Hossein Sheikholeslam (; 29 November 1952 – 5 March 2020) was an Iranian

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician and diplomat who was advisor to the foreign minister Javad Zarif. He also was a member of the Seventh Islamic Parliament of Iran and previously the Iranian ambassador to

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

.
Sheikholeslam was Assistant to the parliament Speaker

Ali Larijani Ali Ardashir Larijani (born 3 June 1958) is an Iranian politician and former military officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Iran from 2008 to 2020. He has been a member of the Expediency ...

for the International Affairs. Sheikholeslam was one of the students/militants who held Americans hostage during the

Iran hostage crisis The Iran hostage crisis () began on November 4, 1979, when 66 Americans, including diplomats and other civilian personnel, were taken hostage at the Embassy of the United States in Tehran, with 52 of them being held until January 20, 1981. Th ...

. Sheikholeslam died as a result of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

on 5 March 2020.

Political views

Israel

In 2014, Sheikholeslam stated that "the issue of Israel's destruction is important, no matter the method," and emphasized that Iran would "implement the strategy of the Imam

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 the Leader nowiki/>Ali Khamenei">Ali_Khamenei.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Ali Khamenei">nowiki/>Ali Khameneion the issue of destroying the Zionists." Sheikholeslam warned that "the region will not be quiet so long as Israel exists in it."

References

External links

Nominees Deny Iranian Report on Hostages
16 October 1988 Members of the 7th Islamic Consultative Assembly Iranian diplomats 1952 births Ambassadors of Iran to Syria Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran politicians Voice of Nation politicians Islamic Society of Engineers politicians 2020 deaths Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran {{Iran-MP-stub