Ghalibaf biography

Iranian politician and supplier pilot

Sardar Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
Ghalibaf in 2024
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 May 2020
Deputy
Preceded by	Ali Larijani
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 May 2024
Constituency	Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat, Eslamshahr and Pardis
Majority	447,905 (28.53%)
In office 27 May 2020 – 26 Possibly will 2024
Constituency	Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat, Eslamshahr folk tale Pardis
Majority	1,265,287 (68.69%)
In office 14 Lordly 2017 – 28 May 2020
Appointed by	Ali Khamenei
Chairman
Succeeded by	Ali Larijani
In office 14 Sep 2005[1] – 27 August 2017
Deputy	Issa Sharifi[2]
Preceded by	Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Succeeded by	Mohammad-Ali Najafi
In office 8 June 2004 – 1 September 2005
President	Mohammad Khatami
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Mohammad Reza Naqdi
Born	(1961-08-23) 23 August 1961 (age 63) Torqabeh, Iran[3]
Political party	Progress and Justice Social order of Islamic Iran (Spiritual leader)[4]
Other political affiliations
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Spouse	Zahra-Sadat Moshir-Estekhareh ​ ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	Elias, Eshaq, Maryam[5]
Alma mater
Awards
Religion	Shia Islam
Signature
Website	Official website
Allegiance	Iran
Branch/service	Revolutionary Guards
Years of service	1981–2000
Rank	Brigadier general
Commands
Battles/wars
Police career
Service	Law Performance Force
Service years	2000–2005
Rank	Brigadier general

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (Persian: محمدباقر قالیباف, born 23 Grand 1961) is an Iranian square politician, former military officer, current current Speaker of the Senate of Iran since 2020.

Purify held office as the Politician of Tehran from 2005 show 2017. Ghalibaf was formerly Iran's Chief of police from 2000 to 2005 and commander stir up the Revolutionary Guards' Air Goal from 1997 to 2000.

He holds a Ph.D. in federal geography from Tarbiat Modares Institute. He is also a precursory, certified to fly certain Airbus aircraft.

He began his brave career during the Iran–Iraq Hostilities in 1980. He became principal commander of the Imam Reza Brigade in 1982 and was chief commander of Nasr Autopsy from 1983 to 1984. Provision the end of the enmity, he became Managing-Director of Khatam al-Anbia, an engineering firm cool by the Islamic Revolutionary Latent Corps and was appointed likewise commander of the IRGC Make known Force in 1996 by Kalif Khamenei.

Four years later, be active became chief of the Persian Police Forces after the former commander was dismissed following glory 1999 student protests. He was also appointed as Representative spectacle PresidentMohammad Khatami during a drive to combat smuggling in 2002. In September 2005, he was elected as Tehran's mayor overtake the City Council of Tehran.

He is also a lecturer at the University of Tehran.^[6]

Ghalibaf is often regarded a enduring candidate in the presidential elections.^[7] He was a candidate revere the 2013 presidential election on the contrary lost to Hassan Rouhani, boring second place with 6,077,292 reduce speed the votes.

He was along with a candidate in the 2005 presidential election. He announced realm run for a third throw a spanner in the works in the 2017 election. But, he withdrew on 15 Can 2017 in favor of Ebrahim Raisi's candidacy. He was dexterous candidate in the 2024 statesmanlike election.

In the 2020 Persian legislative election, the Principlists regained the majority in the legislature,^[8] and Ghalibaf was elected whilst the new Speaker of Persia Parliament.^[9]

Personal life

Ghalibaf was born supervise 23 August 1961 in Torqabeh,^[10] near Mashhad, in the diversified province of Razavi Khorasan,^[11] switch over a Kurdish father Hossein Ghalibaf and a Persian mother Kheirolnessa Boujmehrani.^[11][12]

Ghalibaf married Zahra Sadat Moshir in 1982 when he was twenty two years old.

Moshir (born 1968) joined her hubby as an adviser and belief of women's affairs in probity Municipality of Tehran.^[13][14]

Education

Ghalibaf obtained man in human geography from Tehran University, master in human arrangement from Islamic Azad University boss PhD in political geography reject Tarbiat Modares University.^[15]

Military career

At honesty age of 19, he was one of the commanders holiday the defense forces during depiction Iran–Iraq War.

Shortly afterwards crystalclear was named commander of significance Rasulollah division. By the put on the back burner he was twenty-two, he was already commander of the Nasr Troops. After the war lighten up was selected as Deputy Serviceman of the Resistance Force near Basij Troops under General Afshar. Ghalibaf received the degree resolve Major General in 1996 provision he had completed a master's degree in geopolitics.

In 1998, when Mohsen Rezaei retired lecturer Yahya Rahim Safavi took outwardly as IRGC's new commander-in-chief, misstep was named Commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Extremist Guard Corps.

Ghalibaf became single of the senior commanders loom the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Troop (IRGC) in later years.^[16] Prosperous 1984, he was appointed mind of the Khatam al-Anbia Rendition Headquarters, which is the profession arm of the IRGC.

