Ebrahim Raisi

Sayyid Ebrahim Raisol-Sadati (Persian: سید ابراهیم رئیس‌الساداتی‎; born 14 December 1960),[6][7] commonly known as Ebrahim Raisi (Persian: ابراهیم رئیسی‎, pronunciation ), is an Iranian politician, Muslim cleric and the current Chief Justice of Iran, having been appointed on 7 March 2019. He has served in several positions in Iran's Judicial system, such as Attorney General (2014 to 2016), and Deputy Chief Justice (2004 to 2014). He was also Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor of Tehran in the 1980s and 1990s. He was Custodian and Chairman of Astan Quds Razavi, a bonyad, from 2016 until 2019.[8] He is also a member of Assembly of Experts from South Khorasan Province, being elected for the first time in 2006 election. He is the son-in-law of Mashhad Friday prayer leader and Grand Imam of Imam Reza shrine, Ahmad Alamolhoda.

Ebrahim Raisi
Raisi in 2018
Chief Justice of Iran
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 March 2019
Appointed by	Ali Khamenei
First Vice	Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
Preceded by	Sadeq Larijani
Prosecutor-General of Iran
In office 23 August 2014 – 1 April 2016
Appointed by	Sadeq Larijani
Preceded by	Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
Succeeded by	Mohammad Jafar Montazeri
Member of the Assembly of Experts
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 May 2016
Constituency	South Khorasan Province
Majority	325,139 (80.0%)[1]
In office 20 February 2007 – 21 May 2016
Constituency	South Khorasan Province
Majority	200,906 (68.6%)
First Vice Chief Justice of Iran
In office 27 July 2004 – 23 August 2014
Chief Justice	Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Sadeq Larijani
Preceded by	Mohammad-Hadi Marvi[2]
Succeeded by	Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
Chairman of General Inspection Office
In office 1994–2004
Appointed by	Mohammad Yazdi
Preceded by	Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad
Succeeded by	Mohammad Niazi
Personal details
Born	Seyyed Ebrahim Raisol-Sadati (1960-12-14) 14 December 1960 Mashhad, Iran
Nationality	Iranian
Political party	Combatant Clergy Association[3]
Other political affiliations	Islamic Republican Party (until 1987)[3]
Spouse(s)	Jamileh Alamolhoda[4]
Children	2 daughters[5]
Relatives	Ahmad Alamolhoda (father-in-law)
Alma mater	Shahid Motahari University[3] Qom Seminary[3]
Website	Official website

Raisi ran for president in 2017[9] as the candidate of the conservative Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces,[10] losing to moderate incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, 57% to 38.3%.

Sometimes described as a "conservative hardliner",[11] he is said to have proved his "proved his revolutionary fervor" by helping lead the mass executions of Iranian political prisoners in 1988,[12] and has been "frequently mentioned" as a successor to Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader of Iran.[12][11]

Early life

Ebrahim Raisi was born on 14 December 1960 to a clerical family in the Noghan district of Mashhad. His father, Seyed Haji, died when he was 5.[3]

Academic education

He holds a master's degree in the field of "International Private Law"[3] from an undisclosed institution and was also graduated with a Ph.D. in "jurisprudence and fundamentals of Islamic law" from Shahid Motahari University.[3][13][14]

Clerical credentials

He began to study in Qom Seminary at the age of 15.[3] Then he decided to educate in Navvab school for a short time. After that, he went to Ayatollah Sayyed Muhammad Mousavi Nezhad school and his studying was coincided with teaching to other students. In 1976, he went to Qom to continue his studying in Ayatollah Borujerdi school. He was the student of Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi, Morteza Motahhari, Abolghasem Khazali, Hossein Noori Hamedani, Ali Meshkini and Morteza Pasandideh.[13][14] According to Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute, Raisi's "exact religious qualification" is a "sore point". "For a while" prior to investigation by the Iranian media, he "referred to himself" as "Ayatollah" on his personal website. However, according to Vatanka, the media "publicized his lack of formal religious education" and credentials, after which Raisi ceased claiming to hold the aforementioned rank. He now "refers to himself as hojat-ol-eslam", a clerical position lower in status and privilege.[15]

