Mir-Hossein Mousavi

"Mousavi" redirects here. For other uses, see Mousavi (disambiguation).

Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh میرحسین موسوی خامنه
Prime Minister of Iran
In office 31 October 1981 – 3 August 1989
President	Ali Khamenei
Leader	Ruhollah Khomeini Ali Khamenei
Preceded by	Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani (Acting)
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 15 August 1981 – 15 December 1981
President	Mohammad Ali Rajai
Prime Minister	Mohammad-Javad Bahonar Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani (Acting)
Leader	Ruhollah Khomeini
Preceded by	Mohammad-Ali Rajai
Succeeded by	Ali Akbar Velayati
Personal details
Born	(1942-03-02) 2 March 1942 Khameneh, Iran
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Zahra Rahnavard (1969–present)
Children	Kokab Mousavi Narges Mousavi Zahra Mousavi
Residence(s)	Tehran, Iran
Alma mater	National University of Tehran
Occupation	Architect, Teacher
Signature	Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Website	kaleme.org

Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh (Persian: میرحسین موسوی خامنه, pronounced [miːɾ hoˈsein muːsæˈviː xɒːmeˈne], Mīr-Hoseyn Mūsavī Khāmené; born 2 March 1942) is an Iranian reformist politician, painter and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a candidate for the 2009 presidential election. Mousavi served as the president of the Iranian Academy of Arts until 2009 when Conservative authorities removed him.

He was the last Prime Minister in Iran before the 1989 constitutional changes which removed the post of prime minister. Before that, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is also a member of the Expediency Discernment Council and the High Council of Cultural Revolution. However, he has not participated in their meetings for years, which is interpreted by political analysts and commentators as a sign of his disapproval. In the early years of the revolution, Mousavi was the editor-in-chief of the official newspaper of the Islamic Republican Party, the Islamic Republic newspaper. In 2009 presidential election, Mousavi chose green as his campaign color, a color which has since become pervasive in Iran. He is the Leader of the Green Movement and announced the Green Path of Hope as its social network.

Early life and career

Mir-Hossein Mousavi was born on 2 March 1942 in Khameneh, East Azarbaijan, Iran. His father, Mir-Ismail, was a tea merchant from Tabriz. Mousavi grew up in Khameneh, and moved to Tehran following his graduation from high school in 1958. Mousavi is a relative of fellow Khameneh native Ali Khamenei: Mousavi's grandmother is Khamenei's paternal aunt.

As a young man in the early sixties, Mousavi had a close relationship with the Freedom Movement of Iran., a religious-nationalist political party founded by Mehdi Bazargan, Yadolah Sahabi, Mahmoud Taleghani, Mostafa Chamran, and Ali Shariati. Mousavi was among the student activists who regularly attended Ali Shariati's lectures at Hosseiniyeh Ershad of Tehran.

He earned his undergraduate degree in architecture from the National University of Tehran (now Shahid Beheshti University) , and in 1969 his master's degree in architecture from the National University of Tehran, focusing primarily on traditional Iranian architecture. While a student, he was an active member of the leftist Islamic association of students.

In 1969, Mousavi married Zahra Rahnavard, a fellow university student who specialized in sculpture, and was among the well-known students of Ali Shariati. Rahnavard later became the Chancellor of Alzahra University as well as political adviser to Iran's former President Mohammad Khatami.

Mousavi and his wife had an active role in the success of the Iranian revolution. He was imprisoned for organizing street protests against the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. As the Iranian revolution neared, Mousavi, whose earliest political hero was Che Guevara, became more actively involved in the struggle. Soon he joined ranks with Mohammad Beheshti, who was a close associate of the revolution leader, Ruholah Khomeini.

The Shah left Iran for exile in January 1979, and several weeks later Ruholah Khomeini returned to Tehran.

Mousavi helped Mohammad Beheshti found the Islamic Republican Party in 1979, in order to assist the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran and hasten the overthrow of Iran's monarchy. He became the political secretary of the party, and chief editor of Jomhouri-e Eslami, the party's official newspaper.

In mid-1979, he was appointed by Khomeini to the Iranian Council of Islamic revolution. As the chief editor of Jomhouri-e Eslami, he was a loud critic and opponent of Abolhassan Banisadr, the first president of the Islamic Republic, until the latter's 1981 flight to France, following a successful impeachment by parliament.

