Mozaffar Alam (مظفر اعلم ''Muzaffar Aʿlam'') (1882–1973) was an Iranian politician who served as the minister of foreign affairs. He was also a military official and governor of various Iranian provinces.

Early life and education

Alam was born in

Trabzon Trabzon, historically known as Trebizond, is a city on the Black Sea coast of northeastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. The city was founded in 756 BC as "Trapezous" by colonists from Miletus. It was added into the Achaemenid E ...

in 1882 as Sardar Entesar. His father, Mirzā ʿAli Akbar Khan Moʿtamed al Wezāra Qazvini, was a ranking officer in the ministry of foreign affairs and served in consular positions in

Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

and

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

. Alam received primary and secondary education in Baku and

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. ...

. Then he attended the Ottoman military school. Next he attended Saint Cyr military school receiving education in artillery field in France. He continued his training in infantry.

Career

After completing his education and returning to Iran, Alam began to work at the ministry of foreign affairs and then, was appointed Iranian consul in

. However, he resigned from his post to pursue security career. He was promoted the deputy and then the chief of security forces. Next he began to serve as the head of the Cossack brigade and was promoted to the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

and then brigadier general during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. After the 1921 coup, Alam was appointed governor of

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

. Later he served as the governor of Kurdestan and then,

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

. In 1935 Alam was the head of the General Department of Trade. From 1938 to 1950 Alam served as the

minister 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 foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...

in three different cabinets. He was appointed to the office in July 1938 replacing Ali Soheili in the post. Alam remained in the office until October 1940. In 1951 Alam was named extraordinary ambassador and plenipotentiary to Saudi Arabia. In August 1953 he was made ambassador to Iraq. On 17 August the Shah

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (26 October 1919 – 27 July 1980) was the last List of monarchs of Iran, Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 to 1979. He succeeded his father Reza Shah and ruled the Imperial State of Iran until he was overthrown by the ...

left Iran due to the turmoil which would lead to the end of

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

Mohammad Mosaddegh Mohammad Mosaddegh (, ; 16 June 1882 – 5 March 1967) was an Iranian politician, author, and lawyer who served as the 30th Prime Minister of Iran from 1951 to 1953, elected by the 1950 Iranian legislative election, 16th Majlis. He was a membe ...

. When he had a stopover in Baghdad he said the Iranian ambassador tried to have him arrested. In fact, Alam was following the orders of the Iranian Foreign Minister

Hossein Fatemi Hossein Fatemi (; also Romanized as Hoseyn Fātemi; 10 February 1917 – 10 November 1954) was an Iranian scholar. A close associate of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, he proposed nationalization of Iranian oil and gas assets. Initially a jou ...

who had ordered the Iranian diplomats abroad not to welcome, visit, or receive the Shah. On 21 August 1953 the Shah returned to Baghdad from Rome. At the airport, he was officially received by the Crown Prince

'Abd al-Ilah Abd al-Ilah of Hejaz () (; also written Abdul Ilah or Abdullah; 14 November 1913 – 14 July 1958) was a cousin and brother-in-law of Ghazi of Iraq, King Ghazi of the Kingdom of Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and was regent for his nephew Fai ...

and members of the Iraqi cabinet. He declined to receive the Persian Ambassador to Iraq, Muzaffar Alam, or any members of his staff. Following the

1953 Iranian coup d'état The 1953 Iranian coup d'état, known in Iran as the 28 Mordad coup d'état (), was the overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh on 19 August 1953. Led by the Iranian army and supported by the United States and the United Kingdom, the co ...

, Alam went to Syria where he stayed for a while before leaving for France. He stayed in France until 1971 after he had permission to return to Iran.

Death

Alam died in Tehran in 1973 at age 91. His family was not permitted to organize a funeral ceremony for him.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alam, Mozaffar 1882 births 1973 deaths Politicians from Trabzon People from Trebizond vilayet People of Pahlavi Iran Ministers of foreign affairs of Iran Governors of Isfahan Iranian governors Ambassadors of Iran to Iraq Ambassadors of Iran to Saudi Arabia Imperial Iranian Army brigadier generals 20th-century Iranian diplomats 20th-century Iranian politicians Iranian expatriates in France Iranian expatriates in Syria