Abbas Ali Khalatbari ( fa, عباسعلی خلعتبری, Abbās-'Alī Khal’atbarī; 1912 – 11 April 1979), also known as Abbas Ali Khal'atbari, was an Iranian diplomat, who served as the minister of foreign affairs from 1971 to 1978. He was among the significant diplomats who shaped the

foreign relations of Iran The foreign relations of Iran are the economic and diplomatic relationships between the Iranian government and governments of other countries. Geography is a very significant factor in informing Iran's foreign policy. Following the 1979 Iranian ...

during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He is one of the Shah era politicians who were executed following the Iranian revolution.

Early years and education

Khalatbari was born in 1912. He was a member of a well-established family. He pursued his education Paris, where he received a degree in political science at the

Faculty of Law and Economics of Paris The Faculty of Law of Paris (french: Faculté de droit de Paris), called from the late 1950s to 1970 the Faculty of Law and Economics of Paris, is the second-oldest faculty of law in the world and one of the four and eventually five faculties ...

in 1936, and a PhD degree in law in 1938.

Career

Khalatbari was a career diplomat. He began his career in the finance ministry in 1940 and then joined the foreign ministry in 1942. He briefly served as Iran's ambassador to Poland in 1961. Khalatbari was appointed secretary general of

CENTO The Middle East Treaty Organization (METO), also known as the Baghdad Pact and subsequently known as the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), was a military alliance of the Cold War. It was formed in 24 February 1955 by Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Tur ...

in January 1962, replacing Mirza Osman Ali Baig in the post. Khalatbari was in office until January 1968 when Turgut Menemencioglu succeeded him in the post. From 1968 to 1970 he served as the deputy minister of foreign affairs. Khalatbari was appointed foreign minister to the cabinet led by Prime Minister

Amir Abbas Hoveyda Amir-Abbas Hoveyda ( fa, امیرعباس هویدا, Amīr 'Abbās Hoveyda; 18 February 1919 – 7 April 1979) was an Iranian economist and politician who served as Prime Minister of Iran from 27 January 1965 to 7 August 1977. He was the l ...

on 13 September 1971, replacing

Ardeshir Zahedi Ardeshir Zahedi, GCVO ( fa, اردشیر زاهدی; 16 October 1928 – 18 November 2021) was an Iranian politician and diplomat who served as the country's foreign minister from 1966 to 1971, and its ambassador to the United States and the Un ...

in the post. Khalatbari paid an official visit to Israel in 1977 as a guest of his Israeli counterpart

Yigal Allon Yigal Allon ( he, יגאל אלון; 10 October 1918 – 29 February 1980) was an Israeli politician, commander of the Palmach, and general in the Israel Defense Forces, IDF. He served as one of the leaders of Ahdut HaAvoda party and the Labor P ...

. Khalatbari's term as foreign minister ended on 27 August 1978, and he was replaced by

Amir Khosrow Afshar Amir Khosrow Afshar (1919–1999; fa, امیرخسرو افشار قاسملو) was an Iranian diplomat, who served as the minister of foreign affairs of Iran during the Shah era from 1978 to 1979. Biography Born in 1919 in Tehran, Afshar was a ...

in the post. Although being loyal to the Shah, Khalatbari learned his removal from the early morning radio news.

Later years and death

Following the 1979 Islamic revolution Khalatbari was arrested and sentenced to death on the charges of "corruption on earth; membership of the former regime, being a minister of the former government, being a SAVAK agent, being member of a government delegation acting against the interests of the nation; being employed by the CIA; treason, acting against the interest of the people, acting against the security of the nation". He and ten other officials of the Shah, including former agriculture minister Mansour Rouhani, were executed by the security forces of the

Islamic Republic of Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

in Tehran on 11 April 1979. Shortly before his execution, a written statement of Khalatbari's reports in the court was issued, claiming that the ousted shah had "personally" killed many people.

Personal life

Khalatbari was married to the sister of Safi Asfia, who headed the Plan Organisation of Iran, and was in charge of Iran's early nuclear ambitions. He had four children.

Honors

Khalatbari was the recipient of Homayoun First Class and Taj Third Class honors.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Khalatbari, Abbas Ali 20th-century Iranian diplomats 20th-century Iranian politicians 1912 births 1979 deaths Ambassadors of Iran to Poland Central Treaty Organisation officials Foreign ministers of Iran Politicians executed during the Iranian Revolution Rastakhiz Party politicians