In August 15, 1981, as part of the restructuring of the government in Mohammad Ali Rajai's cabinet, Mousavi was appointed foreign minister. He held the post for five months until December 15, 1981, when he received the higher appointment of prime minister.Mousavi can speak Azari,Persian, English, and Arabic.

Prime ministership

See also: Government of Mir-Hossein Mousavi (1981-1989)

In August of 1981, President Mohammad-Ali Rajai and Prime Minister Mohammad-Javad Bahonar were assassinated in an explosion. Ali Khamenei was then elected as the third president of Iran in the Iranian presidential election, October 1981. He put forward Ali Akbar Velayati as his prime minister, but the Iranian parliament did not give him the vote of confidence, and he was defeated with a vote of 80 to 74. Subsequently, Ali Khamenei, though he had strong disagreements with Mousavi, as a compromise with the left-leaning parliament, agreed to offer him, Mousavi, for the post of premier. On October 28, the parliament approved Mousavi with a vote of 115 to 39. Mousavi became the 79th prime minister of Iran on 31 October 1981, and remained the prime minister of Iran until 3 August 1989, for eight years.

The conflicts between Mousavi, who belonged to the left wing of the Islamic Republic, with Ali Khamenei (the current leader of Iran), who belonged to the right wing of the Islamic Republic, continued during their eight years of shared governance. However, an escalation in conflicts between the two led to Mousavi's resignation shortly after the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988. As the prime minister, Mousavi had the full backing of Ruhollah Khomeini, the supreme leader, and he refused to accept his resignation. Mousavi is remembered as leading a government that did not tolerate dissent.

File:Mir-Hossein Mousavi - Pope John Paul II.jpg

Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Pope John Paul II

Mousavi's premiership coincided with the Iran-Iraq war. He guided the country through its war with Iraq, and earned popular acclaim for his stewardship of the national economy. He pioneered a bond-based economy, which many believe was responsible for a fair distribution of goods among the people throughout the Iran-Iraq war.

Many analysts praise his handling of Iran's economy, his civil and economic leadership during the Iran-Iraq War, and his efforts to end Iran's international isolation. Others remember him as being "unpredictable" and less able to navigate Iran's labyrinthine political system than were his rivals. In 1986, Mousavi played a great role in the Iran-Contra affair and secret negotiations and dealing with USA on helping them free the American hostages in Lebanon, in return for sale of the American weapons and spare-parts that Iran's army badly needed for Iran-Iraq War.

Shortly after the end of Iran-Iraq war on 20 August 1988, Ruhollah Khomeini died, and Ali Khamenei was elected as the new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts. Following his death, Mousavi and his fellow left-wingers lost their main source of support within the establishment.

During the parliament hearing on post-war reconstruction plans, Mousavi had heated arguments with Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the speaker of Iran's parliament at the time, over Rafsanjani's suggestion that Iran accept the offer of western countries to help with post-war reconstruction.

On July 28, 1989, the constitution was amended and approved by Iranian voters in a national referendum with a 97% yes vote. At this time, Mehdi Karrubi had been elected as the new speaker of the parliament, to whom the amended constitution was declared. According to one of the amendments, the prime minister's position was abolished.

Hashemi Rafsanjani was also elected as the fourth president of Iran on 28 July 1989 and became the president on 3 August 1989. Mousavi's premiership, ended on the same date. He was the 79th and the last prime minister of Iran, since the constitutional revolution in 1906.

Mousavi was not invited to be a participant in the new government headed by Rafsanjani, and disappeared from the public sphere.

Retirement from politics

When Khomeini, the founder of Islamic Republic died in 1989, Mousavi was no longer welcome in the regime. It was the start of 20 years of an almost total absence from public life for Mousavi, though he did sit on two high-level regime councils. He was almost totally absent from public life, which many consider as a sign of his disapproval of the established regime.

In 1989 Ali Khamenei named him as a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, his membership of which still continues. Mousavi has been a member of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution since 1996. He also was the political adviser of president Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-1997) and senior adviser of president Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005).

During these years, he partly retired from politics and returned to architecture and teaching, becoming President of the Iranian Academy of Arts, one of the four academies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. At the same time he was developing his passion for painting and writing poetry. He was a professor at Shahid Beheshti University and later joined the Academic staff of Tarbiat Modares University. His main field is architecture, and buildings such as Kanoon-e Tohid in Tehran, Beynolharamein Bazaar in Shiraz, Haft-e-tir Martyr's tomb in Tehran's Behesht-e Zahra, and Salman mosque in the presidential residence are examples of his work. In recent years he has been more active in painting and has participated in many exhibitions.

