Mohammad-Ali Rajai ( fa, محمدعلی رجائی; 15 June 1933 – 30 August 1981) was the second
president of Iran
The president of Iran ( fa, رئیسجمهور ایران, Rayis Jomhur-e Irān) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The president is the second highest-ranking official of Iran after the Supreme Leader.
The president i ...
from 2 to 30 August 1981 after serving as
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
under
Abolhassan Banisadr
Seyyed Abolhassan Banisadr ( fa, سید ابوالحسن بنیصدر; 22 March 1933 – 9 October 2021) was an Iranian politician, writer, and political dissident. He was the first president of Iran after the 1979 Iranian Revolution abolis ...
. He was also
minister of foreign affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
from 11 March 1981 to 15 August 1981, while he was prime minister. He was assassinated in a
bombing on 30 August 1981 along with prime minister
Mohammad-Javad Bahonar
Mohammad-Javad Bahonar ( fa, محمدجواد باهنر, 5 September 1933 – 30 August 1981) was a Shia Iranian theologian and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Iran for less than one month in August 1981. Bahonar and other member ...
.
Early life and education
![Mohammad Ali Rajai Museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Mohammad_Ali_Rajai_Museum.jpg)
Mohammad-Ali Rajai was born on 15 June 1933 in
Qazvin
Qazvin (; fa, قزوین, , also Romanized as ''Qazvīn'', ''Qazwin'', ''Kazvin'', ''Kasvin'', ''Caspin'', ''Casbin'', ''Casbeen'', or ''Ghazvin'') is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. Qazvin was a capital of the ...
, Iran.
His father, a shopkeeper named Abdulsamad, died when he was 4 years old.
Rajai grew up in Qazvin and moved to Tehran in the late 1940s. He joined the
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
at age sixteen or seventeen.
In 1959 he graduated from
Tarbiat Moallem University
Kharazmi University ( fa, دانشگاه خوارزمی, ''Daneshgah-e Xuarazmi'') is a major public research university in Iran, named after Khwarizmi (c. 780–850), Persian mathematician, astronomer and geographer, offering a wide range of u ...
with a degree in education.
He worked as a teacher of mathematics.
Political career
Before the Islamic revolution
After moving to Tehran, Rajai became involved in the anti-
Shah
Shah (; fa, شاه, , ) is a royal title that was historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies.Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) It was also used by a variety of ...
movement and was associated with Ayatollah
Mahmoud Taleghani
Sayyid Mahmoud Alaee Taleghani ( fa, محمود طالقانی, , also Romanized as Seyed Mahmūd Tāleqānī; 5 March 1911 – 9 September 1979) was an Iranian theologian, Muslim reformer, democracy advocate and a senior Shi'a Islamic Scholar ...
and the
Fadaeian group.
At one time a member of the largely anti-clerical
People's Mujahedin of Iran (MKO), Rajai turned against its leftist orientation
and in 1960 joined the
Freedom Movement of Iran
The Freedom Movement of Iran (FMI) or Liberation Movement of Iran (LMI; fa, نهضت آزادی ايران, Nahżat-e āzādi-e Irān) is an Iranian pro-democracy political organization founded in 1961, by members describing themselves as "Muslim ...
.
He was arrested at least twice by the Shah's forces for his opposition activities and famously displayed his bare foot at the United Nations while describing being
torture
Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. Some definitions are restricted to acts c ...
d by the Shah's interrogators. His longest detention extended from May 1974 to late 1978.
After the Islamic revolution
He was actively involved in the
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
and was a leader in the movement to purge Iranian universities of American and European influences, which was later called the
Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
. Rajaei was appointed to important occupations after the victory of Islamic revolution. The occupations were as follow:
*As the minister of
Ministry of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
(Iran)
*As the candidate of
Islamic Consultative Assembly
*As the prime minister
*As the president
Ministry of Education
At the beginning, Gholam Hosein Shokohi was the minister of education, and Rajaei was one of his chancellors. After Shokohi's resigning due to illness, Muhammad Ali Rajaei was appointed as the supervisor of the ministry of education. He was introduced by Muhammad Javad Bahonar, and he became the supervisor of education ministry from 18th
Shahrivar
Shahrivar ( fa, شهریور, ) is the sixth month of the Solar Hijri calendar, the official calendar of Iran and Afghanistan. Shahrivar has thirty-one days. It begins in August and ends in September by the Gregorian calendar. The Afghan Persian ...
