AyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries...
Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is an influential
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
ian
politicianA politician or political leader is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making. This includes people who hold decision-making positions in government, and people who seek those positions, whether by means of election, coup d'état, appointment, electoral fraud, conquest,...
, writer and former president. Currently he holds the position of Chairman of the
Assembly of ExpertsThe Assembly of Experts of Iran , is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities....
(a deliberative body of Mujtahids that is charged with electing, monitoring, and dismissing the
Supreme Leader of IranThe post of Supreme Leader was created in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the highest ranking political and religious authority of the nation, in accordance with the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists...
) and Chairman of the
Expediency Discernment CouncilThe Expediency Discernment Council of the System , is an administrative assembly appointed by the Supreme Leader and was created upon the revision to the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran on 6 February 1988...
of Iran (an unelected administrative assembly that resolves legislative conflicts between the
MajlisThe Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
(Parliament) and the Council of Guardians).
Rafsanjani served as
President of IranThe President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in the Islamic Republic of Iran, but is subordinate to the Supreme Leader. According to the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran the president is responsible for the "functions of the executive", such as signing treaties,...
from 1989 to 1997. In 2005 he ran for a third term in office, placing first in the first round of elections but ultimately losing to rival
Mahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoud Ahmadinejad is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the main political leader of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, a coalition of conservative political groups in the country.An engineer and teacher from a poor background, Ahmadinejad joined the...
in the run-off round of
the 2005 electionIran's ninth presidential election took place in two rounds, the first on June 17, 2005, the run-off on June 24. Mohammad Khatami, the previous President of Iran, stepped down on August 2, 2005, after serving his maximum two consecutive four-year terms according to the Islamic Republic's constitution...
. He was also elected as the Chairman of Iranian parliament in 1980 and served till 1989. In 1980, Rafsanjani survived an assassination attempt, during which he was seriously injured.
Rafsanjani has been described as a centrist and a "
pragmaticThe word pragmatic may mean:*Of or related to pragmatism, a field of philosophy*Of or related to pragmaticism, Charles Sanders Peirce's post-1905 branch of philosophy*Of or related to pragmatics, the area of linguistics...
conservative". He supports a free market position domestically, favoring privatization of state-owned industries, and a moderate position internationally, seeking to avoid conflict with the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the West.
As president, Rafsanjani was credited with spurring Iran's reconstruction following the 1980-88 war with Iraq. He was also accused of corruption by both conservatives and reformists, and known for tough crackdowns on dissent. Post-presidency, Rafsanjani delivered a sermon at Tehran University in the summer of 1999 praising government use of force to suppress student demonstrations. In more recent years, Rafsanjani has advocated freedom of expression, tolerance and
civil societyCivil society is composed of the totality of voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society as opposed to the force-backed structures of a state and commercial institutions of the market.-Definition:There are myriad definitions of civil...
. In a speech on July 17 2009, Rafsanjani criticized restriction of media and suppression of activists, and put emphasis on the role and vote of people in the Islamic Republic constitution. The event has been considered by analysts as the most important and most turbulent Friday prayer in the history of contemporary Iran. Nearly 1.5-2.5 million people attended the speech in Tehran.
According to one of their disillusioned members,
Amir Farshad EbrahimiAmir Farshad Ebrahimi is a former member of Quds Force of Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and is currently a peace and human rights activist living in Germany.-Paramilitary career:...
, Rafsanjani is one of the founders and a chief financial supporter of the conservative Islamic group Ansar-e Hezbollah.
Presidency
Rafsanjani adopted an "economy-first" policy, supporting a privatization policy against leftist economic tendencies in the Islamic Republic. Another source describes his administration as "
economically liberalEconomic liberalism is the economic component of classical liberalism. It is the political and economic philosophy that supports and promotes the economic system of capitalism, in the laissez-faire sense...
, politically
authoritarianAuthoritarianism describes a form of government characterized by an emphasis on the authority of state in a republic or union. It is a political system controlled by typically non-elected rulers who usually permit some degree of individual freedom....
, and philosophically traditional" which put him in confrontation with more radical deputies in the majority in the Majles of Iran.
Domestic policy
Rafsanjani advocated a free market economy. With the state's coffers full, Rafsanjani pursued an economic liberalisation policy. Rafsanjani's support for a deal with the United States over Iran's nuclear programme and his free-market economic policies contrasted with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his allies, who advocate maintaining a hard line against Western intervention in the Middle East while pursuing a policy of economic redistribution to Iran's poor. By espousing World Bank inspired structural adjustment policies, Rafsanjani desired a modern industrial-based economy integrated into the global economy.
