Ebrahim Raisolsadati (14 December 1960 – 19 May 2024), better known as Ebrahim Raisi, was an Iranian politician who served as the eighth
president of Iran
The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran () is the head of government of the Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran and the second highest-ranking official, after the Supreme Leader of Iran, supreme leader. The 1980 Iranian presidential election, fi ...
from 2021 until
his death in a helicopter crash in 2024. He was a
Twelver Shia
Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the largest branch of Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twelve divinely ordained leaders, known as th ...
Muslim jurist and part of the
Principlist group.
Raisi was the son-in-law of
Mashhad
Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...
Friday prayer leader and Grand Imam of
Imam Reza shrine
The Imam Reza shrine (; ) is a Shi'ite shrine, imamzadeh and mausoleum complex, located in Mashhad, in the province of Razavi Khorasan, Iran. The shrine contains the grave of Ali al-Rida, who is regarded as the eighth Imam in Shia Islam. Als ...
,
Ahmad Alamolhoda. He began his clerical studies at age 15. In the aftermath of the
1979 Iranian Revolution, Raisi served in several positions in
Iran's judicial system, including as Prosecutor of
Karaj
Karaj (; ) is a List of cities in Iran by province, city in the Central District (Karaj County), Central District of Karaj County, Alborz province, Alborz province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. Earl ...
, Prosecutor of
Hamadan
Hamadan ( ; , ) is a mountainous city in western Iran. It is located in the Central District of Hamadan County in Hamadan province, serving as the capital of the province, county, and district. As of the 2016 Iranian census, it had a po ...
and Deputy Prosecutor and Prosecutor of
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
. Raisi was part of the Tehran branch of what has been called the "
1988 Iran death commission". Under the direction of
Grand Ayatollah Khomeini, Iranian political prisoners were executed by these commissions, and as a result of his involvement, Raisi earned himself the nickname: "Butcher of Tehran"
and was accused by
United Nations special rapporteur
Special rapporteur (or independent expert) is the title given to independent human rights experts whose expertise is called upon by the United Nations (UN) to report or advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective.
De ...
s and other organizations of
crimes against humanity
Crimes against humanity are certain serious crimes committed as part of a large-scale attack against civilians. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity can be committed during both peace and war and against a state's own nationals as well as ...
. He was Deputy Chief Justice (2004–2014),
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...
(2014–2016), and
Chief Justice (2019–2021). Raisi was elected to the
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts (), also translated as the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership or as the Council of Experts, is the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme Leader of Iran. All directly elected members must first be vetted ...
from
South Khorasan Province, for the first time in the
2006 election. He was Custodian and Chairman of
Astan Quds Razavi, a
bonyad
Bonyads ( "Foundation") are charitable trusts in Iran that play a major role in Iran's economy. They control an estimated 20% of Iran's GDP, and are second only to the oil industry in manufacturing, trading, and real estate development in Iran ...
, from 2016 until 2019.
Raisi ran for
president in 2017 as the candidate of the conservative
Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces, losing to the moderate incumbent president
Hassan Rouhani
Hassan Rouhani (; born Hassan Fereydoun, 12 November 1948) is an Iranian peoples, Iranian politician who served as the seventh president of Iran from 2013 to 2021. He is also a sharia lawyer ("Wakil"), academic, former diplomat and Islamic cl ...
, 57% to 38%. Raisi successfully ran for president a second time in 2021 with 63% of the votes, succeeding Rouhani. Considered a hardliner in Iranian politics, Raisi's presidency saw deadlock in negotiations with the U.S. over the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA; (, BARJAM)), also known as the Iran nuclear deal or Iran deal, is an agreement to limit the Iranian nuclear program in return for sanctions relief and other provisions. The agreement was finalize ...
(JCPOA) and large-scale
protests
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration, or remonstrance) is a public act of objection, disapproval or dissent against political advantage. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooperation in which numerous people cooperate ...
throughout the country in late 2022, triggered by the
death of Mahsa Amini on 16 September. During Raisi's term, Iran
intensified uranium enrichment, hindered international inspections, joined
SCO and
BRICS
BRICS is an intergovernmental organization comprising ten countriesBrazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The idea of a BRICS-like group can be traced back to Russian foreign ...
, and
supported Russia in its
invasion of Ukraine. Iran also launched several
missile and drone attacks on Israel during the
Gaza war
The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...
and continued
arming proxy groups like
Hezbollah
Hezbollah ( ; , , ) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. I ...
and the
Houthi movement
The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Zaydism, Zaydi Shia Islamism, Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaydi Shias, with their namesake leadersh ...
.
Early life and education
Ebrahim Raisi was born on 14 December 1960 to a clerical family in the Noghan district of
Mashhad
Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...
. His father, Seyed Haji, died when he was 5.
Raisi passed his primary education in "Javadiyeh school"; and then started studying in the
Hawza
A hawza () or ḥawzah ʿilmīyah () is the collective term (plural hawzat) for a ''madrasa'' (i.e. seminary) where Marja', Shi'a Muslim scholars are educated.
The word ''ḥawzah'' is Arabic, and has been adopted into Persian as a loan word. ...