Presidential election candidacy

Main article: Mir-Hossein Mousavi presidential campaign, 2009

Past elections

Mousavi speeking in Zanjan

Mousavi refused to run for President in the 1997 elections, which caused the reformists to turn to his former Cabinet Minister, then a little-known cleric, Mohammad Khatami, who was elected by a landslide. During Khatami's administration, Mousavi served as the Senior Adviser to the President.

Mousavi was considered the leading candidate from the reformist alliance to run in the Iranian presidential election, 2005. However, on 12 October 2004 he officially declined the proposal after a meeting with President Mohammad Khatami and the two other top members of one of Iran's main Reformist parties, the Association of Combatant Clerics, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohammad Mousavi-Khoiniha.

2009 Presidential election

Mousavi supporters in Tehran

After 20 years of political silence, on March 9, 2009, Mousavi announced his intention to run in the 2009 Iranian presidential election. He stated that his main goals were: to institutionalize social justice, equality and fairness, freedom of expression, to root out corruption and to speed up Iran's stagnant process of privatization and thus move Iran away from what he calls "an alms-based economy". Mousavi criticized the current conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his alleged economic mismanagement, asking, when Iran "was making profits from the high prices of oil, did he (Ahmadinejad) envisage a situation when the prices would fall?"

On March 16, 2009, the former Iranian President Khatami withdrew from the election in support of Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

Goals for presidential term

Mousavi has on numerous occasions indicated his wish to change the constitution in order to remove the existing ban on the private ownership of television stations (currently all Iranian television stations are state-owned), as well as transfer the control of the law-enforcement forces to the President (so that they represent the people, since the people directly elect the President through popular vote) from the Supreme Leader. He has said that "the issue of non-compliance with the Iranian rules and regulations is the biggest problem that the country is currently faced with" and that he wishes to put in place ways to enforce the laws further, and that it is also important to bring an end to keeping people in the dark about government matters.

Platform

File:Tehran protests (17).jpg

Supporters of Mousavi's 2009 presidential campaign

Mousavi ran as an independent Principled Reformist candidate. Although he is one of the original founders of the Iranian reformist camp, he shares many principles of the conservatives. Many reformist parties, among them reformist Islamic Iranian Participation Front, whose main candidate was Khatami, have supported his candidacy after the latter withdrew from the race. Many supporters of the reformist movement have however objected to Mousavi's candidacy on the grounds that he is not committed to the principles of the reformist parties. Although Mousavi stated that he was not running as a reformist, he indicated that he welcomed the support of different parties, both reformist and conservative. He started his campaign from the center of Iranian politics, however over time he shifted more towards the left by declaring his support for reforms. Although some active members of the conservative camp, such as Emad Afroogh, as well as the conservative newspaper Islamic Republic newspaper, supported Mousavi's candidacy, he did not receive the official backing of any major conservative party. His candidacy made it harder for the conservatives to support Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and large conservative parties, such as the Combatant Clergy Association, did not back the current President for a second term of office.

The BBC reported that Mousavi "called for greater personal freedoms in Iran and criticized the ban on private television channels", but "refused to back down from the country's disputed nuclear programme, saying it is "for peaceful purposes".

Mousavi's Supprters in Azadi Square

On May 30, Mousavi pledged that if elected he would amend "discriminatory and unjust regulations" against women, and take other measures in favour of women's rights and equality.

Domestic policies

In his first press conference since the start of Iranian New Year in March 2009, Mousavi stated his policies on how he will govern the country. Among his policies are creation of a free environment for the flow of information and corrections to the national budget. He wants to promote the creation of private, non-governmental TV networks and stop the operation of the "Moral Police". He has spoken about his opposition to massive changes in ministries which he claims is what Ahmadinejad has done.

Regarding the Iranian nuclear program, his plan includes a reduction of the cost by opposing radical approaches while maintaining what he sees as "Iran's right to civilian nuclear technology". Mousavi has stated that giving up the country's nuclear program would be "irreparable" and that the Iranian people support the nuclear program. "No one in Iran will accept suspension," Mousavi has said, adding that if elected, his policy would be to work to provide "guarantees" that Tehran's nuclear activities would never divert to non-peaceful aims.

