Ebrahim Raisi

Ebrahim Raisi
Name	Ebrahim Raisi
Caption	Raisi in 2021
Office	8th President of Iran
Term start	3 August 2021
Term end	19 May 2024
Predecessor	Hassan Rouhani
Successor	Mohammad Mokhber (acting)
Office1	Chief Justice of Iran
Term start1	7 March 2019
Term end1	1 July 2021
Appointer1	Ali Khamenei
Predecessor1	Sadeq Larijani
Successor1	Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
Birth date	14 December 1960
Birth place	Mashhad, Imperial State of Iran
Death date	19 May 2024 (aged 63)
Death place	East Azerbaijan province, Iran
Party	Combatant Clergy Association
Spouse	Jamileh Alamolhoda
Alma mater	Semnan University, University of Tehran, Shahid Motahari University, Mofid University
Religion	Twelver Shia Islam

Ebrahim Raisi was an Iranian Shia Islamic cleric and politician who served as the eighth President of Iran from 2021 until his death in a helicopter crash in 2024. A hardline Principlist jurist, his career was defined by decades of service within the judiciary, culminating in his role as Chief Justice of Iran before his election to the presidency. His tenure was marked by a crackdown on domestic dissent, confrontational foreign policy, and the continuation of negotiations regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Early life and education

Ebrahim Raisi was born in Mashhad, a major religious center in Razavi Khorasan province, and began his religious studies at the Mashhad Hawza as a teenager. He later pursued formal higher education, earning a Bachelor of Laws from Semnan University and a Master of Laws in Private law from Tehran University. Raisi furthered his religious and legal credentials with a PhD in Jurisprudence and Law from Shahid Motahari University and completed coursework at Mofid University in Qom. His early ideological formation was heavily influenced by the teachings of Ruhollah Khomeini during the Iranian Revolution.

Judicial career

Raisi's judicial career began shortly after the revolution, with rapid advancement through the Islamic Revolutionary Court system. By 1988, he had become a deputy Prosecutor-General of Tehran and served on a controversial four-man committee during the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners. He held several high-profile posts, including Prosecutor-General of Tehran (1989–1994), head of the General Inspection Office of Iran (1994–2004), and First Deputy Chief Justice of Iran (2004–2014). In 2016, he was appointed Custodian of the Imam Reza shrine, a powerful economic conglomerate, before Ali Khamenei appointed him as the Chief Justice of Iran in 2019, where he promoted an anti-corruption drive.

Political career

Prior to his presidency, Raisi was a significant political figure, aligning with the Combatant Clergy Association and the Principlist faction. He made his first bid for the presidency in the 2017 Iranian presidential election, finishing as the runner-up to incumbent Hassan Rouhani. Raisi also served as a member of the Assembly of Experts, representing South Khorasan Province, a position to which he was first elected in 2006. His political network was strengthened through his marriage to Jamileh Alamolhoda, the daughter of a prominent Mashhad cleric, and his deep ties within the Judicial system of Iran.

Presidency

Raisi won the 2021 Iranian presidential election, which saw historically low turnout, and succeeded Hassan Rouhani on 3 August 2021. His presidency oversaw a severe crackdown on nationwide protests, including those following the Death of Mahsa Amini, involving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij. In foreign policy, his administration continued indirect negotiations with the United States over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and strengthened ties with China and Russia, including finalizing a long-term cooperation agreement with Beijing. Domestically, his government grappled with severe economic challenges, including high inflation exacerbated by U.S. sanctions.

Political positions and ideology

A staunch Principlist, Raisi was a loyal supporter of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist. He advocated for a "Resistance economy" to counter foreign pressure and strongly opposed Western influence, particularly that of the United States and Israel. On social issues, he upheld conservative Sharia-based policies, enforcing strict Hijab laws and supporting the Morality police. His ideological stance was consistent with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the core institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Death and state funeral

On 19 May 2024, Raisi was killed alongside Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several other officials when their Bell 212 helicopter crashed in foggy conditions in the East Azerbaijan province near the border with Azerbaijan. The incident prompted a massive search operation involving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Following his death, Mohammad Mokhber, the First Vice President, assumed acting presidential duties. A state funeral was held in Tabriz, Qom, Tehran, and his hometown of Mashhad, with Ali Khamenei leading prayers at the ceremony in Tehran University before his burial at the Imam Reza shrine.

Category:1960 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Presidents of Iran