Ali Akbar Velayati facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ali Akbar Velayati
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| Member of Expediency Discernment Council | |
| Assumed office 17 March 1997 |
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| Appointed by | Ali Khamenei |
| Chairman | Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Ali Movahedi-Kermani (Acting) Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Sadeq Larijani |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran | |
| In office 15 December 1981 – 20 August 1997 |
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| President | Ali Khamenei Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani |
| Prime Minister | Mir-Hossein Mousavi |
| Preceded by | Mir-Hossein Mousavi |
| Succeeded by | Kamal Kharazi |
| Member of the Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly | |
| In office 28 May 1980 – 15 December 1981 |
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| Constituency | Tehran, Rey and Shemiranat |
| Majority | 858,305 (52.5%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 June 1945 Rostamabad, Iran |
| Political party | Islamic Association of Physicians of Iran Islamic Coalition Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Islamic Republican Party (1979–1987) National Front (1961–1970s) |
| Spouses | Shirin Khoshnevisan (1980–2003, her death) Leyla Enayati (2007–present) |
| Children | 6 |
| Alma mater | Tehran University of Medical Sciences Johns Hopkins University |
| Awards |  Order of Knowledge (1st class) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Official website: http://www.velayati.ir |
Ali Akbar Velayati (Persian: علیاکبر ولایتی; born 24 June 1945) is an Iranian politician and doctor. He is a member of the Expediency Discernment Council. This council helps the Supreme Leader of Iran make important decisions. Velayati is also a respected professor at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. He serves as a senior advisor to the Supreme Leader of Iran on international matters. He also leads the board of a large university called Islamic Azad University.
He is part of the Iranian Science and Culture Hall of Fame. He is also a senior member of the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences. For many years, he was Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held this job for over 15 years, from 1981 to 1997. He worked under different leaders, including Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Presidents Ali Khamenei and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He is the only person to have been Foreign Minister for more than ten years. In 2013, he ran for president but did not win.
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Early Life and Education
Velayati was born on 24 June 1945, in Rostamabad village, near Tehran, Iran. He started studying medicine at Tehran University in 1964. After finishing his studies in children's health (pediatrics), he went to Johns Hopkins University. There, he specialized in infectious diseases. During this time, Velayati also taught at the university. He was an active member of important groups like the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution. Today, he is still a member of the Expediency Discernment Council.
Career in Government
Ali Akbar Velayati has held many important jobs in the Iranian government. He is known for having many official roles and responsibilities. In 1961, he joined a political group called the National Front. After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, he was chosen to be a member of the parliament in 1980. He also worked as a deputy minister of health from 1980 to 1981.
In 1981, when Ali Khamenei became president, he suggested Velayati as his prime minister. However, the parliament did not approve. Later, Mir-Hossein Mousavi became prime minister. Velayati then served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during Mousavi's time. He kept this job when Hashemi Rafsanjani became president, serving until 1997. Since 1997, he has been an advisor on international matters to the Supreme Leader of Iran.
Later Years in Politics
In 2006, Velayati was appointed to the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations. He is considered close to the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. He advises the Supreme Leader on international issues. He even wrote the introduction to Khamenei's book about Palestine. In 2013, Velayati became the head of the Center for Strategic Research. He took over this role from Hassan Rouhani.
Presidential Campaigns
2005 Presidential Election
Some conservative groups thought Velayati might run for president in the 2005 Iranian presidential election. But he said he would not accept their offer. He decided not to run as an independent candidate either. It was thought that he did not want to run against Rafsanjani.
2013 Presidential Election
Velayati announced that he would run for president in the 2013 Iranian presidential election. He received support from some conservative groups. He promised to improve Iran's relationships with other countries. He also wanted to have more diplomatic ties with Europe and the United States. He openly criticized the foreign policy of then-President Ahmadinejad. He received about 2.2 million votes, placing fifth among the candidates.
Personal Life
On 12 March 2020, news agencies reported that Velayati had tested positive for COVID-19. He was reported to be recovering under quarantine.
Works
Velayati has written many books and academic papers. Some of his works include:
- Dynamism of Islamic and Iranian Culture and Civilization
- Iran and the Question of Palestine
- Iran and the Developments of Palestine
- Historical Crisis of Iranian Identity
- Intellectual Prelude to Constitutional Movement
- History of Iran Foreign Relations under Shah Abbas Safavid I
- History of Iran Foreign Relations under Shah Ismail Safavid II
- Political History of the Iraqi Imposed War Against the Islamic Republic of Iran
- History of Iran Foreign Relations under Nasser addin Shah and Mozaffar addin Shah
- Tuberculosis
- Infectious Diseases
See also
In Spanish: Alí Akbar Velayatí para niños
