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 The leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, the late
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa, or religious edict,
that called on Muslims to the kill the author after his book was
condemned as blasphemous, forcing him into years of hiding.
Iranian hardliners say Khomeini's decree is irrevocable and
eternal after his death. A wealthy Iranian religious
organization offered $2.7 million reward to anyone carrying out
the fatwa and in 2012 it increased the amount to $3.3 million.
The semi-official Fars news agency published a list of 40 news
outlets adding to the pot. Fars itself earmarked $30,000.
"These media outlets have set the $600,000 bounty on the 27th
anniversary of the historical fatwa to show it is still alive,"
Mansour Amiri, organizer of a digital technology exhibition at
which the money was announced this month, told Reuters.
Amiri is the head of the Seraj Cyberspace Organisation, which is
affiliated to the Basij volunteer militia, allied to the elite
Revolutionary Guards established to defend the values of the
revolution.
The head of the militia visited the exhibition, Farsi said.
Rushdie's agent said he had no comment. Iran's Foreign Ministry
was not immediately available to comment
In 1998, Iran's pro-reform government of President Mohammad
Khatami distanced itself from the fatwa, saying the threat
against Rushdie was over after he had lived in hiding for nine
years. The book's Japanese translator was stabbed to death in
1991 and other people involved in publishing it were attacked.
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But Khomeini's successor as Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
said in 2005 that the fatwa was still valid and three hardline
clerics called on followers to kill Rushdie.
With the landmark nuclear deal with world powers sealed last year,
followed by lifting of international sanctions, pragmatist President
Hassan Rouhani is trying to end Iran's isolation with the West.
However, despite the government's willingness for wider engagement,
hardline allies of Khamenei fear that opening up to the West will
eventually weaken their influence and the legitimacy of the Islamic
Revolution.
The deal has intensified Iran's political infighting ahead of two
crucial elections on Friday.
A hardline watchdog body, the Guardian Council, has disqualified
thousands of Rouhani allies, barring them from entering the race for
parliament and Assembly of Experts, which has power to appoint the
supreme leader.
(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Additional reporting by Estelle Shirbon;
Editing by Alison Williams)
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