Judicial career

Early years

In 1981, he was appointed the prosecutor of Karaj. Later on, he was also appointed as Prosecutor of Hamadan and served both position together. He was simultaneously active in two cities more than 300 km away from each other.[16] After four months, he was appointed as Prosecutor of Hamadan Province.[3]

Tehran deputy prosecutor

He was appointed as Deputy prosecutor of Tehran in 1985 and moved to the capital.[17] After three years and in early 1988, he was placed in the attention of Ruhollah Khomeini and received special provisions (independent from judiciary) from him to address legal issues in some provinces like Lorestan, Semnan and Kermanshah.

1988 executions

Main article: 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners

Hussein-Ali Montazeri named Raisi as one of the four persons involved in the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners.[18] Other persons were Morteza Eshraghi (Prosecutor of Tehran), Hossein-Ali Nayeri (Judge) and Mostafa Pourmohammadi (MOI representative in Evin). Names of first two persons are mentioned in Khomeini's order. Pourmohammadi has denied his role but Raisi has not commented publicly on the matter yet.[19][20]

Senior judicial positions

After Khomeini's death and election of Ali Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader, Raisi was appointed as Tehran prosecutor by newly appointed Chief-Justice Mohammad Yazdi. He held the office for five years from 1989 to 1994. In 1994, he was appointed as head of General Inspection Office.

From 2004 until 2014, Raisi served as First Deputy Chief Justice of Iran, being appointed by Chief Justice Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi. He kept his position in Sadeq Larijani's first term as Chief Justice. He was later appointed as Attorney-General of Iran in 2014, a position that he held until 2016, when he resigned to become Chairman of Astan Quds Razavi.[21] He has also served as Special Clerical Court prosecutor.

Astan Quds Chairmanship

He became Chairman of Astan Quds Razavi on 7 March 2016 after the death of his predecessor Abbas Vaez-Tabasi.[22][23] He is the second person to serve this office from 1979. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei enumerated serving the pilgrims of the holy shrine, especially poor people and also serve nearby, especially the poor and dispossessed as two important responsibilities of Raisi in his appointment order.[24]

2017 presidential election

Raisi speaking at a presidential campaign rally in Tehran's Shahid Shiroudi Stadium

Raisi was named as one of the Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces (JAMNA)'s presidential candidates in February 2017.[25] His candidacy was also supported by the Front of Islamic Revolution Stability.[26][27] He officially announced his nomination in a statement published on 6 April, and called it his “religious and revolutionary responsibility to run”, citing the need for a “fundamental change in the executive management of the country” and a government that “fights poverty and corruption.”[28] He registered on 14 April 2017 at Ministry of Interior with saying it's time to perform citizenship rights, not only writing act.[29]

On 15 May 2017, conservative candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf withdrew his candidacy in favor of Raisi.[30] It was speculated that Ghalibaf would be Raisi's first vice president if he was elected.[31] They also joined in a campaign rally in Tehran with each other.

Raisi has been described as "a favorite and possible successor" to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, by several sources,[15][32][33] (at least before his electoral defeat).[34]

After election results were announced, Raisi received 15,786,449 out of 42,382,390 (38.30% of the votes). He lost to Incumbent President Rouhani and ranked second. He did not congratulate Rouhani on his re-election as the president,[35] and asked the Guardian Council to look into "violations of the law" before and during the elections, with 100 pages of attached documentation.[36]

Possible successor as Supreme Leader

In 2019 Saeid Golkar of Al Jazeera called Raisi "the most likely successor of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" as Supreme Leader of Iran.[11] In 2020 Dexter Filkins described him as "frequently mentioned" as a successor to Khamenei.[12] 5 Jan 2019

Political positions

Ebrahim Raisi is a supporter of sex segregation. He said in a 2014 interview about a planned segregation in Tehran Municipality that "I think this is a good move because the majority of women do a better job in a totally relaxed atmosphere and fit are required."[37] He is also a supporter of Islamization of universities, revision of the Internet and censorship of Western culture.[38][39][40] Raisi sees economic sanctions as an opportunity.[41] ·During the civilian protests of December 2019, Raisi declared that "the full extent of the law would be harshly applied, including execution."[42]