(Islamic seminary). In 1975, he went to "Ayatollah Boroujerdi School" to continue his education in
Qom Seminary
The Qom Seminary (') is the largest and one of the foremost Shia Islam, Shia hawzas (Islamic seminaries), located in the city of Qom, Iran. It is the largest seminary in Iran, established in 1922 by Grand Ayatollah Abdul-Karim Haeri Yazdi in Qom to ...
. He has claimed to have received a doctorate degree in
private law
Private law is that part of a legal system that governs interactions between individual persons. It is distinguished from public law, which deals with relationships between both natural and artificial persons (i.e., organizations) and the st ...
from Motahari University; however, this has been disputed.
Clerical credentials
Raisi began his studies at the
Qom Seminary
The Qom Seminary (') is the largest and one of the foremost Shia Islam, Shia hawzas (Islamic seminaries), located in the city of Qom, Iran. It is the largest seminary in Iran, established in 1922 by Grand Ayatollah Abdul-Karim Haeri Yazdi in Qom to ...
at the age of 15.
He then decided to study in the Navvab school for a short time. After that, he went to Ayatollah Sayyed Muhammad Mousavi Nezhad school, where he studied while also teaching other students. In 1976, he went to
Qom
Qom (; ) is a city in the Central District of Qom County, Qom province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the seventh largest metropolis and also the seventh largest city in Iran. The city is ...
to continue his studies at the Ayatollah Borujerdi school.
He was a student of
Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Hossein Ali Tabatabaei Borujerdi ( Luri/; 23 March 1875 – 30 March 1961) was a leading Iranian Shia Marja' in Iran from approximately 1947 to his death in 1961. He was a major proponent for the elimination of Baha'is in I ...
,
Morteza Motahhari
Morteza Motahhari (; 31 January 1919 – 1 May 1979) was an Iranian Twelver Shia scholar, philosopher, lecturer. Motahhari is considered to have an important influence on the ideologies of the Islamic Republic, among others. He was a co-found ...
,
Abolghasem Khazali,
Hossein Noori Hamedani
Grand Ayatollah Hossein Noori-Hamedani () (also Hossein Nuri-Hamedani) (born 21 March 1925) is an Iranian Twelver Shi'a Marja known for his conservative views.
He has expressed his disapproval of Sufis and dervishes, Jews, the intellectual ...
,
Ali Meshkini and Morteza Pasandideh.
Raisi also passed his "KharejeFeqh" (external-
Fiqh
''Fiqh'' (; ) is the term for Islamic jurisprudence.[Fiqh](_blank)
Encyclopædia Britannica ''Fiqh'' is of ...
) to
Seyyed Ali Khamenei
Ali Hosseini Khamenei (; born 19 April 1939) is an Iranian cleric and politician who has served as the second supreme leader of Iran since 1989. He previously served as the third President of Iran, president from 1981 to 1989. Khamenei's tenure ...
and
Mojtaba Tehrani
Grand Ayatollah Agha Mojtaba Tehrani (Persian: مجتبي تهراني) (4 April 1933 – 1 January 2013) was an Iranian Twelver Shi'a Marja' taqlid, which is described as "a high-ranking Shia cleric who is regarded as a source of emulation". ...
. According to
Alex Vatanka of the
Middle East Institute
The Middle East Institute (MEI) is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank and cultural center in Washington, D.C., founded in 1946. It seeks to "increase knowledge of the Middle East among the United States citizens and promote a better understan ...
, Raisi's "exact religious qualification" is a "sore point".
"For a while" before investigation by the Iranian media, he "referred to himself" as "Ayatollah" on his 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. After this investigation and criticism he "refer
dto himself as ''
hojat-ol-eslam"'', a clerical rank immediately beneath that of Ayatollah.
Raisi subsequently again declared himself an Ayatollah shortly before the
2021 presidential election. The decree by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointing him as President, referred to him as a ''hojat-ol-eslam''.
Judicial career
Early years
In 1981, he was appointed the prosecutor of
Karaj
Karaj (; ) is a List of cities in Iran by province, city in the Central District (Karaj County), Central District of Karaj County, Alborz province, Alborz province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. Earl ...
. Later on, he was also appointed Prosecutor of
Hamadan
Hamadan ( ; , ) is a mountainous city in western Iran. It is located in the Central District of Hamadan County in Hamadan province, serving as the capital of the province, county, and district. As of the 2016 Iranian census, it had a po ...
and served both positions together. He was simultaneously active in two cities more than 300 km away from each other. After four months, he was appointed Prosecutor of
Hamadan Province
Hamadan Province () is one of the provinces of Iran, 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Hamadan. In the Zagros Mountains, the province covers an area of 19,546 km2.
History
Hamadan province is one of the most ancien ...
.
Tehran deputy prosecutor
He was appointed Deputy prosecutor of
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
in 1985 and moved to the capital. After three years and in early 1988, he was placed in the attention of
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...
and received special provisions (independent from judiciary) from him to address legal issues in some provinces like
Lorestan,
Semnan and
Kermanshah
Kermanshah is a city in the Central District (Kermanshah County), Central District of Kermanshah province, Kermanshah province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. The city is from Tehran in the western pa ...
.
