Ahmad Zirakzadeh
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Zirakzadeh was one of the founders of National Front of Iran, an Iranian party which was considered the backbone of Mohammed Mosaddeq's government.
i father and mother in a religious family in Tehran
. His father, Mirza Zirak, was an Islamic cleric who traveled a lot and in one of his trips he visited a Bakhtiari khan (Sepahkhan) who took Mirza Zirak with him to Tehran
, where Ahmad was born. Later his family migrated to a Bakhtiari town, Shahrekord
, which was called Dehe Kord at that time. After the Iranian Constitutional Revolution
, some of the Bakhtiari khans decided their sons to go to France to study in western universities and see the western culture which was considered an honor at that time, so they chose Mirza Zirak to go with their children as an elder and Mirza Zirak took his older son Gholamhossein with him. After Gholamhossein returned from Europe to Iran he talked to Ahmad about democracy
and nationalism
which he had seen in France and these ideas and thoughts had a great effect on Ahmad’s later political life.
to Dar ul-Funun high school. After one year he won a scholarship from Iran ministry of defense and went to Polytechnic university of Paris to study marine engineering
where he saw a totally different world from Iran.
in 1935 he had to work for navy because of his scholarship so he went to Khorramshahr
and worked there as a navy officer and in 1941 was transferred to ministry of transportation in Bandar Anzali.
After the strike of engineers in 1943 he felt that he “had to change something” so he went to Tehran
and was elected as a head member of center of engineers l.
Zirakzadeh, Farivar, Shafagh, Moazemi and some others founded Iran party which was a nationalist party and considered as one of the most important columns of National Front of Iran and the backbone of Mohammed Mosaddeq's government and Zirakzadeh became the secretary general of the party. The first Iran party’s newspaper was Shafagh with the management of Dr.Jazayeri and the second newspaper was published by Zirakzadeh with the name of Jebhe. Later the Iran party formed an alliance with Tudeh party which defaced its reputation.
After the election of Mosaddeq as the prime minister of Iran in 1951, Zirakzadeh became the economy ministry deputy. Later, in 1952 parliament elections his name was put in National Front of Iran list with other eleven members and he was elected as a member of 17th parliament for the people of Tehran
and continued to work on nationalization of oil with Mosaddeq, Hossein Fatemi
, Makki, Hasibi, Asghar Parsa
and other members of National Front of Iran.
- and broke his leg while he tried to escape there. After the coup he hided from the government for about 2.5 years then he was arrested and was in prison for about five months. After release he established a private business. He was arrested again in 1957 because Shah who was in power again after the 1953 coup suspected that he was working against the government. He became a member of the second National front of Iran after release but he was not as active as the past in this new political party as he himself has said “I did not have the Heat that I used to have before”. He went to the United States in 1980 one year after the Islamic revolution and lived there for many years before his return to Iran.
Before his death he made a will to establish a science foundation with his money which is now operating under the name of Zirakzadeh Science foundation in Tehran.
He died in 1993 at the age of 86 in Tehran and is buried in Beheshte Zahra.
Early life
He was born in 1907 to a YazdYazd
Yazd is the capital of Yazd Province in Iran, and a centre of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located some 175 miles southeast of Isfahan. At the 2006 census, the population was 423,006, in 114,716 families....
i father and mother in a religious family in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. His father, Mirza Zirak, was an Islamic cleric who traveled a lot and in one of his trips he visited a Bakhtiari khan (Sepahkhan) who took Mirza Zirak with him to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, where Ahmad was born. Later his family migrated to a Bakhtiari town, Shahrekord
Shahrekord
-External links:**...
, which was called Dehe Kord at that time. After the Iranian Constitutional Revolution
Iranian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution or Iranian Constitutional Revolution took place between 1905 and 1907...
, some of the Bakhtiari khans decided their sons to go to France to study in western universities and see the western culture which was considered an honor at that time, so they chose Mirza Zirak to go with their children as an elder and Mirza Zirak took his older son Gholamhossein with him. After Gholamhossein returned from Europe to Iran he talked to Ahmad about democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
which he had seen in France and these ideas and thoughts had a great effect on Ahmad’s later political life.
Education
In 1925 Ahmad Zirakzadeh went to TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
to Dar ul-Funun high school. After one year he won a scholarship from Iran ministry of defense and went to Polytechnic university of Paris to study marine engineering
Naval architecture
Naval architecture is an engineering discipline dealing with the design, construction, maintenance and operation of marine vessels and structures. Naval architecture involves basic and applied research, design, development, design evaluation and calculations during all stages of the life of a...
where he saw a totally different world from Iran.
Political life
After returning to IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in 1935 he had to work for navy because of his scholarship so he went to Khorramshahr
Khorramshahr
Khorramshahr is a city in and the capital of Khorramshahr County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 123,866, in 26,385 families.Khorramshahr is a port city located approximately north of Abadan...
and worked there as a navy officer and in 1941 was transferred to ministry of transportation in Bandar Anzali.
After the strike of engineers in 1943 he felt that he “had to change something” so he went to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and was elected as a head member of center of engineers l.
Zirakzadeh, Farivar, Shafagh, Moazemi and some others founded Iran party which was a nationalist party and considered as one of the most important columns of National Front of Iran and the backbone of Mohammed Mosaddeq's government and Zirakzadeh became the secretary general of the party. The first Iran party’s newspaper was Shafagh with the management of Dr.Jazayeri and the second newspaper was published by Zirakzadeh with the name of Jebhe. Later the Iran party formed an alliance with Tudeh party which defaced its reputation.
After the election of Mosaddeq as the prime minister of Iran in 1951, Zirakzadeh became the economy ministry deputy. Later, in 1952 parliament elections his name was put in National Front of Iran list with other eleven members and he was elected as a member of 17th parliament for the people of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and continued to work on nationalization of oil with Mosaddeq, Hossein Fatemi
Hossein Fatemi
Hossein Fatemi was a scholar, journalist, and famous politician of Iran. A close associate of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, he proposed nationalization of Iranian oil and gas assets. Initially a journalist, he served as Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran from 1951 to 1953...
, Makki, Hasibi, Asghar Parsa
Asghar Parsa
Asghar Parsa was a member of Iran's National Front.After graduating from Tehran University's School of Law, he served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was elected to Majlis from Khoy in 1951...
and other members of National Front of Iran.
The 1953 coup and after
He was in Mosaddeq's house in 1953 coup -which was triggered by CIA- and broke his leg while he tried to escape there. After the coup he hided from the government for about 2.5 years then he was arrested and was in prison for about five months. After release he established a private business. He was arrested again in 1957 because Shah who was in power again after the 1953 coup suspected that he was working against the government. He became a member of the second National front of Iran after release but he was not as active as the past in this new political party as he himself has said “I did not have the Heat that I used to have before”. He went to the United States in 1980 one year after the Islamic revolution and lived there for many years before his return to Iran.
Before his death he made a will to establish a science foundation with his money which is now operating under the name of Zirakzadeh Science foundation in Tehran.
He died in 1993 at the age of 86 in Tehran and is buried in Beheshte Zahra.