Mousa Refan () also known as Akbar Refan (), is an Iranian electrical engineer and former military officer. In 2012 he was elected as the featured electrical engineer of Iran by Iran Academy of Science.

Early life and education

Born in 1958 in

Kazerun Kazerun () is a city in the northwest of Fars Province in Iran and the center of Kazerun County. This city has an ancient history, numerous ancient and historical monuments, and numerous tourist attractions. Kazerun is the largest and most p ...

, Fars Province, Refan obtained his BS in electrical engineering from

University of Tehran 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 ...

Military career

Refan was one of the

Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line The Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line ( ''Dânešjuyân-e Mosalmân-e peyrov-e Khatt-e Emâm''), also called the Muslim Students of the Imam Khomeini Line, was an Iranian student group that occupied the U.S. embassy in Tehran on 4 Novem ...

taking over the

U.S. embassy The United States has the second largest number of active diplomatic posts of any country in the world after the People's Republic of China, including 272 bilateral posts (embassies and consulates) in 174 countries, as well as 11 permanent miss ...

in 1979, who entered

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khom ...

(IRGC) and reached at top of its command hierarchy. He was founder and the first commander of the IRGC's

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

. Refan wanted to transform the military branch into a major aerial warfare force parallel to the regular air force. He resigned in 1990, reportedly due to what he deemed lack of sufficient support from IRGC leadership, according to Jamal S. Suwaidi.

Energy sector career

Following departure from the IRGC, Refan entered

MAPNA Group MAPNA Group () is a group of Iranian companies involved in development and execution of thermal and renewable power plants, oil & gas, railway transportation and other industrial projects as well as manufacturing main equipment including gas and ...

. He was manager and director of management committee of MAPNA for 17 years from its establishment to 2009.

Views

According to the Israeli institute

Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC), also known as Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center in honor of Meir Amit, is an Israel-based research group. ITIC has close ties to the Israel Defense Forces. Its repor ...

, Refan is regarded a

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 ...

figure within Iranian political spectrum.

References

Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line Iranian electrical engineers People from Kazerun 1958 births Living people Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel of the Iran–Iraq War {{Iran-mil-bio-stub