TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has set up a new assembly of Islamic experts to clear religious obstacles to legislation amid frequent disagreements between parliament and a clerical overseeing body.
The Assembly on Jurisprudential Affairs would advise the Guardian Council, a conservative-run watchdog which reviews legislation, on the more complicated religious issues and ways to reconcile Islam with modern demands, newspapers said on Saturday.
Iran's reformist parliament has an uneasy relationship with the Guardian Council which tends to veto the assembly's more progressive rulings on religious grounds.
The Guardian Council has been accused by reformers of resisting President Mohammad Khatami's drive to put Iran on a path toward democracy and progress.
Several parliamentarians welcomed the formation of the new assembly.
"Laws that are passed must correspond to society's needs. We need religious innovations and ideas to...break through deadlocks," said MP Majid Ansari, quoted by Entekhab daily.
"Such an assembly can help the Guardian Council achieve practical ways to ensure parliamentary rulings are in harmony with religious principles."
Hambastegi newspaper said the idea to create the assembly was proposed by Ayatollah Ahmad Janati, a senior member of the Guardian Council, which also seeks to uphold the constitution.
Ayatollah Hassan Taheri Khoramabadi, a conservative cleric and former Friday prayers leader of Tehran, is to head the new assembly. The other members are yet to be announced.
Hadi Qabel, a reformist MP, said the new body would only succeed if it were multi-faceted and politically neutral.
"The formation of the assembly is good news on the condition that it does not take political sides," he said.
The Islamic Republic already has an Expediency Council which arbitrates disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council.
12:14 07-14-01
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