Mohsen Rezaee

Mohsen Rezaee is a prominent Iranian politician and a senior military officer. He is a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. He is also a principlist politician, which means he holds conservative views. Currently, he serves on the Expediency Discernment Council. He is also the secretary of the Iranian government's Economic Committee. His career has moved between high-level military commands and important economic roles. This makes him a major figure in the political landscape of Iran.

Rezaee's early life was shaped by his religious and nomadic roots. He was born on September 1, 1954, in Masjed Soleyman. He grew up in a Bakhtiyari Persian family that was nomadic. In 1969, he moved to Ahvaz to attend a school run by the National Iranian Oil Company. During his high school years, he became involved in political struggles against the Shah's regime. This activism led to his arrest by the SAVAK, which was the secret police. He spent five months in solitary confinement at the age of 17.

After his release, Rezaee continued his political and academic journey. He moved to Tehran in 1974 to study mechanical engineering at the Iran University of Science and Technology. While studying, he was also a member of the Mansouroun guerrilla group. This group was tasked with protecting the revolutionary leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, after he returned from exile. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Rezaee transitioned from engineering to economics. He eventually earned a PhD in economics from Tehran University in 2001. This academic shift prepared him for his later roles in government administration.

Rezaee's military career was defined by his long leadership within the IRGC. He joined the organization and eventually became its chief of intelligence. In 1980, Ruhollah Khomeini appointed him as a commander. By September 20, 1981, he became the commander-in-chief of the IRGC at age 27. He held this powerful position for sixteen years until 1997. During this time, he was an active participant in the Iran-Iraq War. In 1986, he was also named a member of the Supreme Defense Council.

His transition from the military to civilian government was marked by several shifts. In 1997, he was removed from the IRGC due to political pressures. He was replaced by Yahya Rahim Safavi. Following this, he joined the Expediency Discernment Council and served as its secretary for twenty-four years. He held this role from 1997 until 2021. He also served as the Vice President of Iran for Economic Affairs from 2021 to 2023. These roles allowed him to influence national policy and economic development.

Rezaee has also been a frequent participant in presidential elections. He is often called a "perennial candidate" because he runs many times. In the 2009 election, he finished third with 1.7 percent of the vote. In the 2013 election, he received 3,884,412 votes, which was 10.5 percent of the total. This placed him fourth in that race. In the 2021 election, he was the runner-up to Ebrahim Raisi, who won with 3.4 million votes.

Despite his political success, Rezaee has faced significant international controversy. In 2006, an Argentine judge linked him to the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires. This suicide bombing at a Jewish cultural center killed 85 people. Rezaee has rejected these allegations, calling them a lie. In 2007, Interpol placed him on a Red Notice list for his alleged involvement. Additionally, the United States Treasury sanctioned him in 2020. These sanctions were related to his role in advancing the regime's objectives. He continues to be a central figure in Iranian leadership and military advisory.

Rezaee's personal life has also seen significant complexity. He married in 1974 and has five children. His eldest son, Ahmad, once sought asylum in the United States. Ahmad made claims regarding his father's involvement in certain political acts. However, Ahmad later returned to Iran and recanted those statements. In 2011, Ahmad died in Dubai. While some reports mentioned a hotel servant, local police stated he died from taking antidepressants. These events highlight the intense political pressures surrounding his family.