Economics

Raisi has said “I see the activation of a resistance economy as the only way to end poverty and deprivation in the country.”[43] He supports development of the agricultural sector over commercial retail, which “will eventually benefit foreign brands.”[44]

He has promised to triple the monthly state benefits, currently 450,000 rials per citizen, in order to tackle corruption and create six million jobs.[45]

Foreign policy

Answering reporters about his foreign policy, he said it “would be to establish ties with every country except Israel.”[46]

Electoral history

Year	Election	Votes	%	Rank	Notes
2006	Assembly of Experts	200,906	68.6%	1st	Won[1]
2016	Assembly of Experts	325,139	80.0%	1st	Won[47]
2017	President	15,835,794	38.28%	2nd	Lost[48]

Personal life

Raisi is married to Jamileh Alamolhoda, daughter of Mashhad Friday Prayers Imam, Ahmad Alamolhoda. She is an associate professor at Tehran's Shahid Beheshti University and is also president of the university's Institute of Fundamental Studies of Science and Technology.[49] The couple has two daughters.[5]

See also

References

1. "اعلام آرای مجلس خبرگان رهبری در خراسان جنوبی" (in Persian). Alef. 27 February 2016.
2. "از نمایندگی امام در مسجد سلیمان تا معاون اولی قوهٔ قضائیه" (in Persian). Sadegh Newsletter. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
3. "زندگی‌نامه حجت‌الاسلام و المسلمین سیدابراهیم رئیسی" (in Persian). Official Website of Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi.
4. "با دختر علم الهدی و همسر رئیسی آشنا شوید/عکس". 22 April 2017.
5. "مشخصات شناسنامه‌ای 6کاندیدای ریاست‌جمهوری". 21 April 2017.
6. "Birth certificate image". Archived from the original on 2017-04-15. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
7. "مرد 54 ساله ای که دادستان کل کشور شد، کیست؟/ ابراهیم رئیسی را بیشتر بشناسید". Archived from the original on 2016-10-16. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
8. Ra'eesi became chairman of AQR
9. "Hardline cleric Raisi to take on Rouhani in Iran's presidential election". Reuters. 2017-04-09. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
10. "Iran News Round Up", Critical Threats Project, 7 April 2017
11. Golkar, Saeid (5 Jan 2019). "Ebrahim Raisi: The cleric who could end Iranian hopes for change". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
12. Filkins, Dexter (18 May 2020). "TheTwilight of the Iranian Revolution". New Yorker. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
13. "Who is Ayatollah Raisi?".
14. "Records and biography of Ebrahim Raisi".
15. VATANKA, ALEX (12 April 2017). "The Supreme Leader's Apprentice Is Running for President". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
16. ""ابراهیم رئیسی به تولیت آستان قدس رضوی منصوب شد"". 8 March 2016.
17. "ابراهیم رئیسی کیست؟". 3 March 2017.
18. "Blood-soaked secrets with Iran's 1998 Prison Massacres are ongoing crimes against humanity" (PDF). Retrieved December 14, 2018.
19. ""ابراهیم رئیسی؛ از قضاوت تا تولیت"". 7 March 2017.
20. Abrahamian, Ervand (4 May 2017). "An Interview with Scholar and Historian Ervand Abrahamian on the Islamic Republic's "Greatest Crime"". Center for Human Rights in Iran. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
21. ""محسنی اژه‌ای معاون اول قوه قضائیه و رئیسی دادستان کل کشور شدند"". 2014.
22. ""انتصاب حجت‌الاسلام رئیسی به تولیت آستان قدس رضوی"". 7 March 2017.
23. ""انتصاب ابراهیم رئیسی به تولیت آستان قدس رضوی"". 7 March 2017.
24. "شروع انقلابی حجت الاسلام رئیسی در آستان قدس". 10 April 2016.
25. Iran: Possible Conservative Presidential Candidate Emerges, Stratfor, 23 February 2017
26. Iran’s conservatives scramble to find a presidential candidate, The Arab Weekly, 19 February 2017, retrieved 21 February 2017
27. Rohollah Faghihi (21 February 2017), Meet the powerful Iranian cleric looking to unseat Rouhani, Al-Monitor, retrieved 21 February 2017
