2016 Assembly of Experts Election

The fifth Iranian Assembly of Experts election was held on 26 February 2016 to elect 88 members to eight-year terms. The Guardian Council disqualified approximately 80% of applicants — 801 registered; only 166 were approved — including every woman who applied and virtually the entire reformist slate. Among those rejected was Hassan Khomeini, grandson of the Islamic Republic's founder, whose exclusion drew international attention and was seen as a signal of hardliner dominance over the body that selects the Supreme Leader.

The election was held concurrently with parliamentary elections. Despite the severe pre-screening, the 2016 Assembly of Experts cohort was considered somewhat more moderate than its predecessor — reflecting the political space created by the Rouhani presidency and the 2015 nuclear agreement. The Assembly of Experts elected from this cycle was notable for convening in March 2026 to select a new Supreme Leader following the death of Ali Khamenei.