month to 7th
Mehr at 1357 solar . Finally, Mehdi Bazargan presented him as the minister of education in his cabinet. His programs in the ministry of education included fair distribution of facilities, fair distribution of finance among staffs, reforming of centers of educating teachers, creating a suitable pedagogical system for Muslim society, developing of Islamic ethics among teachers and pupils, creating a good relation between parents and teachers and respect to dignity of teachers according to Islam. These schedules were very important for Rajaei, and he tried to realize them. He was in charge of the ministry for nine months. The most important achievements were the consistency of all schools and also trying to do away with discrimination and differences. He also tried to change the contents of educational books and also made attempts of
Islamization
Islamization, Islamicization, or Islamification ( ar, أسلمة, translit=aslamāh), refers to the process through which a society shifts towards the religion of Islam and becomes largely Muslim. Societal Islamization has historically occur ...
of their contents.
Appointment as Prime Minister
![Mohammad-Ali_Rajai_and_Mohammad-Javad_Bahonar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Mohammad-Ali_Rajai_and_Mohammad-Javad_Bahonar.jpg)
In 1979, Rajai left the Freedom Movement.
[ Following the ]Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
, he was appointed minister of education in the government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
of Mehdi Bazargan
Mehdi Bazargan ( fa, مهدی بازرگان; 1 September 1907 – 20 January 1995) was an Iranian scholar, academic, long-time pro-democracy activist and head of Iran's interim government. He was appointed prime minister in February 1979 by Ay ...
, and although Bazargan's cabinet resigned on 6 November 1979, he did not resign and remained in the post until 12 August 1980 when he became prime minister. Following the presidency of Bani Sadr
Seyyed Abolhassan Banisadr ( fa, سید ابوالحسن بنیصدر; 22 March 1933 – 9 October 2021) was an Iranian politician, writer, and political dissident. He was the first president of Iran after the 1979 Iranian Revolution aboli ...
, after 5 months, he nominated Rajai for the position, and parliament voted him in. He appointed Khodapanahi as foreign minister, Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani
Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani ( fa, محمدرضا مهدوی کنی, 6 August 1931 – 21 October 2014) was an Iranian Shia cleric, writer and conservative and principlist politician who was Acting Prime Minister of Iran from 2 Septemb ...
as interior minister and Javad Fakori
Javad Fakoori ( fa, جواد فکوری, 3 January 1936 – 29 September 1981) was a prominent military figure who served as the 4th defence minister of Iran in September 1980 to August 1981.
Career
Fakoori was a commander of the Islamic Republic ...
as defense minister. During his prime ministership, the Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations Security Council ...
started and his government's first policy became the "victory and defence". He was in office until 2 August 1981 when he became the second president of Iran.
Presidency
Bani Sadr was impeached on 22 June 1981 by parliament, and Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Khomeini, Imam Khomeini ( , ; ; 17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian political and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the founder of ...
held a Provisional Presidential Council by 6 people headed by Mohammad Beheshti
Mohammad Hosseini Beheshti ( fa, سیّد محمد حسینی بهشتی; 24 October 1928 – 28 June 1981) was an Iranian jurist, philosopher, cleric and politician who was known as the second person in the political hierarchy of Iran after t ...
and later Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili
Sayyid Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardebili ( fa, سید عبدالکریم موسوی اردبیلی, 28 January 1926 – 23 November 2016) was an Iranian reformist politician and Twelver shi'a marja.
Political career
Ardebili was a supporter of Ayatoll ...
. Rajai was one of the members of that Council. He nominated himself for the presidential election
A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President.
Elections by country
Albania
The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public.