1988 executions
As deputy prosecutor general of Tehran, Raisi was a member of Tehran's "death commission" during the
1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners. Raisi's involvement in the executions gained publicity in 2016, when
Hussein-Ali Montazeri
Grand Ayatollah Hussein-Ali Montazeri ( ; 24 September 1922 – 19 December 2009) was an Iranian Shia Islamic theologian, Islamic democracy advocate, writer, and human rights activist. He was one of the leaders of the Iranian Revolution and on ...
released an audio recording of an August 1988 meeting of the Tehran "death committee." In a 2018 lecture as Iran's president, Raisi did not deny his presence at the 1988 meeting. According to the human rights organization
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
, during the lecture Raisi regarding the killings as "one of the proud achievements of the system." For his role, Raisi earned a reputation of being a
hanging judge and was nicknamed the "Butcher of Tehran".
Other persons were Morteza Eshraghi (Prosecutor of Tehran), Hossein-Ali Nayeri (Judge), and
Mostafa Pourmohammadi
Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi (; born 9 March 1960) is an Iranian politician and prosecutor, who has served at different positions and cabinet posts. He was Minister of Interior from 2005 to 2008 and Minister of Justice from 2013 until 2017. Pourmohamma ...
(
MOI Moi or MOI may refer to:
People
* Moi (name), a list of people with the given name or surname
* Moisés Delgado (born 1994), Spanish footballer commonly known as simply Moi
* Moisés Rodríguez (born 1997), Spanish footballer commonly known as ...
representative in
Evin). Names of the first two persons are mentioned in Khomeini's order. Pourmohammadi has denied his role but Raisi did not comment publicly on the matter. Due to the involvement of this prosecution committee in thousands of executions, it has been informally called the 'death committee'.

The 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners were a series of state-sponsored executions of political prisoners across Iran, starting on 19 July 1988 and lasting for approximately five months. The majority of those killed were supporters of the
People's Mujahedin of Iran, although supporters of other leftist factions, including the
Fedaian and the
Tudeh Party of Iran
The Tudeh Party of Iran is an Iranian communist party. Formed in 1941, with Soleiman Mirza Eskandari as its head, it had considerable influence in its early years and played an important role during Mohammad Mosaddegh's campaign to nationalize ...
(Communist Party), were executed as well. According to
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
, "thousands of political dissidents were systematically subjected to enforced disappearance in Iranian detention facilities across the country and extrajudicially executed pursuant to an order issued by the Supreme Leader of Iran and implemented across prisons in the country. Many of those killed during this time were subjected to torture and other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (CIDT) is treatment of persons which is contrary to human rights or dignity, but is not classified as torture. It is forbidden by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 3 of the European Convention ...
or punishment in the process." Because of the large number, prisoners were loaded into
forklift
A forklift (also called industrial truck, lift truck, jitney, hi-lo, fork truck, fork hoist, and forklift truck) is a powered industrial truck used to lift and move materials over short distances. The forklift was developed in the early 20th c ...
trucks in groups of six and hanged from
cranes in half-hour intervals.
The killings have been described as a political purge without precedent in modern Iranian history, both in terms of scope and coverup. However, the exact number of prisoners executed remains unknown with several sources giving estimates. Amnesty International, after interviewing dozens of relatives, put the number in thousands; and then-
Supreme Leader
A supreme leader or supreme ruler typically refers to powerful figures with an unchallenged authority, such as autocrats, dictators to spiritual and revolutionary leaders. Historic examples are Adolf Hitler () of Nazi Germany, Francisco ...
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...
's deputy,
Hussein-Ali Montazeri
Grand Ayatollah Hussein-Ali Montazeri ( ; 24 September 1922 – 19 December 2009) was an Iranian Shia Islamic theologian, Islamic democracy advocate, writer, and human rights activist. He was one of the leaders of the Iranian Revolution and on ...
put the number between 2,800 and 3,800 in his memoirs.
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
puts the estimate at between 2,800 and 5,000 people.
Amnesty describes the state's refusal to provide families with the location of the mass graves of their loved ones as 'ongoing crimes against humanity.'
Senior positions
After Khomeini's death and election of
Ali Khamenei
Ali Hosseini Khamenei (; born 19 April 1939) is an Iranian cleric and politician who has served as the second supreme leader of Iran since 1989. He previously served as the third President of Iran, president from 1981 to 1989. Khamenei's tenure ...
as the new Supreme Leader, Raisi was appointed 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 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
Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi (, 15 August 1948 – 24 December 2018) was an Iranian-Iraqi Twelver Shia cleric and conservative politician who was the Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council from 14 August 2017 until his death on 24 December ...
. He kept his position in
Sadeq Larijani's first term as Chief Justice. He was later appointed Attorney-General of Iran in 2014, a position that he held until 2016, when he resigned to become Chairman of
Astan Quds Razavi. He was also served as
Special Clerical Court prosecutor by the order of the Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Khamenei from 2012 to 2021.
Other positions
Raisi was a member of the board of trustees of
Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order for ten years by order of Seyyed Ali Khamenei. He was also a member of the "Supreme Selection Board". He was the founder of "Fatemeh Al-Zahra Seminary" (in Tehran) and the first secretary of the headquarters for reviving the
enjoining good and forbidding wrong
Enjoining good and forbidding wrong () are two important duties imposed by God in Islam as revealed in the Quran and Hadith.