Rafsanjani urged universities to cooperate with industries. Turning to the quick pace of developments in today's world, he said that with "the world constantly changing, we should adjust ourselves to the conditions of our lifetime and make decisions according to present circumstances". Among the projects he initiated are
Islamic Azad UniversityIslamic Azad University is a private chain of universities in Iran.Headquartered in Tehran, Iran, the Islamic Azad University was founded in 1982 and currently has an enrollment of 1.3 million students...
.
During his presidency, a period Rafsanjani is described by western media sources as having been the most powerful figure in Iran, the
judicial system of IranA nationwide judicial system in Iran was first implemented and established by Ali Akbar Davar and some of his contemporaries such as Abdolhossein Teymourtash under Reza Shah, with further changes during the second Pahlavi era....
executed political dissidents, drug offenders, Communists, Kurds, Bahais, and clerics.
Foreign policy
Following years of deterioration in foreign relations under Khomeini during the Iran-Iraq war, Rafsanjani sought to rebuild ties among Arab states, as well as with countries in
Central AsiaAsia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east, and from southern Russia in the north to northern India in the south. It is also sometimes known as Middle Asia or Inner Asia, and is within the scope of the wider Eurasian continent.Various definitions of its...
, including
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan , formally the Republic of Azerbaijan , is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south...
,
TurkmenistanRepublic of Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic...
and
KazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country situated in Eurasia that is ranked as the ninth largest country in the world. It is also the world's largest landlocked country. Its territory of 2,727,300 km² is greater than Western Europe...
. However, relations with European countries and the United States remained poor, even though Rafsanjani has a track record of handling difficult situations and defusing crises.
He condemned both the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and
IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
during the
Persian Gulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , known also as the Gulf War, the First Gulf War,or often as the Second Gulf War and by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as The Mother of all Battles, or commonly as Desert Storm, for the military response...
in 1991. After the war he strove to renew close ties with the West, although he refused to lift Khomeini's fatwa against the British author
Salman RushdieSir Ahmed Salman Rushdie is a British Indian novelist and essayist. He achieved fame with his second novel, Midnight's Children , which won the Booker Prize in 1981. Much of his early fiction is set on the Indian subcontinent...
.
Rafsanjani has said that Iran is ready to assist Iraq, "expecting nothing in return". On the other hand, he has said that "peace and stability" is a function of the "evacuation of the occupiers."
Iran gave humanitarian help to the victims of the conflict. Iran sent truck loads of food and medicine to Iraq and thousands of Kuwaiti refugees were given shelters in Iran.
Rafsanjani voiced support to Prince Abdullah's peace initiative and to "everything the Palestinians agree to". He was also clear that Iran's international interests must take precedence over those of Iranian allies in
SyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest....
and
LebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon
[Republic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies...]
.
Rafsanjani is a supporter of Iran's nuclear program. In 2007 Rafsanjani reiterated that the use of weapons of mass destruction was not part of the Islamic Republic culture. Rafsanjani said: "You [US and allies] are saying that you cannot trust Iran would not use its nuclear achievements in the military industries, but we are ready to give you full assurances in this respect."
Currency crisis
During 1990-1995, Rafsanjani's administration faced the brunt of the second-generation US economic sanctions. He failed to stop the Iranian Rial from plunging 80% in value from 415 to 2,046 to the US Dollar, triggering the rise of the modern underground and barter economic networks.
After presidency
In 2000, in the first election after the end of his presidency, Rafsanjani ran again for Parliament. In the
TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
contest, Rafsanjani came in 30th, or last, place. At first he was not among the 30 representatives of Tehran elected, as announced by the Iranian Ministry of the Interior, but the Council of Guardians then ruled numerous ballots void, leading to accusations of ballot fraud in Rafsanjani's favor. Rafsanjani thus again became a
MajlisThe Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
representative, but resigned before being sworn in. He explained that he felt he was "able to serve the people better in other posts".
Rafsanjani is currently the Chairman of the
Expediency Discernment CouncilThe Expediency Discernment Council of the System , is an administrative assembly appointed by the Supreme Leader and was created upon the revision to the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran on 6 February 1988...
, that resolves legislative issues between the
MajlisMajlis , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting" used to describe various types of formal legislative assemblies in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries. Also it is the equivalent of the term legislature in some Islamic-culture states...
and the Council of Guardians.
