Presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

Presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was the 5th and 6th government of Iran after Iranian Revolution. At that time, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was the president.

Presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
16 August 1989 – 3 August 1997
President	Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Cabinet	First cabinet, Second cabinet
Party	Combatant Clergy
Election	1989, 1993
Seat	Pasteur St. Building
← Ali Khamenei • Mohammad Khatami →
Seal of the president

Rafsanjani's Presidency

Rafsanjani adopted an "economy-first" policy, supporting a privatization policy against leftist economic tendencies in the Islamic Republic.[1] Another source describes his administration as "economically liberal, politically authoritarian, and philosophically traditional" which put him in confrontation with more radical deputies in the majority in the Majles of Iran.[2]

Domestic policy

Rafsanjani advocated a free-market economy. With the state's coffers full, Rafsanjani pursued an economic liberalisation policy.[3] 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.[4] By espousing World Bank inspired structural adjustment policies, Rafsanjani desired a modern industrial-based economy integrated into the global economy.[5]

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".[6] Among the projects he initiated are Islamic Azad University.[7][8]

During his presidency, a period in which Rafsanjani is described by western media sources as having been the most powerful figure in Iran, the judicial system of Iran executed political dissidents, drug offenders, Communists, Kurds, Bahá'ís, and clerics.[9]

Foreign policy

Following years of deterioration in foreign relations under Khomeini during the Iran-Iraq war, Rafsanjani sought to rebuild ties among Arab states,[10] as well as with countries in Central Asia, including Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.[11] 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.[12]

He condemned both the United States and Iraq during the Persian Gulf War 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 Rushdie.[13]

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."[14]

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.[15]

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 Syria and Lebanon.[12]

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." [16]

Currency crisis

During 1990–95, 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.

Members of the cabinet

Portfolio	Minister		Took office	Left office	Party
Presidential Administration
President		Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani	16 August 1989	3 August 1997	CCA
First Vice President		Hassan Habibi	21 August 1989	3 August 1997	ECP
Chief of Staff		Mohammad Mir-Mohammadi	August 1989	16 February 1994	Nonpartisan
		Hossein Marashi	1994	1996	ECP
		Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani	29 May 1996	August 1997	ECP
Ministers
Agriculture Minister		Issa Kalantari	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Communications Minister		Mohammad Gharazi	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Commerce Minister		Yahya Ale Eshaq	29 August 1989	16 August 1993	ICP
		Abdolhossein Vahaji	16 August 1993	20 August 1997	Nonpartisan
Construction Minister		Gholamreza Forouzesh	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Cooperatives Minister		Gholamreza Shafeei	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Culture Minister		Mohammad Khatami	29 August 1989	24 May 1992	ACC
		Ali Larijani	16 July 1992	15 February 1994	ICP
		Mostafa Mirsalim	22 February 1994	20 August 1997	ICP
Defence Minister		Akbar Torkan	29 August 1989	16 August 1993	ECP
		Mohammad Forouzandeh	16 August 1993	20 August 1997	Military
Finance Minister		Mohsen Nourbakhsh	29 August 1989	16 August 1993	ECP
		Abdolhossein Vahaji*	17 August 1993	6 October 1993	Nonpartisan
		Morteza Mohammadkhan	6 October 1993	20 August 1997	ECP
Education Minister		Mohammad-Ali Najafi	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Energy Minister		Bijan Namdar Zanganeh	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Foreign Minister		Ali Akbar Velayati	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ICP
Health Minister		Iradj Fazel	29 August 1989	13 January 1991	Nonpartisan
		Reza Malekzadeh	13 January 1991	16 August 1993	ECP
		Alireza Marandi	16 August 1993	20 August 1997	ICP
Housing Minister		Serajeddin Kazerouni	29 August 1989	16 August 1993	Nonpartisan
		Abbas Ahmad Akhoundi	16 August 1993	20 August 1997	Nonpartisan
Roads Minister		Mohammad Saeedikia	29 August 1989	16 August 1993	Nonpartisan
		Akbar Torkan	16 August 1993	20 August 1997	ECP
Mines and Metals Minister		Hossein Mahlouji	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Light Industries Minister		Mohammadreza Nematzadeh	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Heavy Industries Minister		Hadi Nejadhosseinian	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Intelligence Minister		Ali Fallahian	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	CCA
Interior Minister		Abdollah Nouri	29 August 1989	16 August 1993	ACC
		Ali Mohammad Besharati	16 August 1993	20 August 1997	Nonpartisan
Justice Minister		Mohammad Ismaeil Shooshtari	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Labour Minister		Hossein Kamali	29 August 1989	20 August 1997	WH
Petroleum Minister		Gholamreza Aghazadeh	20 August 1989	20 August 1997	ECP
Higher Education Minister		Mostafa Moeen	29 August 1989	16 August 1993	AIMSI
		Mohammad-Reza Hashemi	16 August 1993	20 August 1997	Nonpartisan
Other cabinet-level officials
Physical Education Vice President		Hassan Ghafourifard	September 1989	16 February 1994	ICP
		Mostafa Hashemitaba	16 February 1994	23 August 1997	ECP
Atomic Energy Vice President		Reza Amrollahi	16 August 1989	3 September 1997	ECP
Environment Vice President		Hadi Manafi	16 August 1989	23 August 1997	Nonpartisan
Executive Vice President		Hamid Mirzadeh	1989	1994	Nonpartisan
		Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani	1994	1997	ECP
Legal and Parliamentary Vice President		Ataollah Mohajerani	21 August 1989	23 August 1997	ECP
Plan and Budget Vice President		Masoud Roghani	1989	1994	Nonpartisan
		Hamid Mirzadeh	1994	1997	Nonpartisan
Administrative Vice President		Mansour Razavi	16 August 1989	16 February 1994	ECP
		Mohammad Mir-Mohammadi	16 February 1994	23 August 1997	Nonpartisan
Economic Vice President		Mohsen Nourbakhsh	August 1993	14 September 1994	ECP