This expression is the base of the classical Islamic institution of ''ḥisba'', the individual or collective duty (depe ...
in the country. He was appointed the prosecutor of
Hamedan province, and was active there for three years since 1982 to 1984.
His other executive and oversight responsibilities include the positions such as membership in the "Supreme Council of Cyberspace", "the Monetary and Credit Council", and "the Anti-Corruption Headquarters".
Astan Quds chairmanship
He became chairman of
Astan Quds Razavi on 7 March 2016 after the death of his predecessor
Abbas Vaez-Tabasi
Abbas Vaez Tabasi (; 25 June 1935 – 4 March 2016) was an influential Iranian cleric who held memberships at different institutions. He was Grand Imam and Chairman of the Astan Quds Razavi board from 1979 until his death in 2016.
Early life
Vae ...
, a position which he stayed in until 2019. He was 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 serving nearby, especially the poor and dispossessed as two important responsibilities of Raisi in his appointment order.
2017 presidential election
Raisi was named as one of the
Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces (JAMNA)'s presidential candidates in February 2017. His candidacy was also supported by the
Front of Islamic Revolution Stability
The Front of Islamic Revolution Stability (, also translated Persevering Front, Endurance Front and Steadfast Front) is an Iranian principlist political group described as " extreme end of the fundamentalist camp" and "Iran’s most right-wing p ...
. 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."
He registered on 14 April 2017 at the Ministry of Interior saying it's time to perform citizenship rights, not only writing act.
On 15 May 2017, conservative candidate
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (, born 23 August 1961) is an Iranian Iranian Principlists, conservative politician, former military officer, and current List of Speakers of the Parliament of Iran, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Parli ...
withdrew his candidacy in favor of Raisi. It was speculated that Ghalibaf would be Raisi's
first vice president if he was elected. They also joined in a campaign rally in
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
with each other.
After the 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, and asked the
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council (also called Council of Guardians or Constitutional Council, ) is an appointed and constitutionally mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The constitution ...
to look into "violations of the law" before and during the elections, with 100 pages of attached documentation.
Presidency (2021–2024)
2021 presidential election

In 2021, Raisi ran again for the presidency and won the
election
An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative d ...
. The election had a 48.8% turnout, and 63% went to Raisi. Out of 28.9 million votes, around 3.7 million votes were not counted, likely because they were blank or otherwise invalid protest votes. According to many observers, the
2021 Iranian presidential election was rigged in favour of Raisi.
Almost 600 candidates, 40 of which were female, registered in the election, of which 7 men were approved a month before the election by the 12 jurists and theologians on the ''Guardian Council'' (an unelected body that has the final decision on candidate validity based on the strength of 'the candidates' qualifications'). Three of those seven candidates were subsequently pulled out before polling day. Before he withdrew, reformist candidate Mohsen Mehralizadeh hinted that the vote would be a foregone conclusion, saying during a candidate TV debate that the ruling clerics had aligned "sun, moon and the heavens to make one particular person the president," according to ''The Economist''. Former president
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (born Mahmoud Sabbaghian on 28 October 1956) is an Iranian Iranian principlists, principlist and Iranian nationalism, nationalist politician who served as the sixth president of Iran from 2005 to 2013. He is currently a mem ...
, among those barred from running, said in a video message that he would not vote, declaring: "I do not want to have a part in this sin."
Tenure
Raisi was appointed the president of Iran on 3 August 2021, through a decree issued by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. During his inauguration speech, Raisi stated that his government would seek to lift the
sanctions on Iran imposed by the United States, but added that it would not let foreigners dictate how its economy is run.
He was sworn-in before the
Islamic Consultative Assembly
The Islamic Consultative Assembly (), also called the Iranian Parliament, the Iranian Majles (Arabicised spelling Majlis) or ICA, is the unicameral national legislative body of Iran. The parliament currently consists of 290 representatives, an i ...
on 5 August during a ceremony attended by around 260 officials, both from Iran and other countries. In his speech, he stated that Iran was responsible for stabilising the Middle East, that he would resist foreign pressure on Iran but widen its external relations, especially with Iran's neighbours, promised to support any diplomatic move to lift the American sanctions and assured that Iran's nuclear programme was only meant for peaceful purposes. He also promised that he would try to improve the
quality of life
Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...
for Iranians and defend human rights.
Raisi appointed
Muhammad Mukhbar, the head of the
Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order foundation, as the
first vice president of Iran on 8 August.
Gholam-Hossein Esmaeili, a former spokesman for the
judiciary
The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
, was also appointed Raisi's chief of staff. On 11 August, Raisi appointed former
Minister of Petroleum and
Minister of Commerce Masoud Mir Kazemi
Sayyid Masoud Mir Kazemi (; born 1960) is an Iranian conservative politician and the former Vice President of Iran and head of Plan and Budget Organization. He was a member of the Parliament of Iran from Tehran district from 2012 until 2016, and ...
as a vice president and head of the
Plan and Budget Organization
Plan and Budget Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran (abbreviated as PBO) () is a governmental department of the Government of Iran. It is administered and funded by the Presidency of I.R. Iran. The Plan and Budget Organization (PBO), for ...
