Iranian media reported the death of Hassan Sanei, an 89-year-old Expediency Council member known for announcing a reward for Salman Rushdie's murder in the 1980s.

Hassan Sanei had a prominent role in Iranian society, having been appointed as the head of the Khordad 15 Foundation in 1983 by the directive of Ayatollah Khomeini, the ruler of Iran at the time. He continued to serve in this capacity until 2020.

The Khordad 15 Foundation was established shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution by taking over a collection of confiscated property and factories. Over the years, it grew to become one of Iran's major economic entities, with interests spanning various sectors such as steel, medicine, petrochemicals, food, detergents, investments, and travel quasi-public companies.

Notably, during his tenure as the foundation's head, Hassan Sanei was involved in the decision to offer a reward for the assassination of Salman Rushdie, a prominent writer who faced significant controversy following the publication of his book The Satanic Verses in 1988. This literary work caused protests among some Muslims, resulting in Ayatollah Khomeini issuing a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death in 1989.

The United States Treasury imposed sanctions on the 15 Khordad Foundation on October 28 last year, following an assassination attempt on Rushdie during a speech in New York.

Subsequently, the foundation further increased the reward amount for Salman Rushdie's murder by half a million dollars, bringing the total sum to 3.3 million, just weeks after the knife attack.