Ebrahim Raisolsadati (Persian: 14 December 1960 – 19 May 2024), commonly known as Ebrahim Raisi was an Iranian politician who was the eighth president of Iran from 2021 until his death in 2024. A Principlist and a Muslim jurist, he became president after the 2021 election.
Raisi served in several positions in Iran’s judicial system, such as Deputy Chief Justice (2004–2014), Attorney General (2014–2016), and Chief Justice (2019–2021). He was also Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor of Tehran in the 1980s and 1990s. He was Custodian and Chairman of Astan Quds Razavi, a bonyad, from 2016 until 2019. He was a member of Assembly of Experts from South Khorasan Province, being elected for the first time in the 2006 election. He was the son-in-law of Mashhad Friday prayer leader and Grand Imam of Imam Reza shrine, Ahmad Alamolhoda.
Raisi ran for president in 2017 as the candidate of the conservative Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces, losing to moderate incumbent president Hassan Rouhani, 57% to 38.3%. Often known as the “butcher of Tehran”, he was one of the four people on the prosecution committee, which was responsible for the execution of thousands of political prisoners in Iran in 1988 and is hence labeled the “death committee”. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control in accordance with Exeutive Order 13876. He was accused of crimes against humanity by international human rights organizations and United Nations special rapporteurs.
Raisi successfully ran for president a second time in 2021 with 62.9% of the votes, succeeding Hassan Rouhani. According to many observers, the 2021 Iranian presidential election was rigged in favour of Raisi, who was considered an ally of Ali Khamenei. Raisi was often seen as a frontrunner to succeed Khamenei as Supreme Leader. However, as a result of his death in the 2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash, that never occurred. Considered a hardliner in Iranian politics, Raisi’s presidency saw deadlock in negotiations with the U.S. over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and large-scale protests 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, and supported Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, Iran launched a missile and drone attack on Israel during the Gaza conflict and continued arming proxy groups like Hezbollah and the Houthi movement.
On 19 May 2024, Raisi, foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials were involved in a helicopter crash near Varzaqan. State-run media later confirmed their deaths.
Early life and education
Ebrahim Raisi was born on 14 December 1960 to a clerical family in the Noghan district of Mashhad. His father, Seyed Haji, died when he was 5. Ancestrally, Raisi was among Husayn ibn Ali (Hussaini) Sayyids, and he was connected to Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin Sayyids.
Raisi passed his primary-education in “Javadiyeh school”; then started studying in the Hawza (Islamic seminary). In 1975, he went to “Ayatollah Boroujerdi School” in order to continue his education in Qom Seminary.[citation needed] He has claimed to have received a doctorate degree in private law from Motahari University; however, this has been disputed.
IMG: Theshaderoom