. He also presented nominations for his cabinet before the Islamic Consultative Assembly on the same day.
Raisi's nomination of
Ahmad Vahidi
Ahmad Shahcheraghi (, born 27 June 1958), better known as Ahmad Vahidi (), is an Iranian military commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and former Iranian Minister of Interior from 2021 to 2024. He is currently member of th ...
as
Minister of Interior among his cabinet nominations was quickly strongly condemned by both
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
and Israel, with the former having requested his arrest through a red notice of
Interpol
The International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL (abbreviated as ICPO–INTERPOL), commonly known as Interpol ( , ; stylized in allcaps), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime cont ...
for his alleged involvement in the 1994
AMIA bombing
The AMIA bombing occurred on 18 July 1994 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and targeted the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA; ), a Jewish Community Center, Jewish Community Centre. Executed as a Suicide attack, suicidal attack, a Car bom ...
in Buenos Aires. The Argentine foreign ministry stated that Vahidi's designation was an "affront to the Argentine justice and the victims of the terrorist attack".

On 20 August, Raisi appointed former
Minister of Culture
A culture minister or a heritage minister is a common cabinet position in governments. The culture minister is typically responsible for cultural policy, which often includes arts policy (direct and indirect support to artists and arts organiza ...
Mohammad Hosseini as vice president for parliamentary affairs. 18 out of 19 of his cabinet picks were approved by the Islamic Consultative Assembly on 25 August, except Hossein Baghgoli, whom Raisi had chosen as the
Minister of Education
An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...
. Many of the ministerial choices are sanctioned by the United States and several are veterans of the
Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces.
Raisi meanwhile appointed former IRGC commander-in-chief
Mohsen Rezaee
Mohsen Rezaee Mirgha'ed (, born Sabzevar Rezaee Mirgha'ed (); born 1 September 1954) is an Iranian conservative politician affiliated with the Resistance Front of Islamic Iran and senior military officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ...
as the
vice president for economic affairs on 25 August. He also appointed him as the secretary of the , as well as the secretary of the Iranian government's Economic Committee. On 26 August, Iran had a renewed diplomatic clash with Argentina, when the latter condemned the appointment of Rezaee. Rezaee is also wanted by Argentina for alleged involvement in the AMIA bombing. Argentina "energetically" condemned his designation and added that "Iran must cooperate with the investigation" and added again that Rezaee's designation was another "affront to the Argentine justice".
On 1 September, Raisi appointed former president of
Al-Zahra University Ensieh Khazali as
vice president for Women and Family Affairs and
Mohammad Dehghan as vice president for legal affairs. On 4 September, he stated that Iran would resume talks over its nuclear programme, which have been stalled since his election victory, but not under pressure from Western countries.
On 5 September, Raisi appointed
Meysam Latifi, former dean of Islamic education and management at
Imam Sadiq University
The Imam Sadiq University () is an Islamic private university in Tehran, Iran. Established in 1982, the goal of the university is to combine Islamic research and modern studies, especially humanities. The university was dedicated to training pol ...
, as a vice president and head of the
Administrative and Recruitment Affairs Organization, while
Sowlat Mortazavi was appointed
vice president for executive affairs and head of the presidential administration. In addition, former Head of Management and Planning Organization
Farhad Rahbar was appointed the president's assistant for Economic Affairs.
Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi was appointed a vice president and the head of the
Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs on 12 September.
Importation of
COVID-19 vaccine
A COVID19 vaccine is a vaccine intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID19).
Knowledge about the structure and fun ...
meanwhile surged since Raisi took office, with over 30 million doses being imported during the Iranian month of
Shahrivar, more than the vaccine imports since February 2021, while 13.4 million were imported during the month of
Mordad in which Raisi was sworn in. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
announced the importation of 60 million more vaccines on 19 September. In a pre-recorded speech before the
76th session of the
United Nations General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its Seventy-ninth session of th ...
on 21 September, Raisi stated that Iran wanted to resume talks over its nuclear programme. He also stated that the hegemony of the United States was being rejected across the world and criticised its sanctions on Iran as unjust.
On 17 September,
protests
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration, or remonstrance) is a public act of objection, disapproval or dissent against political advantage. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooperation in which numerous people cooperate ...
erupted after the
death of Mahsa Amini, and unrest spread all over the country. President Raisi promised to set up a commission to investigate the murder, but this did not affect the protests, as law-enforcement agencies are allegedly retreating from small cities due to uncontrollable rioting.
Foreign policy
After the
fall of Kabul to the
Taliban
, leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders
, leader1_name = {{indented plainlist,
* Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013)
* Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016)
* Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...
, Raisi stated on 16 August that the
withdrawal of American forces from
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
offered a chance for stabilising the country, which Iran would support. He also called on all parties to form an inclusive government. On 4 September, he urged that elections be held to elect a new Afghan government as soon as possible. On 18 September, he stated that Iran will not allow the establishment of any terrorist group, including the
Islamic State
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...
, along its
border with Afghanistan and use it for attacks on other nations. In addition, he called on the Taliban to form an inclusive government.
