Abbas-Ali Amid Zanjani (30 March 1937 – 30 October 2011) was an Iranian politician and cleric. He was the only cleric president of
University of Tehran
The University of Tehran (Tehran University or UT, fa, دانشگاه تهران) is the most prominent university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching pro ...
, who himself had had no academic education of any kind, that served from 2005 to 2008.
Early life
Zanjani was a member of the Board of Directors of
Imam Khomeini International University
Imam Khomeini International University (IKIU) is an international university in Iran that was founded after the Islamic Revolution. The bill of IKIU’s constitution was ratified by the Iranian Parliament in January 1984. Constituent organs of I ...
. He was also the founder of the Research Center for Studies and Researches on Islamic Sciences. Zanjani had strong political ties with Iranian conservatives and was a member of
Combatant Clergy Association
The Combatant Clergy Association ( fa, جامعۀ روحانیت مبارز, jâmeʿe-ye rowhâniyat-e mobârez) is a politically active group in Iran, but not a political party in the traditional sense.
It has never been registered as a politica ...
. He had an active presence in reconsideration of the Constitution in 1989 as the delegate of the Parliament in the Revising Council. He has served as a member of
Parliament of Iran
The Islamic Consultative Assembly ( fa, مجلس شورای اسلامی, Majles-e Showrā-ye Eslāmī), also called the Iranian Parliament, the Iranian Majles (Arabicised spelling Majlis) or ICA, is the national legislative body of Iran. The Pa ...
from
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
for two terms.
Political career
![Abbas-Ali Amid Zanjani (13824)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Abbas-Ali_Amid_Zanjani_%2813824%29.jpg)
Zanjani, an ethnic
Iranian Azeri
Iranian Azerbaijanis (; az, ایران آذربایجانلیلاری, italics=no ), also known as Iranian Azeris, Iranian Turks, Persian Turks or Persian Azerbaijanis, are Iranians of Azerbaijani ethnicity who may speak the Azerbaijani lan ...
, was the only cleric president of
University of Tehran
The University of Tehran (Tehran University or UT, fa, دانشگاه تهران) is the most prominent university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching pro ...
. Zanjani holds no secular academic degree
and was appointed by
Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi
Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi (born 1953 in Kerman) is an Iranian politician and was the former minister of science and technology in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr. Zahedi was approved by Iran's parliament with the fewest supporting votes possible (supporters ...
, the minister of Science, Research, and Technology in
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدینژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956), 's cabinet on 27 December 2005. Before his selection, the president of the University of Tehran was elected by the faculty members. After his establishment as the president of University of Tehran, many students protested in front of the Central Library, where the establishment ceremony was held. To date, this appointment is considered as one of the most disastrous decisions ever maid in the Iranian academia.
At the time of his appointment as the chancellor of Tehran University, Zanjani was a lecturer with a ranking equivalent to "associate professor".
However, after his appointment, He and his allies tried to make a fake academic degree and university ranking for him. As an example Tehran University launched a webpage about his background education, claiming that "he holds a PhD degree from University Elites, Iran".
During his post as the president of the university, Zanjani was repeatedly criticized for his mismanagements by students and academics. On 5 February 2008, Zanjani was replaced by economist academic Farhad Rahbar after three-days demonstration organized by Tehran University students.
His teachings of Islamic International Law to the
LLM
A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...
students of
international law
International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...
and
public law
Public law is the part of law that governs relations between legal persons and a government, between different institutions within a state, between different branches of governments, as well as relationships between persons that are of direct ...
is considered to be in full contrast with the most fundamental principles of law recognized by all civilized nations.
Expulsion of university scientists
In 2006, the Ahmadinejad government systematically forced numerous Iranian scientists and university professors to resign or to retire; this policy has been referred to as the "second cultural revolution". The policy was to replace older professors with younger ones. Many university professors received letters indicating their early retirement unexpectedly.
آفتاب - ابعاد خانه نشین شدن استادان دانشگاه
See also
*Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
Ayatollah Taqi Mesbah ( fa, تقی مصباح; born Taqi Givechi, fa, تقی گیوهچی), commonly known as Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi ( fa, محمدتقی مصباح یزدی, 31 January 1935 – 1 January 2021) was an Iranian Shi' ...
*Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدینژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956),
References
External links
Iranian Students Protest Abrupt Installation of Conservative Cleric as President of Tehran U.
* ttp://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/story/2005/11/051125_mf_amid.shtml First mullah as the chancellor of Tehran University(BBC Persian)
Students demonstrate against the appointment of new chancellor
BBC Persian)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zanjani, Abbasali Amid
1937 births
2011 deaths
Iranian ayatollahs
Combatant Clergy Association politicians
People from Zanjan, Iran
Deputies of Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr
Members of the 4th Islamic Consultative Assembly
Members of the 5th Islamic Consultative Assembly
Iranian Science and Culture Hall of Fame recipients in Theology