File:Mir Hossein Mousavi in Zanjan by Mardetanha 0814.jpg

He has also vowed to review laws that discriminate against women in Iran. He has said that he would seek to disband the so-called morality police force and ensure that Iranian women are treated equally, with the ability to attain financial empowerment and to serve at the highest levels of decision making bodies.

Foreign policies

Mousavi has directly addressed activating foreign policy to boost national interest by reducing tensions with other nations. This includes negotiating with U.S. President Barack Obama if "his actions are in keeping with his words". He has condemned Ahmadinejad's attitude toward the The Holocaust (namely, that it was a "a myth"), and condemned the killing of Jews in the Holocaust.

Outcome of election

Main article: 2009 Iranian election protests

Millions of Mousavi supporters, gathered in Tehran on 18 June, protesting against the election results

The election was held on June 12, 2009. The official results show Ahmadinejad winning by a landslide, though Mousavi and many others believe the results to be fraudulent, suggesting that the Interior Minister, Sadegh Mahsouli, an ally of Ahmadinejad, interfered with the election and distorted the votes to keep Ahmadinejad in power. Mousavi has claimed victory, and called for his supporters to celebrate it. There have been large protests as a result .

"Previously, he was revolutionary, because everyone inside the system was a revolutionary. But now he's a reformer. Now he knows Gandhi – before he knew only Che Guevara. If we gain power through aggression we would have to keep it through aggression. That is why we're having a green revolution, defined by peace and democracy."

— Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Mousavi's spokesman, June 19 2009

Recount

Mousavi in right, Zahra Rahnavard in left in the protests in 2009

Due to protests, from the opposition, the Supreme Leader ordered partial recount of the results. The recount was random counting of 10% of the ballots. In order to create transparency, a 12 member council, showed the recount on television, and concluded that President Ahmadinejad still led Mousavi after the recount. After the recount, the Guardian council certified the election, and concluded no evidence of irregularities, and closed the dossier on the election.

Green Movement

Green Movement refers to a series of actions after the Iranian presidential election, 2009, in which protesters demanded removal of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from office. Green was originally the symbol of Mir Hossein Mousavi's campaign, but after the election it became a symbol of unity and hope for the protesters.

Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, Hossein-Ali Montazeri and Mohammad Khatami are recognized as leaders of the Green Movement.

Where is my vote?(Persian: رای من کجاست؟) was a motto used during the protests. Anti-Ahmadinejad protesters chanted the English-language phrase in numbers not seen since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, in an attempt to receive international attention. The Iranian Government had released results claiming a two-thirds majority for Ahmadinejad, but supporters of Mousavi and Karroubi, the moderate opposition leaders, accused the government of rigging the votes.

In the aftermath of the election and ensuing comments by Ahmadinejad and other conservative leaders, calling the opposition "a pile of dust" (خس و خاشاک), protests were widened and massive peaceful protests were held around the country. Although the Iranian government prohibited any gatherings of protesters in Tehran and across the country, significantly slowed down internet access and censored any form of media supporting the opposition, hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched in defiance. Large numbers of protesters were arrested, and several were killed by the police and militia forces Basij. Neda Agha-soltan and Sohrab Aarabi were among the victims, and alleged cases of rape in prison (Taraneh Mousavi) were also brought to attention.

Since the election, the government has severely restricted the access of foreign and Iranian media to footage and information relating to opposition activities. As a result, scenes of the massive street protests and more frequent student protests have been filmed by participants, and are widely available on Youtube.

The Green Path of Hope

File:Mousavi suppurter before election Azadi square.jpg

Mousavi and other reformist leaders are now working in peaceful and legal methods to widen the influence of their reforms. They have set up a new coalition, named The Green Path of Hope. Iranian political parties and movements need to be authorized by the Interior Ministry. Mousavi neither recognizes the current government as legitimate nor is likely to receive permission; so, the movement was named a "path" in order bypass this law.

The Green Path of Hope seeks to continue protests against Ahmadinejad's presidency following lawful and peaceful methods, and the full execution of the constitution, as Mousavi says:

"You can't follow some parts of the constitution and throw the rest into a bin."

Mousavi is quoted in describing the movement :

"The Green Path of Hope is formed for the sake of people’s rightful demands and for claiming their rights... the color green is the symbol of this movement; its slogan is demanding the impeccable implementation of the constitution, and innumerable self-motivated independent societies form the body of this movement."

