Mohsen Rezaee
Four years after losing the 2009 presidential elections in Iran, Mohsen Rezaee is back in the fray, this time directing his focus on economic issues. Rezaee is an important figure in the polity of Iran and was once one of the most powerful leaders in the country.
His rise began after he took over as the chief commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in 1981. Rezaee became the chief commander of Iran’s vital force at the age of 27, and continued to be in the office for 16 years, after which he announced his retirement from all military posts.
Born on September 09, 1954 to a religious nomadic family, Rezaee began his political and cultural struggle against the Shah regime in the country at a young age. He had to serve five months in solitary confinement at the age of 17.
Initially a student of mechanical engineering at Iran University of Science and Technology, Rezaee changed his stream to economics after the Iran-Iraq war, studying at Tehran University. He continued to be at Tehran University till 2001, where he received his PhD.
Rezaee later co-founded the Imam Hossein University and continues to teach there even now.
Rezaee has allegedly been involved in the July 1994 suicide bombing at the Jewish cultural centre in Argentina, which killed 85 people and injured over 150 others. Later in 1998, his son, Ahmad, moved to the US and reportedly told the authorities that the attack was planned in Tehran and his father was also involved. However, he later returned to Iran to declare that his statements against his father were baseless. Since 2007, Rezaee has been on the wanted list of Interpol.
The former chief commander Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps had first entered the fray for the presidential elections in Iran in 2005. He, however, withdrew just two days ahead of the polling, claiming he wanted integration of the votes. Bizarrely, he did not, officially, back any candidate after withdrawing his candidature.
He later contested the 2009 presidential polls but lost behind Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and runner-up Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
This time, his campaign focuses on economic issues. He has assured that he will grant aides to all sectors – agriculture, tourism, industry, mining. Rezaee’s campaign talks about intentions to diversify the Iranian economy.
Another important aspect of his campaign is that he wants to induct people from all Iranian ethnic groups in his cabinet.
Compiled by: Shobhit Sujay