clerics

He argued it was "fundamentally unfair" for a block of clerics to "have a right and a say over our legislation".

Hardline clerics and militants have campaigned against vaccination, falsely claiming it is a Western conspiracy to sterilise Muslims.

He then traveled to a seminary in Najaf, Iraq, for religious studies, but two years later he and other Shiite students and clerics were expelled by Saddam Hussein’s government.

Human rights groups and the UN had urged MPs to block the bill, which was introduced in March after pressure from some Muslim clerics.

A 12-member Guardian Council, a panel of clerics and jurists ultimately overseen by Khamenei, will decide on a final candidate list.