In April 2022, Raisi warned that Israel would be targeted by his country's armed forces if it made "the slightest move" against Iran. During an interview in September of that year, he denounced the
Abraham Accords
The Abraham Accords are bilateral agreements on Arab–Israeli normalization signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain on September 15, 2020. Mediated by the United States, the announcement of August ...
and called Israel a "false regime". Raisi threatened major Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa, and stated that the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the establishment of a Palestinian state "
from the river to the sea".
Raisi said that his government's priority in the meeting with Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator
Sources characterising Assad as a dictator:
who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
was to strengthen
strategic ties between Iran and Syria.
He criticized the
Saudi-led
blockade of Yemen
The blockade of Yemen refers to a sea, land and air blockade on Yemen which started with the positioning of Saudi Arabian warships in Yemeni waters in 2015 with the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen. In November 2017, after a Houthi missil ...
and called for a ceasefire.
In March 2022, according to ''
Foreign Policy
Foreign policy, also known as external policy, is the set of strategies and actions a State (polity), state employs in its interactions with other states, unions, and international entities. It encompasses a wide range of objectives, includ ...
'', Raisi pledged an alliance in favor of Russia when the
Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
started.
Negotiations with the U.S. over the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA; (, BARJAM)), also known as the Iran nuclear deal or Iran deal, is an agreement to limit the Iranian nuclear program in return for sanctions relief and other provisions. The agreement was finalize ...
(JCPOA) have continued to be stalled under Raisi, with him accusing the Americans of "delaying and dragging their feet".
Between 14 and 17 February 2023, Raisi visited China and met Chinese leader
Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping, pronounced (born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has been the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (China), chairman of the Central Military Commission ...
. During the meeting, the two countries signed 20 cooperation agreements and agreed to boost relations. Following the talks,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
and Iran agreed to restore
diplomatic ties
Diplomacy is the communication by representatives of state, intergovernmental, or non-governmental institutions intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern Diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. ...
cut in 2016 on 10 March after a deal brokered between the two countries by China following secret talks in Beijing.
Raisi praised Hamas'
7 October attacks on Israel, stating that these actions would lead to the demise of Israel. He condemned Israel's actions in the
Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...
during the
Gaza war
The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...
and accused Israel of committing
genocide against Palestinians in Gaza "with the support of the United States and certain European countries." In January 2024, he predicted that the Israel-Hamas war would result in "
Israel's destruction."
Raisi canceled a trip to
Geneva
Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
in December 2023 due to accusations against him regarding his role in the torture and murder of prisoners in 1988, for which he could face arrest.
File:Khamenei meets with Bashar al-Assad C.jpeg, Khamenei, Assad and Raisi, May 2022
File:Three leaders (2022-07-19).jpg, Raisi with Russian president Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician who is the 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister of Turkey, prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Jus ...
at the Iran–Russia–Turkey summit in Tehran, July 2022
File:Fumio Kishida and Ebrahim Raisi at the 2022 UNGA (2).jpg, Raisi with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, September 2022
Political views
Raisi was widely considered to be a hardliner in Iranian politics and was a member of the
Principlists
The Principlists (, ), also interchangeably known as the Iranian Conservatives Open access material licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. and formerly referred to as the Right or Right-win ...
faction.
He strongly supported
sex segregation
Sex segregation, sex separation, sex partition, gender segregation, gender separation, or gender partition is the physical, legal, or cultural separation of people according to their gender or Sex, biological sex at any age. Sex segregation ca ...
. He said in a 2014 interview about planned segregation in Tehran Municipality "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." He was a supporter of
Islamization
The spread of Islam spans almost 1,400 years. The early Muslim conquests that occurred following the death of Muhammad in 632 CE led to the creation of the caliphates, expanding over a vast geographical area; conversion to Islam was boosted ...
of universities, revision of the Internet and censorship of Western culture. Raisi claimed that
economic sanctions
Economic sanctions or embargoes are Commerce, commercial and Finance, financial penalties applied by states or institutions against states, groups, or individuals. Economic sanctions are a form of Coercion (international relations), coercion tha ...
were an opportunity. Raisi said: "We will have guidance patrols, but for managers." He also said: "If the government does well, the people will do well." He stated that the amputation of thieves' hands, which is based on a very strict interpretation of Sharia, is one of "our honours" and that such punishments will not be limited to now and will be continued in the future. He stated that he should be honoured and esteemed for his role in the
1988 Iranian mass executions of political prisoners.
Raisi was one of nine Iranian officials listed in November 2019 subjected to sanctions by the
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...
due to alleged
human rights abuses
Human rights are universally recognized moral principles or norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both national and international laws. These rights are considered inherent and inalienable, meaning t ...
. He was sanctioned by the U.S.
Office of Foreign Assets Control
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is a financial intelligence and enforcement agency of the United States Department of the Treasury, United States Treasury Department. It administers and enforces economic and trade economic sanctions, ...
in accordance with
Executive Order 13876. He was accused of
crimes against humanity
Crimes against humanity are certain serious crimes committed as part of a large-scale attack against civilians. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity can be committed during both peace and war and against a state's own nationals as well as ...
by international human rights organizations and
United Nations special rapporteur
Special rapporteur (or independent expert) is the title given to independent human rights experts whose expertise is called upon by the United Nations (UN) to report or advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective.