In December 2006, Rafsanjani was elected to the
Assembly of ExpertsThe Assembly of Experts of Iran , is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities....
representing Tehran with more than 1.5 million votes, which was more than any other candidate. Ahmadinejad opponents won majority of local election seats. On September 4, 2007 he was elected Chairman of the
Assembly of ExpertsThe Assembly of Experts of Iran , is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities....
, the body that selects Iran's supreme leader, in what was considered a blow to the supporters of
Mahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoud Ahmadinejad is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the main political leader of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, a coalition of conservative political groups in the country.An engineer and teacher from a poor background, Ahmadinejad joined the...
. He was running against
Ahmad JannatiAyatollah Ahmad Jannati Massah is an Iranian politician, fundamentalist cleric and a founding member of Haghani school with close ties with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mesbah Yazdi...
. Rafsanjani was re-elected to the position on March 10, 2009, running against
Mohammad YazdiAyatollah Mohammad Yazdi is a hard-line Iranian cleric who served as the head of Judiciary System of Iran between 1989 and 1999, following Ayatollah Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardebili and succeeded by Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi....
. He received 51 votes compared to Yazdi's 26.
Political parties
Although Rafsanjani has been a member of the pragmatic-conservative Combatant Clergy Association, he has a close bond to the reformist Kargozaran party. He has been seen as flip-flopping between conservative and reformist camps since the election of
Mohammad KhatamiSeyed Mohammad Khātamī is an Iranian scholar and politician. He served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005...
, supporting reformers in that election, but going back to the conservative camp in the
2000 parliamentary electionsIranian parliamentary elections, 2000, was the election held for the sixth parliament of Iran after the Iranian revolution. The election was swept by reformist parties, such as the Islamic Iran Participation Front. They won 189 out of 290 seats in the Majlis, with conservatives winning 54,...
as a result of the reformist party severely criticizing and refusing to accept him as their candidate. Reformists, including
Akbar GanjiAkbar Ganji is an Iranian journalist and writer. He has been described as a "Iran’s preeminent political dissident", and a "wildly popular pro-democracy journalist" who has crossed press censorship "red lines" regularly...
, accused him of involvement in murdering dissidents and writers during his presidency. In the end, the major differences between the Kargozaran and the reformists party weakened both and eventually resulted in their loss at
the presidential elections in 2005Iran's ninth presidential election took place in two rounds, the first on June 17, 2005, the run-off on June 24. Mohammad Khatami, the previous President of Iran, stepped down on August 2, 2005, after serving his maximum two consecutive four-year terms according to the Islamic Republic's constitution...
. However, Rafsanjani has regained close ties with the reformers since he lost the 2005 presidential elections to
Mahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoud Ahmadinejad is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the main political leader of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, a coalition of conservative political groups in the country.An engineer and teacher from a poor background, Ahmadinejad joined the...
.
After his loss at the presidential elections in 2005, a growing tension between him and President Ahmadinejad arose. Rafsanjani has criticized Ahmadinejad's administration several times for conducting a purge of government officials , slow move towards
privatizationAccording to the Fourth Five-Year Economic Development Plan , the Privatization Organization of Iran affiliated to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance is in charge of setting prices and ceding shares to the general public and on the stock market...
and recently hostile foreign policy in particular the atomic energy policy . In return Ahmadinejad has fought back that Rafsanjani failed to differentiate privatization with the corrupt takeover of government-owned companies and of foreign policies which led to
sanctions against IranThis article outlines economic, trade, scientific and military sanctions against Iran, which have been imposed by the U.S. government, or under U.S. pressure by the international community through the United Nations Security Council. Currently the sanctions include a total embargo on dealings with...
in 1995 and 1996.. He also implicitly denounced Rafsanjani and his followers by calling those who criticize his nuclear program as "traitors" .
The 2009 Iranian election crisis
During the
2009 Presidential electionIran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
, Rafsanjani's former rival and incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, claimed a landslide victory over challenger
Mir-Hossein MousaviMir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, painter and architect who served as the fifth and last Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran from 1981 to 1989...
, whose demands for a full recount were never met. Additionally, Rafsanjani's daughter was arrested on 2009-06-21 by plain clothes agents from Basij and later released while taking part in a protest against Iran's recent presidential elections; a maneuver, according to
Amir Farshad EbrahimiAmir Farshad Ebrahimi is a former member of Quds Force of Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and is currently a peace and human rights activist living in Germany.-Paramilitary career:...
she had done before in order to get elected for
MajlisMajlis , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting" used to describe various types of formal legislative assemblies in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries. Also it is the equivalent of the term legislature in some Islamic-culture states...
.
Rafsanjani is chairman of the
Assembly of ExpertsThe Assembly of Experts of Iran , is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities....
