Mir-Hossein Mousavi The last Prime Minister of Iran Date of Birth: 29.09.1941 Country: Iran

1. Early Life and Education
2. Political Activism and the 1979 Islamic Revolution
3. Prime Minister of Iran (1981-1989)
4. Post-Prime Ministership and Candidacy in 2009 Election
5. Post-Election Protests and Allegations of Fraud

Early Life and Education

Mir-Hossein Mousavi was born on September 29, 1941, in Khamaneh, West Azerbaijan, Iran, to a family of merchants. His maternal grandmother was the sister of Ali Khamenei, who served as Iran's president from 1981 to 1989 and Supreme Leader since 1989. Like Khamenei, Mousavi belongs to the influential Iranian Azerbaijani community.

In 1969, Mousavi graduated from Iran's National University (Melli University) with a Master's degree in architecture. He subsequently worked as an architect, abstract painter, and designer of public buildings in Iran and abroad, including the Islamic Centre of England (Kanoon Towhid) in London.

Political Activism and the 1979 Islamic Revolution

In 1971, Mousavi became politically active and aligned himself closely with Khamenei. He emerged as one of the leaders within the Islamic Republican Party of Iran, which played a key role in overthrowing the monarchy and establishing an Islamic fundamentalist state during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

After the revolution, Mousavi served as the editor of the party's newspaper, Jumhuriy-eh Islami, and headed the Cultural Revolution Council, which supervised the closure of universities from 1980 to 1982. He was also implicated in authorizing mass executions of political prisoners in Iranian prisons in 1980, 1981, and 1988.

Prime Minister of Iran (1981-1989)

In 1981, Mousavi was appointed as Iran's Foreign Minister. Later that year, he was elected as Prime Minister and managed the country's economy during the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988. His policies were described as mobilizationary and socialist, suspending privatization, introducing food and petrol rationing, and opposing a ceasefire after Iran had retaken territory seized by Iraq.

As Prime Minister, Mousavi took a strident anti-Western stance, strongly criticizing Israel and the United States, which he referred to as the "Great Satan." He is also reported to have assisted in the creation of Hezbollah and called for the Islamic Revolution to "export itself throughout the world," although he later renounced the latter slogan in 1984.

Post-Prime Ministership and Candidacy in 2009 Election

In 1989, a new Iranian constitution was adopted, which strengthened the Supreme Leader's authority and eliminated the post of Prime Minister. Mousavi withdrew from politics, claiming that he believed the Islamic Revolution was no longer in danger, though some analysts suggested that he had fallen out of favor with the newly elected President, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Mousavi continued to serve as a member of the Cultural Revolution Council and the Expediency Discernment Council, an advisory body to the Supreme Leader. In 1998, he became President of the Iranian Academy of Arts. He also served as an advisor to President Mohammed Khatami from 1997 to 2005.

In 2009, Mousavi ran for President of Iran, facing incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Departing from his earlier statements, Mousavi adopted a reformist stance, criticizing Ahmadinejad's conservative policies, which he argued had damaged the country's economy and worsened relations with the United States and Israel. Analysts suggested that Mousavi enjoyed support among Iran's intelligentsia, youth, and middle classes, who were dissatisfied with the dominance of the clergy and the imposition of puritanical customs. He was also seen as a more dialogue-friendly candidate for U.S. President Barack Obama, although Mousavi stated that he would not abandon Iran's nuclear program if elected.

Despite opinion polls indicating Mousavi had a high level of support, Ahmadinejad was re-elected on June 12, 2009. The incumbent received 62.6% of the vote, while Mousavi trailed with 33.8%, securing second place. Voter turnout was a record 85%.

Post-Election Protests and Allegations of Fraud

Shortly after the initial election results were announced, Ayatollah Khamenei endorsed Ahmadinejad's victory. However, Mousavi's supporters alleged widespread electoral fraud and demanded a recount. American and European observers also expressed concern about irregularities in the election.

Mass demonstrations by Mousavi's supporters took place across Iran, leading to the arrest of approximately 450 individuals. The week-long demonstrations escalated into widespread unrest, resulting in some fatalities. On June 21, 20 deaths were reported. Mousavi urged his supporters to continue protesting the election results but to avoid using violence.

Mousavi is married to Zahra Rahnavard, a painter and professor. They have three daughters.