Rafsanjani, Ali Akbar Hashemi, << ruhf sehn JAN ee, AH lee AHK bahr HASH uh mee >> (1934-2017), served as president of Iran from 1989 to 1997. Rafsanjani succeeded Ali Khamenei, who became Iran’s spiritual leader after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Rafsanjani was considered a moderate president. He was succeeded by Mohammad Khatami in 1997.
Rafsanjani was born on Aug. 25, 1934, in a village near Kerman in eastern Iran. He became a follower of Khomeini in the 1950’s, while studying theology in Qom. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, Rafsanjani participated in the campaign organized by Iran’s clergy against the government of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In 1979, Khomeini became the chief political figure of Iran after his followers had overthrown the shah. He appointed Rafsanjani to the Revolutionary Council, which governed Iran until 1980. Rafsanjani was elected to parliament in 1980 and served as its speaker until 1989. During the 1980’s, he also was minister of the interior and acting commander in chief of the armed forces.
After stepping down as president in 1997, Rafsanjani became chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council. This council rules on disputes between parliament and Iran’s Council of Guardians. In 2005, Rafsanjani ran again for president, but lost. He died on Jan. 8, 2017.