, which is responsible for appointing or removing the Supreme Leader. As such, his role in Iran's future is likely pivotal. After the disputed results of the election were certified by the Supreme Leader, Rafsanjani was reported to have called a meeting of the Assembly of Experts, but it is unknown what the outcome or disposition of this meeting actually was. During this time Rafsanjani relocated from Tehran to
QomQom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. It has an estimated population of 1,042,309 in 2005...
, where the country's religious leaders sit. However, for the most part, Rafsanjani was silent about the controversial June 12 election and its aftermath.
On July 17, 2009, Rafsanjani publicly addressed the election crisis, arrests and freedom of expression during Friday prayers. The prayers witnessed a crowd that resembled the Friday prayers early after the revolution, and supporters of both reformist and conservative parties took part in the event. During prayers, Rafsanjani argued the following:
All of us the establishment, the security forces, police, parliament and even protestors should move within the framework of law... We should open the doors to debates. We should not keep so many people in prison. We should free them to take care of their families... It is impossible to restore public confidence overnight, but we have to let everyone speak out... We should have logical and brotherly discussions and our people will make their judgments.... We should let our media write within the framework of the law and we should not impose restrictions on them... We should let our media even criticize us. Our security forces, our police and other organs have to guarantee such a climate for criticism. We should open the doors to debates... We should not keep so many people in prison. We should free them to take care of their families.
Personal life
Rafsanjani was born in the village of Bahraman near the city of
RafsanjanRafsanjan is a city in Iran, in the province of Kerman.It is Iran's center of pistachio cultivation. It had an estimated population of 134,848 in 2005.
...
in
Kerman ProvinceKermān is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the south-east of Iran. Its' center is Kerman. The province of Kerman is the second largest province in Iran, 180,726 km². The population of the province is about 2.65 million...
to a wealthy family of
pistachioThe pistachio is a small tree native to mountainous regions of Greece, Syria, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and western Afghanistan, that produces an important culinary nut. Pistacia vera often is confused with other species in the genus Pistacia that are also known as pistachio...
farmers. He has eight siblings..
Rafsanjani has also been involved in the
Iran-Contra affairThe Iran–Contra affair was a political scandal in the United States which came to light in November 1986, during the Reagan administration, in which senior US figures agreed to facilitate the sale of arms to Iran, the subject of an arms embargo, to secure the release of hostages and to fund...
and reportedly received gifts and weapons from the United States in exchange for favors from within the Iranian establishment. Rafsanjani has also been implicated in a number of international cases and there is an
InterpolInterpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
warrant issued for his arrest by Argentinian government. There are as well other reports connecting him with bombings and hostage taking.
From his marriage to Effat Mar'ashi in 1958, Rafsanjani has three sons: Mohsen,
MehdiMahdi Hashemi Bahramani , is the fourth child of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former President of Iran. He was born in Tehran on September 20, 1969....
, and
YasserYasser Hashemi Rassanjani is the youngest son of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former president of Iran.In 1989, he graduated from Nikan High School in Tehran, which was funded by a conservative religious group before Iran's revolution in order to provide the students, from elementary to high...
, as well as two daughters, Fatemeh and Faezeh. Only
Faezeh HashemiFaezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani is an Iranian journalist, women rights activist and former member of Iranian parliament.Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani a daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. She was a Majlis representative from Tehran between 1996 and 2000, during which she founded...
chose a political life, which led to her becoming a
MajlisThe Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
representative and then the publisher of the newspaper
Zan (woman).
Many believe Rafsanjani to be the richest man in Iran due to his deep involvement in various Iranian industries, including the oil industry, as well as his ownership of many properties throughout the country. There have also been allegations that some of his wealth has come from arms deals made after the Revolution. His wealth has earned him the nickname of
Akbar Shah in Iran. The Rafsanjani family own vast financial empires in Iran, including foreign trade, vast landholdings and the largest network of private universities in Iran, known as the
Islamic Azad UniversityIslamic Azad University is a private chain of universities in Iran.Headquartered in Tehran, Iran, the Islamic Azad University was founded in 1982 and currently has an enrollment of 1.3 million students...
, which has 300 campuses spread all over the country. The Islamic Azad University campuses not only have large financial resources, but also a cadre of student activists numbering around 3 million.