According to organization officials, the movement functions encompasses numerous political parties, NGO's and social networks. Mousavi emphasized that existent, autonomous social networks in the community are part of this movement: :

"During the election, our mottos supported and remained in the framework of the constitution; today we are devoted to those slogans. We believe that if the people's demands were treated fairly, instead of being distorted by the media and linked to foreigners, and the government promoted truth by fair criticism, our mottos could satisfy the public."

File:3rd Day - Mousavi Supporters Rally.jpg

Mousavi's supporters in Tehran, 3rd after Election.

The "Green Path" has six main members of the central council, who are connected to reformist parties, NGOs, and social networks. The main body will be ordinary protesters. The strategy is to connect existent pressures and issues in society in a social network, and to therefore lead protests in a lawful manner.

Death of Mousavi's nephew

Seyed Ali Mousavi was the nephew Mousavi. Ali Mousavi died on December 27, 2009 during the 2009 Iranian election protests when he was reportedly shot in either the back or the chest by security forces during demonstrations against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's contested election win.

Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the official spokesman of Mir-Hossein Moussavi's campaign abroad, told BBC in an interview that Iranian secret police had called Seyed Ali Mousavi several times days before he was shot saying: "We will kill you."

After he died, his body was taken to Ebn-e Sina hospital, where protesters demonstrated outside. The protesters were broken up with tear gas by the Iranian security forces. It was later revealed that the government had removed his body and taken it to an undisclosed location in an attempt to crackdown on the protests.

Statements of Mousavi

Results after Presidential Election and the widespread protests, Mir Hossein Mousavi Byanyhhayy writing to protest action.The statement contains issues such as election fraud, opposition to the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to protest the performance Guardian Council, to support the peaceful protest movement and popular rights people protesting, martyrs, detainees is protests after the election. Statements Mir Hossein Mousavi important events and days like last week June, days detained and killed supporters green movement, Qods, Persian date 13 Aban, Day mobilization, 16 December, ceremonies fortieth martyrs protests after the election, reopening schools and universities is released.Statements in this role and continue the notification and tips popular protests after the election was.One of the most important statements, a statement that the seventeenth Zrbaljl set by supporters of the Islamic Republic government and the rule of the judiciary was published widely in the media world that was reflected.In this statement, Mir Hossein Mousavi prepared for their testimony in the way of rights of people reported lost.

Political Posts

• Member of Central Campaign of Islamic Republican Party (1979-1981)
• Head of Political Office of Islamic Republican Party (1980-1981)
• Editor-in-Chief of Islamic Republican Newspaper (1981)
• Minister of Foreign Affairs (1981)
• President of Council of Cultural Revolution (1981)
• Prime Minister of Iran (1981-1989)
• President of Mostazafen Foundation of Islamic Revolution (1981-1989)
• President of Economy Council (1982-1989)
• Political adviser of president Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-1997)
• Senior adviser of president Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005)
• Member of Expediency Discernment Council (1989- )
• Member of Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (1996- )
• President of Iranian Academy of Arts (2000-2009)
• Leader of Green Movement and The Green Path of Hope (2009- )

Quotes

• There are two ways of confronting the country's problems.One is through a management style based on adventurism, instability, play-acting, exaggerations, wrongdoing, being secretive, self-importance, superficiality and ignoring the law. The second way is based on realism, respect, openness, collective wisdom and avoiding extremism.

• Ahmadinejad's dictatorial ways have hurt Iran's image across the globe and could be a prelude to dictatorship.

• I'm warning that I won't surrender to this manipulation." Mousavi lodged an official appeal against the result to the Guardian Council on 14 June.He is not optimistic about his appeal, saying that many of the group's members "during the election were not impartial".
• I'm worried about living in a country which in that reaching is right of people who don't run and running is for people who never will reach.

• My blood is no different from that of other martyrs.

References

Books

• Bahman Baktiari (1996). Parliamentary Politics in Revolutionary Iran. University Press of Florida. ISBN 0813014611.
• Jason Brownlee (2007). Authoritarianism in an age of Democratization. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 052186951X.

See also

• Green Movement
• The Green Path of Hope
• Prime minister of Iran
• List of Prime Ministers of Iran
• Iranian presidential election, 2009

External links

• Official site
• Mir-Hossein Mousavi's channel on YouTube
• Mir-Hossein Mousavi on Twitter