Ebrahim Raisi

Ebrahim Raisi
Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan · CC BY 4.0 · source
Name	Ebrahim Raisi
Birth date	1960
Birth place	Mashhad, Iran
Nationality	Iranian
Occupation	Cleric, jurist, politician
Alma mater	Qom Seminary, University of Tehran
Office	President of Iran
Term start	2021

Ebrahim Raisi

Ebrahim Raisi is an Iranian cleric, jurist, and politician who has served as President of Iran since 2021. He has held senior positions in the Judiciary of Iran, been associated with the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom, and participated in national and regional politics involving actors such as Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, Guardian Council, Assembly of Experts, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Principlist factions. Raisi's career intersects with institutions including the University of Tehran, the Qom Seminary, the Ministry of Intelligence (Iran), and international actors such as the United Nations, European Union, and governments of Russia, China, Syria, and Venezuela.

Early life and education

Born in Mashhad, Raisi studied at the Qom Seminary and later attended the University of Tehran. His teachers and contemporaries included figures from the Hawza of Qom, links to clerics associated with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini networks, and affiliates of the Combatant Clergy Association. During formative years he was connected to seminaries that produced clerics active in bodies like the Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts. His background tied him to religious institutions such as the Hawza and to political circles intersecting with the Revolutionary Guard Corps and revolutionary institutions from the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution.

Judicial career

Raisi's judicial trajectory involved positions in provincial and national courts, including appointments tied to the Judiciary of Iran leadership. He served in roles that aligned with figures such as Sadeq Larijani, Mohammad Yazdi, Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, and offices influenced by the Supreme Leader of Iran. His judicial responsibilities interacted with organs like the Ministry of Intelligence (Iran), the Revolutionary Courts, and the Prison Organization of Iran. Raisi's prosecutorial and judicial work overlapped with legal institutions such as the Islamic Penal Code of Iran, the Special Clerical Court, and state security apparatuses including the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Political career and rise to prominence

Raisi entered national politics via appointments and elections within conservative and principlist networks, allied with groups such as the Combatant Clergy Association, Executives of Construction Party rivals, and factions connected to Ali Khamenei. He was nominated for high office by bodies including the Guardian Council and supported by institutions such as the Astan Quds Razavi religious endowment. His prominence grew through candidacies in presidential elections against figures like Hassan Rouhani, Mohsen Rezaee, Mehdi Karroubi, and connections to political actors including Gholamhossein Mohseni-Eje'i and Sadegh Larijani. He engaged with state media such as Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and policymaking circles involving the Expediency Discernment Council.

Presidency (2021–present)

As president, Raisi presides over cabinet selections interacting with institutions like the Foreign Ministry (Iran), the Ministry of Petroleum (Iran), the Central Bank of Iran, and the Parliament of Iran (Islamic Consultative Assembly). His administration navigated economic contexts involving OPEC, sanctions from the United States Department of the Treasury, and diplomacy with partners such as Russia, China, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Qatar. Raisi's presidency has engaged with issues linked to agreements like the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and with multilateral forums including the United Nations General Assembly.

Domestic policies and governance

Domestically, Raisi's policies intersect with institutions such as the Ministry of Interior (Iran), Judiciary of Iran, and state enterprises like the National Iranian Oil Company and Iranian Space Agency. His governance priorities referenced infrastructural actors including the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development (Iran), development plans akin to programs involving the Sixth Development Plan (Iran), and social policies influenced by clerical bodies such as the Assembly of Experts. Economic measures under his tenure responded to sanctions imposed by the United States and directives from the Supreme Leader of Iran; they interacted with markets tied to Tehran Stock Exchange and energy diplomacy with OPEC.

Foreign policy and international relations

Raisi's foreign policy featured engagement with regional actors including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen proxies associated with Hezbollah, and relations with strategic partners Russia and China manifested in talks on cooperation, trade, and security. His administration dealt with negotiations concerning the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, multilateral diplomacy at the United Nations, and sanctions dialogues involving the European Union and the United States Department of State. Raisi's outreach included bilateral visits and contacts with counterparts from states such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Qatar.

Controversies and human rights allegations

Raisi has faced allegations connected to events after the Iranian Revolution, including scrutiny tied to mass trials and executions in the 1980s associated with institutions like the Revolutionary Courts and the Ministry of Intelligence (Iran). Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and United Nations rapporteurs have raised concerns regarding due process, capital punishment, and treatment of prisoners, referencing bodies like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Judiciary of Iran. International responses have included sanctions imposed by entities such as the United States Department of the Treasury and discussions in fora like the United Nations Human Rights Council and the European Parliament.

Category:Living people Category:Presidents of Iran