References

1. Pasri, Trita, Treacherous Alliance : the secret dealings of Israel, Iran and the United States, Yale University Press, 2007, p.132
2. Brumberg, Daniel, Reinventing Khomeini : The Struggle for Reform in Iran, University of Chicago Press, 2001, p.153
3. Rafsanjani's political life reviewed — in Persian.
4. "Voice of ambition". The Guardian. London. 2006-06-23. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
5. Book: Factional politics in post-Khomeini Iran By Mehdi Moslem
6. Rafsanjani urges universities to cooperate with industries - Irna Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
7. Rafsanjani to Ahmadinejad: We Will Not Back Down (ROOZ :: English) Archived 2007-10-30 at the Wayback Machine
8. يادگارهاي مديريت 16 ساله :: RajaNews.Com :: Archived 2007-03-13 at the Wayback Machine
9. Sciolino, Elaine (July 19, 2009), "Iranian Critic Quotes Khomeini Principles", New York Times
10. Mafinezam, Alidad and Aria Mehrabi, Iran and its Place Among Nations, Greenwood, 2008, p.37
11. Mohaddessin, Mohammad, Islamic Fundamentalism, Anmol, 2003, pp.70-72
12. Al-Ahram Weekly | Region | Showdown in Tehran Archived 2007-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
13. Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Biography - Biography.com
14. Iran ready for comprehensive assistance to Iraqi nation - Rafsanjani - Irna Archived 2007-01-14 at the Wayback Machine
15. Book: Iran's Persian Gulf policy: from Khomeini to Khatami. By Christin Marschall
16. Rafsanjani reassures West Iran not after A-bomb

See also

• Cabinet of Iran

Presidential terms of Iran
Preceded by Presidency of Khamenei	Presidency of Rafsanjani 1989–1997	Succeeded by Presidency of Khatami