Iran

Supreme Leader
Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, registered on December 18, 2015 for the election of the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body that chooses the Supreme Leader, as the first member of the family to test his politically moderate popularity at the ballot box. Hardliners voiced concerns about his candidacy though, warning of the risk of a reformist alliance at the top of the political establishment. Close to President Rouhani, he was hoping to cash in on that support to help like-minded politicians win a majority in the assembly.

Saudi Arabia
On January 3, 2016, angry Iranian protesters stormed Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran to protest against Saudi Arabia's execution of Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric from the kingdom's Shia minority. In response, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties, accusing Iran of destabilizing the region by creating "terrorist cells" in Saudi Arabia.