Mohammad-Ali Abtahi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mohammad-Ali Abtahi
Vice President of Iran for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
In office 2 September 2001 – 12 October 2004
President	Mohammad Khatami
Preceded by	Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari
Succeeded by	Majid Ansari
Head of President's Office
In office 10 August 1997 – 2 September 2001
President	Mohammad Khatami
Preceded by	Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani
Succeeded by	Ali Khatami
Personal details
Born	(1958-09-29) September 29, 1958 (age 66) Mashhad, Imperial State of Iran
Political party	Association of Combatant Clerics
Alma mater	Isfahan University (B.A. in Western Philosophy) University of Tehran (M.A. in education)

Seyed Mohammad-Ali Abtahi (Persian: محمدعلی ابطحی; born January 28, 1960, in Mashhad) is an Iranian scholar and activist. He supports democracy and leads the Institute for Interreligious Dialogue.

During the 1980s, he worked in broadcasting in different cities. Later, from 2001 to 2004, he served as a vice-president for legal affairs. He also advised the president from 2004 to 2005.

He lived in Lebanon for three years before returning to Iran. He then joined a presidential election campaign. He also led the president's office for a time.

About Mohammad-Ali Abtahi

Mohammad Ali Abtahi was born on January 28, 1960, in Mashhad. He was the oldest child of Seyed Hassan Abtahi and Seyedeh Zahra Hashemi. His family had a tradition of religious studies. He completed his religious education in 1976.

In 1978, he married his cousin, Fahimeh Mousavi Nejad. They have three daughters named Faezeh, Fatemeh, and Farideh. He also has three brothers and two sisters.

His Work in Iran's Government

Because he supported the Islamic Revolution, he became the director of Mashhad Broadcasting programs in 1979. After studying in Qom, he became the chief director of broadcasting in Boushehr and Shiraz.

In 1983, Abtahi moved to Tehran. He became the director of Radio Iran. He held this job until 1988. Then, he became the deputy of the overseas department for IRIB Broadcasting.

Later, he worked as the deputy for international affairs in the Ministry of Islamic Guidance. This role involved cultural discussions around the world. In 1997, he became the head of the president's office.

After the 2001 presidential election, he became the deputy for legal affairs in the Islamic Parliament of Iran. He later became an advisor to the president in 2004. He has also been a member of the Association of Combatant Clerics.

With his wife, Fahimeh Mousavi Nejad, he started an organization called Religions’ Dialogue NGO. He has given many speeches at international conferences about different religions.

Political Events and Challenges

In the 2009 election, Mohammad-Ali Abtahi supported Mehdi Karroubi. He was arrested on June 16, 2009, along with other reformists. His wife stated that he looked very different after his arrest.

Abtahi later appeared in a court session. He made statements about the election. A few years after his release, he explained his reasons for what he had said in court.

He was sentenced to six years of penal servitude. However, he was released from prison on bail after 160 days. After his release, several important figures visited him at his home. These included Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mohammad Khatami, Mehdi Karroubi, and Hassan Khomeini.

An Incident in 2010

On June 20, 2010, after a memorial event, some people attacked Mohammad-Ali Abtahi. He described how his car was damaged. He also said that he was sprayed with tear gas.

He managed to escape the situation. He noted that there were no police officers around during the incident.

Meeting with the Leader

On May 23, 2018, Abtahi was invited to a Ramadan breakfast ceremony. This event was hosted by the leader of Iran. It was the first time he had attended such an event in many years.

Government Roles

• 1969: Mashhad Broadcasting Director
• 1972: General Director of Boushehr and Shiraz Broadcasting
• 1973: Radio Iran Director
• 1978: Deputy of IRIB Broadcasting overseas department
• 1978: Deputy of the International Affairs of the Islamic Guidance Ministry
• 1994: IRIB Representative in Beirut
• 1997: Head of the President’s office
• 2001: Deputy of the Presidents’ Legal and Parliament Affairs
• 2004: Advisor to the President

His Online Presence

Mohammad-Ali Abtahi was the first Iranian politician to use the Internet to write blogs. From November 2003 to June 13, 2009, he wrote on his blog called "Webnevesht" every day for six years.

After he was imprisoned, his blog was updated for a week from inside the prison. However, many people who read blogs were unsure if he had written those updates himself.

Books and Articles

Mohammad-Ali Abtahi has written several books. He has also published many articles in newspapers. He has given interviews to international news channels.

Books by Abtahi

• The assassination of a President (Translation)
• A Dialogue with Christian Thinkers (Religion in the Contemporary World) 1990
• Prudence and Tolerance, 2004
• A comic book; Al-Ahghar to Be Sacrificed for You, 2004
• For My Heart 2005
• Without a Mask, 2005
• We Lost (A study of political losses since 2005) 2017
• Nuclear Halo, 2017
• I Have Come for Your Smile 2017
• From Corona and Other Evils 2021
• Khan Alley, a Novel, 2023
• No One Believes Here 2011 (This book has not yet been allowed for publication.)

Articles and Interviews

Many of his articles have been published in Iranian and foreign newspapers. He has also been interviewed by international broadcasts. He has spoken in Arabic on TV programs like Aljazirah, Al-Arabia, and Arabic B.B.C..

In 2017, a friendly conversation between Siavash Ardalan and Mohammad Ali Abtahi gained a lot of attention.

Images for kids

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  Mohammad Ali Abtahi interviewing Hossein Dehbashi in Khesht Kham program

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  Mirhossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard visit Mohammad Ali Abtahi after his release from prison

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  Seyyed Mohammad Khatami's meeting with Mohammad Ali Abtahi after his release from prison

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  Mehdi Karroubi's meeting with Mohammad Ali Abtahi after his release from prison

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  Hassan Khomeini's meeting with Mohammad Ali Abtahi after his release from prison