The second president of Iran, Mohammad-Ali Rajai, held the office of the presidency for only four weeks before his death in a 1981 bombing. His rapid political ascension followed a career as a mathematics teacher and a history of detention under the Shah’s government for his opposition activities during the mid-twentieth century.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1933 in Qazvin, Mohammad-Ali Rajai moved to Tehran during the late 1940s. He briefly served in the Air Force as a teenager. By 1959, he had completed his studies at Kharazmi University, earning a degree that allowed him to work as a mathematics teacher. His formative years in Qazvin and subsequent transition to Tehran coincided with his increasing involvement in the anti-Shah movement.
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Rajai engaged with groups such as Fadayeen-e Islam and later joined the Freedom Movement of Iran in 1960. His opposition to the state resulted in multiple arrests by SAVAK. His longest period of incarceration spanned from May 1974 to late 1978. In 1980, while addressing the United Nations Security Council, he presented physical evidence of the injuries he sustained during these years of detention.
Governmental Roles
Following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Rajai served as the Minister of Education, a position he held in two separate terms during 1979 and 1980. His tenure involved significant restructuring of the school curriculum, including the removal of non-Islamic coursework. In 1980, he joined the Islamic Consultative Assembly. He later served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from March 1981 until August 1981, concurrent with his role as Prime Minister, a post he assumed in 1980.
Presidency and Assassination
In 1981, Rajai stood for the presidential election as a candidate for the Islamic Republican Party. Following his electoral victory, he took the Oath of Office on 2 August 1981. On 30 August 1981, he attended a meeting of the Supreme Defence Council in Tehran. During this session, a briefcase containing a concealed explosive was detonated, killing Rajai, then-prime minister Mohammad-Javad Bahonar, and several other officials. He is interred at the Hafte Tir Mausoleum.
Fast facts
- Born: 1933, Qazvin
- Died: 1981, Tehran
- Education: Kharazmi University
- President of Iran: 1981
- Prime Minister of Iran: 1980-1981
- Minister of Education: 1979-1980
- Burial site: Hafte Tir Mausoleum
Questions readers ask
What positions did Mohammad-Ali Rajai hold before becoming president?
He served as the Minister of Education, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Prime Minister of Iran, and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
How did Mohammad-Ali Rajai die?
He was killed in a bombing at the Supreme Defence Council meeting in Tehran on 30 August 1981.
Achievements
- Prime Minister of Iran (1980–1981)
- Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran (1981–1981)
- Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (1980–1981)
- President of Iran (1981–1981)
- Educated at Kharazmi University
