province, refused to attend the session in protest, although he said he would attend future sessions if he found it necessary.

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