Hossein Saffar Harandi

Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi (born 29 September 1953) is an Iranian politician who was minister of culture and Islamic guidance of Iran from 21 August 2005 until 23 July 2009 when he resigned after opposing the appointment of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei as vice president. He is currently member of the Expediency Discernment Council.[3]

Sardar

Mohammad-Hossein Saffar Harandi
Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance
In office
21 August 2005 – 23 July 2009
PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad
Preceded byAhmad Masjed-Jamei
Succeeded byMohammad Hosseini
Personal details
Born (1953-09-29) 29 September 1953
Gorgan, Iran
Political partyFront of Islamic Revolution Stability[1]
RelativesFakhrossadat Mohtashamipour (cousin)[2]
Alma materIran University of Science and Technology
University of Tehran
Military service
Branch/serviceRevolutionary Guards
Years of service1979–2004, 2009–present
RankBrigadier General

Early life and education

Harandi was born in Gorgan in 1953. He is the nephew of Reza Saffar Harandi, who assassinated Hassan Ali Mansoor, then Iran's prime minister, in 1965.[4]

He graduated from the Iran University of Science and Technology with a degree in civil engineering in 1973. He obtained his master's degree in military sciences in 1993 and completed a certificate on strategic management in 1994.

Career

Harandi was deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Hormozgan (1981),[5] Kerman and other provinces. From 1980 to 1983 he held the post of national regional deputy commander of the IRGC.[5] He was the director of the IRGC's political office from 1989 to 1993.[5]

In the beginning of 1989, on the occasion of the death and funeral of Hirohito, the 124th Emperor of Japan who had ruled for over 60 years until he died on January 7, Harandi and Mostafa Mir-Salim, Vice President, went to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to attend the Rites of Imperial Funeral on February 24 with Mohammad Hossein Adeli, Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary in Japan, and his wife.[6]

Harandi was then served as the editor-in-chief and the deputy managing editor of Kayhan.[4] In 2005, he was appointed minister of guidance and culture to the first cabinet of Ahmedinejad.[7] Harandi was approved by the Majlis with 181 votes in favor.[8]

Harandi was removed from office on 26 July 2009.[9] Amid reports of his dismissal he said he was resigning. "Unfortunately due to the recent events which show the esteemed government's weakness, I will no longer consider myself the minister of culture and will not show up at the ministry as of tomorrow," he said in a letter of resignation carried by the Fars news agency.[10] Analysts described his termination as significant because of his being "especially close" to Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and connected to Harandi's support of Khamenei's order to Ahmadinejad to not appoint Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei as vice president.[4][11] Following his dismissal, Harandi returned to the IRGC as brigadier general.[12]

Views

As culture minister, Harandi, had a negative opinion of music. When he assumed his post, he stated that one of the first issues that he would combat would be the types of music that are against the values of the Republic of Iran, including rock and rap. He called upon Iranian musicians to produce purposeful and meaningful music. One result was the composition and production of a "nuclear symphony" in support of Iran's right to develop a nuclear program for peaceful purposes.[13]

Safar-Harandi were infuriated over Ahmadinejad's remarks.[10] He was recently seen at an opposition meeting with leading figures. Safar-Harandi stated he would actively work with the opposition to insure justice is meted out against all those who committed crimes. He was emerging as a leading opponent to the current leadership in 2009.[10]

References
  1. Nikolay Kozhanov (28 February 2012), Iran's Majlis Elections: Whoever Wins, the West Loses, The Washington Institute, retrieved 15 April 2017
  2. "Patriots and Reformists: Behzad Nabavi and Mostafa Tajzadeh". Tehran Bureau. PBS. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  3. "تغییرات مجمع تشخیص؛ ریاست هاشمی شاهرودی و عضویت رئیسی و قالیباف". 14 August 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  4. Sahimi, Muhammad (26 July 2009). "Ahmadinejad Sacks Ministers; Mashaei to Remain Close". PBS. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  5. Frederic Wehrey; Jerrold D Green; Brian Nichiporuk; Alireza Nader; Lydia Hansell (31 December 2008). The Rise of the Pasdaran: Assessing the Domestic Roles of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Rand Corporation. ISBN 978-0-8330-4680-2. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  6. Diplomatic Blue Book: the Year of 1989 - 5. Delegation Representatives of Countries and Organizations that Attended the Rites of Imperial Funeral of Emperor Shōwa (『外交青書 1989年版』 - 5.「昭和天皇大喪の礼」に参列した国及び国際機関の代表) (in Japanese), published by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
  7. Kazemzadeh, Masoud (2007). "Ahmadinejad's Foreign Policy". Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. 27 (2): 423–449. doi:10.1215/1089201x-2007-015. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  8. "Iran: 17 proposed ministers receive votes of confidence, 4 rejected". Payvand. 25 August 2005. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  9. "Iran's Ahmadinejad Dismisses Cabinet Ministers". Radio Free Europe. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  10. "Iran intelligence minister sacked". BBC News. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  11. Erdbrink, Thomas (27 July 2009). "Two Ministers Forced to Leave Iranian Cabinet Firing and Resignation Indicate Tension Between President and Supreme Leader". Washington Post. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  12. Sahimi, Mohammad (30 October 2009). "The power behind the scene: Khoeiniha". PBS. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  13. Manal Lutfi (26 May 2007). "Iran's Underground Music Revolution". Asharq Al-Awsat. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
Political offices
Preceded by
Ahmad Masjed-Jamei		 Minister of Culture
2005–2009		 Succeeded by
Mohammad Hosseini
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