De ...
s. A formal request had been made to arrest Raisi for crimes against humanity, if he attended the
2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP26, was the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, held at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, coun ...
in Scotland.
Economy
In 2017, Raisi reported, "I see the activation of a
resistance economy as the only way to end poverty and deprivation in the country." He supports development of the agricultural sector over commercial retail, which "will eventually benefit foreign brands."
In 2017, he promised to triple the monthly state benefits, currently
Rls.450,000 per citizen, to tackle
corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities ...
and create six million jobs. He said (about
sanctions against Iran
There have been a number of international sanctions against Iran imposed by a number of countries, especially the United States, and international entities. Iran was the most sanctioned country in the world until it was surpassed by Russia, follo ...
): "Sanctions should be seen as an opportunity for economic empowerment, and we should strengthen ourselves instead of falling short."
Raisi said in regards to the issue of lifting sanctions: "every government that takes office (to be elected), should lift the oppressive sanctions, and it must be pursued seriously; and the neutralization of sanctions should be on the agenda and we should not condition the economy; Neither the
corona nor the flood nor the sanctions should have an impact."
Women's rights
In state-led media, Raisi said that "no one has the right to violate the
freedom and rights of girls and women" and "it is incomplete to talk about culture and economy without the role of women". He emphasized that "women's rights are God-given, and the government should not only not lose this right, but it should also create the conditions for it to flourish" and "in many spaces, women's role-playing is empty and women's talent, creativity, initiative and innovation can be used a lot". Despite these comments, Raisi signed orders creating stricter
hijab
Hijab (, ) refers to head coverings worn by Women in Islam, Muslim women. Similar to the mitpaḥat/tichel or Snood (headgear), snood worn by religious married Jewish women, certain Christian head covering, headcoverings worn by some Christian w ...
restrictions for women in Iran.
Intellectuals and artists
Raisi stated: "The intellectual of the society understands before the others and watches the threats of the society, and soon warns the society with his
poetry
Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...
and art and saves the society from falling asleep, like a
muezzin
The muezzin (; ), also spelled mu'azzin, is the person who proclaims the call to the daily prayer ( ṣalāt) five times a day ( Fajr prayer, Zuhr prayer, Asr prayer, Maghrib prayer and Isha prayer) at a mosque from the minaret. The muezzin ...
." According to him, supporting the people of culture and art should not be verbal and should lead to action. He said: "Teachers are the true intellectuals of society and must observe and warn of harm; teachers are the identifiers and civilizers of society."
Homosexuality
Raisi has made discriminatory remarks about homosexuality, calling
same-sex relations "savagery". The
Center for Human Rights in Iran
The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI; formerly the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, ICHRI) is an American non-government organization that aims to promote human rights in Iran.
The group started in late 2007 when several huma ...
asserts that this type of rhetoric exacerbates prejudice and violence against LGBTQ+ individuals in the country. When visiting Uganda, after the country had recently passed a law instituting the death penalty for homosexuality, Raisi stated: "I believe that this issue, and these strong attacks by the West against the establishment of families and against the culture of the nations, is another area of cooperation for Iran and Uganda," further adding: "The Western countries try to identify homosexuality as an index of civilization, while this is one of the dirtiest things which have been done in human history."
The Holocaust
Raisi publicly cast doubt on the historical authenticity of
The Holocaust
The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
. After being asked on CBS's ''
60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'' if he believed the Holocaust happened, Raisi stated: "There are some signs that it happened. If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched."
Potential successor as Supreme Leader
Raisi had been described as "a favorite and
possible successor" to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, by several sources.
In 2019, Saeid Golkar of Al Jazeera called Raisi "the most likely successor of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" as Supreme Leader of Iran. In 2020,
Dexter Filkins
Dexter Price Filkins (born May 24, 1961) is an American journalist known primarily for his coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for ''The New York Times''. He was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in 2002 for his dispatches from Afghanistan ...
described him as "frequently mentioned" as a successor to Khamenei.
In 2024, ''Time'' magazine reported that both Ebrahim Raisi and
Mojtaba Khamenei, Khamenei's son, were frontrunners for the position. Raisi's death in a helicopter crash in May 2024 cut short his potential candidacy.
Death

On 19 May 2024, Raisi, foreign minister
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and several other officials were killed when Raisi's
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
crashed near the village of
Uzi in
East Azerbaijan province. Iran's semi-official news agency,
Mehr News, described them as having been "martyred in the crash." Raisi was the second president of Iran to have died in office, following
Mohammad-Ali Rajai
Mohammad-Ali Rajai (; 15 June 1933 – 30 August 1981) was an Iranian politician who served as the second president of Iran from 2 August 1981 until his assassination four weeks later. Before his presidency, Rajai had served as prime minister un ...
, who died in a
1981 bombing.
Following confirmation of Raisi's death, Khamenei declared five days of national mourning.