Chile
The pre ...
in 1981. He was the first president from the Islamic Republican Party
The Islamic Republican Party (IRP; fa, حزب جمهوری اسلامی, Ḥezb-e Jomhūrī-e Eslāmī, also translated Islamic Republic Party) formed in 1979 to assist the Iranian Revolution and Ayatollah Khomeini establish theocracy in Iran. ...
after winning 91% of the votes. He officially became the president after the Oath of Office on 2 August 1981. He named Mohammad-Javad Bahonar
Mohammad-Javad Bahonar ( fa, محمدجواد باهنر, 5 September 1933 – 30 August 1981) was a Shia Iranian theologian and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Iran for less than one month in August 1981. Bahonar and other member ...
to the Parliament to become the next prime minister. Parliament voted in to Bahonar and he formed a new government.
Assassination
On 30 August 1981, President Rajai held a meeting of Iran's Supreme Defence Council, along with the Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar
Mohammad-Javad Bahonar ( fa, محمدجواد باهنر, 5 September 1933 – 30 August 1981) was a Shia Iranian theologian and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Iran for less than one month in August 1981. Bahonar and other membe ...
. Witnesses later stated that a trusted aide brought a briefcase into the conference room, set it between the two leaders, and then left. Another person opened the case, triggering a bomb that set the room ablaze and killed Rajai, Bahonar, and three others. This attack occurred two months after the Hafte Tir bombing
On 28 June 1981 (7 Tir 1360 in the Iranian calendar; fa, هفت تیر, ), a powerful bomb went off at the headquarters of the Islamic Republican Party (IRP) in Tehran, while a meeting of party leaders was in progress. Seventy-four leading offi ...
. The assassin was identified as Massoud Keshmiri
Masoud Keshmiri ( fa, مسعود کشمیری) was a member of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) who infiltrated the Islamic Republican Party (IRP) and came up through the ranks, reaching the position of secretary of the Supreme National Secur ...
, an operative of the People's Mujahedin of Iran
The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also known as Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) or Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) ( fa, سازمان مجاهدين خلق ايران, sâzmân-e mojâhedīn-e khalq-e īrân), is an Iranian pol ...
(also known as the MKO, MEK and PMOI), who had infiltrated the Prime Minister's office in the guise of a state security official. Rajai was buried in Behesht-e Zahra
Behesht-e Zahra ( fa, بهشت زهرا, lit. ''The Paradise of Zahra'', from Fatima az-Zahra) is the largest cemetery in Iran. Located in the southern part of metropolitan Tehran, it is connected to the city by Tehran Metro Line 1.
History
...
.
Political positions
Rajai's political programs were based on a form of constitutional law that included a position of privilege for Islam. He insisted that those in control of the state must be Muslim, emphasized the ''Velayat-e Faqih
The Guardianship or Governance/''Wilāyat'' of/by an Islamic Jurist/''Faqīh'' ( fa, , Velâyat-e Faqih; ar, وِلاَيَةُ ٱلْفَقِيهِ, Wilāyat al-Faqīh), is a concept in Twelver Shia Islamic law which holds that until the re ...
,'' and believed it essential that the government cooperate with institutions such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard and Islamic Revolutionary Court
Islamic Revolutionary Court (also Revolutionary Tribunal, ''Dadgahha-e Enqelab''Bakhash, Shaul, ''Reign of the Ayatollahs'', Basic Books, 1984, p.59-61) (Persian language, Persian: دادگاه انقلاب اسلامی) is a special system of cour ...
. He respected people's freedom insofar as it did not contravene Islamic law
Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the ...
and tried during his tenure to create a consistent government.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajai, Mohammad Ali
1933 births
1981 deaths
People from Qazvin
Freedom Movement of Iran MPs
People of the Iranian Revolution
Foreign ministers of Iran
Members of the 1st Islamic Consultative Assembly
Presidents of Iran
Prime Ministers of Iran
Islamic Republican Party politicians
Candidates in the July 1981 Iranian presidential election
Assassinated Iranian politicians
Assassinated heads of state
Burials at Behesht-e Zahra
Iranian revolutionaries
Deaths by explosive device
Iranian prisoners of war
Iranian torture victims
Islamic Association of Teachers of Iran politicians
People assassinated by the People's Mujahedin of Iran
Early People's Mujahedin of Iran members
Simple living advocates