The American business magazine
ForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, Forbes magazine, is published fortnightly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published fortnightly, and Business Week...
has included Rafsanjani in their list of richest people in the world. In 2003
Forbes described Rafsanjani as the real power behind the Iranian government, and asserted that he "has more or less run the Islamic Republic for the past 24 years." His son
Mehdi Hashemi RafsanjaniMahdi Hashemi Bahramani , is the fourth child of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former President of Iran. He was born in Tehran on September 20, 1969....
is the head of the state-owned company
Gaz IranThe National Iranian Gas Company was established in 1965 as one of the four principal companies affiliated to the Ministry of Petroleum of the Islamic Republic of Iran with 25,000 million Rials initial capital....
.
His greatest supporter is Noach Emin Rafsanjani ibn Efron.
Rafsanjani has authored several books, including a book on
Amir KabirAmir Kabir , also known as Mirza Taqi Khan Amir-Nezam , also known by the titles of Atābak and Amīr-e Neẓām; chief minister to Nāṣer-al-dīn Shah for the first four years of his reign and one of the most capable and innovative figures to appear in the whole Qajar period.Amir Kabir served as Prime...
titled
Amir Kabir; the Hero of Fighting against Imperialism. He is also gradually publishing his multi-volume memoir titled
Towards Destiny. The seventh volume of his memoirs, in which he writes that Ayatollah Khomeini had approved the proposal to omit the rallying cry "Death to America," was banned and collected from bookstores a few days after its publication.
Quotes
- When the shah gave us freedoms, we drove him out of the country. We won't make that mistake ourselves.
- Those in control of podiums, influence and media should avoid stirring schisms ...... and take steps towards the creation of unity.
- A large group of Iranians have doubts about last month's (June) disputed presidential election ... something should be done about the situation., On 2009 presidential election.
- If one day, the Islamic world is also equipped with weapons like those that Israel
Israel officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
possesses now, then the imperialists'Imperialism, as defined by the dictionary of human geography, is “the creation and maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination.” Imperialism, in many ways, is described...
strategy will reach a standstill because the use of even one nuclear bomb inside Israel will destroy everything. However, it will only harm the Islamic world. It is not irrational to contemplate such an eventuality. Of course, you can see that the Americans have kept their eyes peeled and they are carefully looking for even the slightest hint that technological advances are being made by an independent Islamic country. If an independent Islamic country is thinking about acquiring other kinds of weaponry, then they will do their utmost to prevent it from acquiring them. Well, that is something that almost the entire world is discussing right now. (December 2001)
- If the Americans attack Iran, the world will change. …They will not dare to make such a mistake (2004)
- We are not bothering anyone, but we have acquired nuclear expertise and we want to benefit from it to improve our life.
- You need diplomacy and not slogans. This is the place for wisdom, the place for seeking windows that will take you to the objective. (2005)
- We want all the Palestinians back in their homeland, and then there can be a fair referendum for people to choose the form of state they want. Whoever gets the majority can rule. (2005)
- There is no doubt that America is a superpower of the world and we cannot ignore them. I think that Americans should gradually begin to adopt positive behavior rather than doing evil. They should not expect an immediate reaction in return for their positive measures. It will take time.
- I believe the main solution [referring to the nuclear issue] is to gain the trust of Europe and America and to remove their concerns over the peaceful nature of our nuclear industry and to assure them that there will never be a diversion to military use.
- Europe resolved a great problem – the problem of the Zionist danger. The Zionists, who constituted a strong political party in Europe, caused much disorder there. Since they had a lot of property and controlled an empire of propaganda, they made the European governments helpless. What Hitler and the German Nazis did to the Jews of Europe at that time was partly due to these circumstances with the Jews. They wanted to expel the Zionists from Europe because they always were a pain in the neck for the governments there. This is how this calamity fell upon the Muslims, especially the Palestinians, and you all know this history, more or less.[...]The first goal was to save Europe from the evil of Zionism, and in this, they have been relatively successful.
- We have no problems with Jews and highly respect Judaism as a holy religion.
- Look, as long as we can enrich uranium and master the fuel cycle, we don’t need anything else. Our neighbors will be able to draw the proper conclusions.
See also
- Abbas Vaez-Tabasi
Ayatollah Abbas Vaez Tabasi is an influential member of the Expediency Discernment Council and the Assembly of Experts of the Islamic Republic of Iran.Furthermore, Vaez-Tabasi is the head of the Imam Reza Shrine Foundation...
- Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani
Mahdi Hashemi Bahramani , is the fourth child of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former President of Iran. He was born in Tehran on September 20, 1969....
- Alireza Marandi
- Faezeh Hashemi
Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani is an Iranian journalist, women rights activist and former member of Iranian parliament.Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani a daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. She was a Majlis representative from Tehran between 1996 and 2000, during which she founded...
- Noach Emin Rafsanjani ibn Efron
External links