Hundreds gathered in
Vali-e-Asr square in mourning for the president. At a meeting of the
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts (), also translated as the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership or as the Council of Experts, is the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme Leader of Iran. All directly elected members must first be vetted ...
on 21 May, a flower-ringed portrait of Raisi was placed on his seat.
Leaders and officials of several countries and international organizations extended condolences, while most negative reactions came from Western officials and
Iranian opposition leaders. The
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
stood for a minute's silence for Raisi. Raisi's death received mixed reactions among the public in Iran, with some mourning and others celebrating.
Police in Tehran warned that anyone who appeared publicly happy about Raisi's death would be prosecuted.
Funerals for the victims began on 21 May in Tabriz. A procession of the remains, which were carried on a lorry, was attended by crowds estimated to be in the tens of thousands who were addressed by Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi. Raisi's and Amir-Abdollahian's remains were then taken to
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
and transported to
Qom
Qom (; ) is a city in the Central District of Qom County, Qom province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the seventh largest metropolis and also the seventh largest city in Iran. The city is ...
before being returned to
Tehran University
The University of Tehran (UT) or Tehran University (, ) is a public collegiate university in Iran, and the oldest and most prominent Iranian university located in Tehran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as ...
for another funeral ceremony on 22 May presided by Khamenei and attended by Mokhber and foreign dignitaries, including
Hamas
The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...
leader
Ismail Haniyeh
Ismail Haniyeh (, ; 29 January 1962 – 31 July 2024) was a Palestinian politician who served as third chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from May 2017 until Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, his assassination in July 2024. He also served as ...
, who spoke at the event, Pakistani Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif
Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (born 23 September 1951) is a Pakistani politician and businessman who has served as the 20th Prime Minister of Pakistan, prime minister of Pakistan since March 2024, having previously been in the role between Ap ...
and a delegation from the
Taliban
, leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders
, leader1_name = {{indented plainlist,
* Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013)
* Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016)
* Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...
regime of Afghanistan led by Foreign Minister
Amir Khan Muttaqi. The Tehran funeral ceremony was also estimated to have had tens of thousands in attendance. The procession down Tehran's main boulevard was estimated to have been followed by hundreds of thousands.
However, funeral service turnout was noticeably lower than that of
Iranian Revolutionary Guard general
Qasem Soleimani
Qasem Soleimani (; 11 March 1957 – 3 January 2020) was an Iranian military officer who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). From 1998 until Assassination of Qasem Soleimani, his assassination by the United States in 2020, h ...
in 2020.
Raisi's remains were taken to
Birjand
Birjand (; ) is a city in the Central District of Birjand County, South Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. The city is known for its saffron, barberry, jujube, and handmade carpet exports.
...
on 23 May before being transported to his hometown of
Mashhad
Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...
, where he was buried on the same day at the
Imam Reza shrine
The Imam Reza shrine (; ) is a Shi'ite shrine, imamzadeh and mausoleum complex, located in Mashhad, in the province of Razavi Khorasan, Iran. The shrine contains the grave of Ali al-Rida, who is regarded as the eighth Imam in Shia Islam. Als ...
.
Government offices and private businesses were ordered to be closed on 22 May.
Electoral history
Personal life
Raisi was married to
Jamileh Alamolhoda, daughter of Mashhad
Friday Prayers Imam,
Ahmad Alamolhoda. She is an associate professor at Tehran's
Shahid Beheshti University
Shahid Beheshti University (SBU) (), originally founded as the Melli University (National University of Iran) (), is a Public university, public research university in Tehran, Iran. The university offers programs at Bachelor's, Master's and Ph. ...
and president of the university's Institute of Fundamental Studies of Science and Technology. They had two daughters and two grandchildren.
One of their daughters studied at
Sharif University and the other at
Tehran University
The University of Tehran (UT) or Tehran University (, ) is a public collegiate university in Iran, and the oldest and most prominent Iranian university located in Tehran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as ...
.
Works
*"Lectures on the Rules of Jurisprudence," including three volumes (in judicial, economic and religious sections)
*''Erse-Bi-Wares'' (''Inheritance Without Heirs''); and ''Conflict of Principle and Appearance in Jurisprudence and Law''.
"Background and biography of Hojjat al-Islam Raisi"
(). iribnews.irT. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raisi, Ebrahim
1960 births
2024 deaths
20th-century Persian-language writers
21st-century Iranian politicians
21st-century Persian-language writers
2020s missing person cases
Chief justices of Iran
Combatant Clergy Association politicians
Accidental deaths in Iran
Academic staff of Imam Sadiq University
Anti-American sentiment in Iran
Antisemitism in Iran
Iranian ayatollahs
Iranian individuals subject to U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions
Iranian nationalists
Iranian Holocaust deniers
Iranian Muslims
Iranian prosecutors
1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners
21st-century Iranian judges
Formerly missing Iranian people
Islamic Republican Party politicians
Members of the Assembly of Experts
National presidents who died in office
People from Khorasan
Politicians from Mashhad
Politicide perpetrators
Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces politicians
Presidents of Iran
Qom Seminary alumni
Representatives of the supreme leader
Shia Islamists
Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List
Right-wing politics in Iran
State leaders killed in aviation accidents or incidents
Victims of the 2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash
Burials at Imam Reza Shrine