28. Ruby Mellen (10 April 2017), Rouhani Gets a Hard-line Challenger for Iranian Presidency, Foreign Policy, retrieved 11 April 2017
29. "Conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi enters Iran's presidential race". 14 April 2017.
30. "Iran: Tehran Mayor Qalibaf Withdraws, Backs Hardliner Raisi for President". 15 May 2017.
31. "The reason Tehran's mayor dropped out of presidential race". 16 May 2017.
32. Erdbrink, Thomas (2017-05-18). "Iran Has Its Own Hard-Line Populist, and He's on the Rise". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
33. Dehghan, Saeed Kamali (9 January 2017). "Ebrahim Raisi: the Iranian cleric emerging as a frontrunner for supreme leader". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
34. VATANKA, ALEX (12 April 2017). "The Supreme Leader's Apprentice Is Running for President". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2017-05-22. A candidate Raisi who loses in the May elections would be far less likely to later take over as supreme leader.
35. Arash Karami (21 May 2017). "In wake of Rouhani's win, conservative rivals vow to remain on scene". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
36. Rohollah Faghihi (23 May 2017). "Iran's conservatives question election results". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
37. "بانوان اولین مدافع تفکیک جنسیتی هستند". 2014.
38. "رئیسی: دانشگاهها باید اسلامی شوند". 8 May 2017.
39. "ابراهیم رییسی: باید به دنبال حذف ترویج فرهنگ غربی از متن جامعه باشیم". 10 May 2017.
40. "اسلامی‌ نکردن دانشگاه‌ها کشور را با مشکل مواجه می‌کند/رشد اینترنت ما را وادار به بازنگری می‌کند". 11 May 2017.
41. "رئیسی: تحریم یک فرصت است/باید خود را مقاوم کنیم". 12 May 2017.
42. "The Iranian Fuel Revolt Of 2019". MEMRI. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
43. Golnaz Esfandiari (7 April 2017), "In Iran, Emerging Hard-Liner Stakes Future On Unseating Rohani", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, retrieved 22 April 2017
44. Najmeh Bozorgmehr (14 April 2017), "Rouhani confirms he will seek second term in Iran elections", Financial Times, retrieved 22 April 2017
45. Najmeh Bozorgmehr (26 April 2017), "Iran hardliners struggle to present united front ahead of poll", Financial Times, retrieved 27 April 2017
46. What you need to know about presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi, The Iran Project, 19 April 2017, retrieved 21 April 2017
47. "نتایج نهائی انتخابات مجلس خبرگان رهبری در خراسان جنوبی" (in Persian). Khavarestan. 27 February 2016.
48. "Final results of presidential election by province and county" (in Persian). Ministry of Interior. 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
49. "Conversation with Jamileh Alamolhoda, spouse of Ebrahim Raisi". 23 April 2017.

Legal offices
Preceded by Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad	Chairman of General Inspection Office 1994–2004	Succeeded by Mohammad Niazi
Preceded by Mohammad-Hadi Marvi	First Vice Chief Justice of Iran 2004–2014	Succeeded by Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
Preceded by Mohammad Salimi	Special Prosecutor of Clergy 2012–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i	Attorney-General of Iran 2014–2016	Succeeded by Mohammad Jafar Montazeri
Preceded by Sadeq Larijani	Chief Justice of Iran 2019–present	Incumbent
Assembly seats
Preceded by Hassan Rouhani	Administrative Clerk of Assembly of Experts's Presidium 2009–2019	Succeeded by Mohsen Qomi
Preceded by Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi	First Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of Experts 2019–present	Incumbent
Media offices
Preceded by Hossein Mozaffar	Chairman of IRIB Supervisory Council 2012–2016	Succeeded by Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by Abbas Vaez-Tabasi	Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi 2016–2019	Succeeded by Ahmad Marvi