Iran holiest city bans Abadi’s campaign posters over forbidden neckwear

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The holiest city in Iran has disallowed the hanging of campaign posters of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as they show him wearing a tie, a garment prohibited by its earliest Shia clergymen.

The municipal authorities in Qom, the heartland of Shia scholarship, disapproved the hanging of Abadi’s posters across its streets, according to Erem News website, turning down several requests by the Iraqi premier’s al-Nasr alliance.

It explained that Iraqi candidates give special attention to Qom, being a habitat for a large number of Iraqi refugees and expatriates. The website quoted Iraqi sources saying the city hosts two electoral centers for Iraqi elections.

Since the fall of Iran’s Sha in 1979, Iran has banned wearing ties in line with an edict by Ruhollah Khomeini, the late leader of the Islamic Revolution, which said that ties represent a crucifix.

Iraqi parliament elections are slated for May 12th inside the country, while expatriates are scheduled to vote on 10th and 11th.

Abadi is seeking a second term tapping into his biggest achievement, victory over Islamic State militants after a three-year-war, but is expected to face strong competition from his rival and predecessor, Iraq’s Vice President Nuri al-Maliki, a close Iran ally.