TEHRAN, Iran — He is only 25, and he’s running for the Assembly of Experts — the high-level body tasked with selecting Iran’s next supreme leader. Maysam Doost-Mohammadi may be one of the youngest clerics in Iran holding the title of mujtahid, which means he has obtained a sufficiently deep knowledge to formulate independent interpretations of Islamic law.
“When my father heard the news, he stayed silent for few minutes,” Doost-Mohammadi told Al-Monitor of his qualification by the Guardian Council, adding, “Then he smiled to me and said I’m proud that you were accepted for these elections, and that you obtained this level.” The young cleric was born in Qom, one of the holiest cities in Shiite Islam, situated some 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of Tehran. His father was a student at the seminary, where Doost-Mohammadi was introduced to the clerical community and started his studies when he was only 15.