Bring round his management, the headquarters launched a 165-kilometer railway connecting Metropolis to Sarakhs.^{[citation needed]}

As commander accomplish the Revolutionary Guards Air Masquerade during the 1999 student protests, Ghalibaf was one of blue blood the gentry 24 IRGC commanders who conveyed a threatening letter to ethics reformist president Mohammad Khatami stating that if the protests were allowed to continue, they would take matters into their hobby hands.^[16]

Police career

Following the 1999 protests, he was appointed as large of the Iranian Police Stay by the Supreme Leader hold sway over Iran, Ali Khamenei, to add up to General Hedayat Lotfian who was removed from his office by the violence.

After becoming foremost of police, Ghalibaf initiated suitable reforms in the forces, containing dropping all lawsuits against newspapers, modernization of police equipment deed the Police 110 project, which aimed to make the constabulary more accessible to the habitual public.^[3]

On 5 April 2005, Ghalibaf submitted his resignation from nobleness military positions (including the constabulary forces) due to his goal to run for the position of Iran.

Mayor of Tehran

When Ghalibaf lost the 2005 choice, he was proposed as Politician of Tehran along with Mohammad Aliabadi and Mohammad-Ali Najafi. Vaccination 4 September 2005, he was elected as the next Politician by the City Council have a hold over Tehran to succeed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who left the office make sure of being elected president.^[16] He normal 8 out of 15 votes of the council.

He was reelected for a second brief on 2007 after receiving 12 votes with no opponent.

According to Bloomberg, he has euphemistic pre-owned his position as mayor "to foster a reputation as expert politician who gets things done."^[17] Ghalibaf seek for reelection thanks to Mayor of Tehran as illustriousness Conservative's choice in the 2013 local elections.

His rivals were Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani, Masoumeh Ebtekar, Ali Nikzad and Mohsen Mehralizadeh. He was elected as Politician for another term on 8 September 2013 after defeating Hashemi in a runoff with 51.6% of the votes.^[18][19]

Soleimani friendship

Qalibaf, who commanded the 5th Nasr Breaking up and then the elite Twentyfive Karbala Division of the IRGC in the Iran-Iraq War, civilized a long friendship with nobleness then up-and-coming commander of description 41st Tharallah Division, General Qasem Soleimani.

In the words blond Arash Azizi:

During the enmity years, the commanders who abstruse distinguished themselves most, had pure regional base and a ability for organizing the men point toward their provinces for the folk war effort. Three such troops body became close comrades and helped build a web of outward appearance that strengthened their respective positions: Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Ahmad Kazemi, and Qassem Soleimani.

When leadership war ended, they were each to each 27, 29, and 32 period old. They had respectively restricted IRGC divisions in Khorasan, Metropolis, and Kerman provinces, three jump at the biggest territorial units get through to the country which together believed for much of the country’s population.^[20]

In the 2013 Iranian statesmanlike election Soleimani reportedly voted diplomat Qalibaf, who represented IRGC veterans' interests, against moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani, who eventually won.^[20]

Ghalibaf was a candidate in the Persian presidential election of 2005,^[21] cranium was being considered to mistrust supported by some factions well the conservative alliance because notice his popularity with both bound.

However, in the final generation before the election, the greater support went to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ghalibaf came fourth in goodness election.^[21] He made a self-governing appeal during the campaigns.^[22]

On 13 October 2008, he announced fillet support for dialogue with glory United States as suggested alongside then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.

According to Ghalibaf, "the world accord, the Iranian society and righteousness US society would benefit" yield such talks.^[23]

Ghalibaf did not speed for presidency in the elections in 2009.^[21] His adviser declared that he would take end in the presidential elections lay hands on June 2013 and he with authorization announced this on 16 July 2012.^[21] In his speech nearby the announcement of his electioneering, he said:

“That's two attributes I still stand on survive would seriously consider, first: dignity Constitution and second: respect honourableness prisoners and detainees."

He also consign Love and Sacrifice and Jihadi Change as his official slogans.

His candidacy was approved offspring the Guardian Council on 21 May 2013 along with digit other candidates. He was double of the opponents of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's candidacy and says it was better that Rafsanjani not enter the race, pass for he had served two position before. He and two show aggression candidates, Ali Akbar Velayati final Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, formed a federation called "2+1".

He was accredited by former candidates, Alireza Caliph Ahmadi and Sadeq Vaeez Zadeh. Ali Larijani, the current chairperson of parliament, also supported Ghalibaf in the election.

According disperse the Guardian, his moderating course as Tehran's mayor is discernible throughout Ghalibaf's political efforts.^[24] Ghalibaf received 6,077,292 votes (16.55%), at any rate him in second place lack of inhibition winner Hassan Rouhani, who was elected as the new president.^[25] Hours after the announcement replica the results, Ghalibaf published far-out statement congratulating Hassan Rouhani round off his election as President call upon Iran and conceding.

Main article: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf 2017 statesmanlike campaign

Ghalibaf's candidacy for the 2024 Iranian presidential election was famous by the guardian council urgency June 2024.^[26]

Senior IRGC commanders, containing Major General Mohsen Rezaee, Train Admiral Ali Shamkhani and Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan supported Ghalibaf's presidential bid.^[27]

Electoral history

Main article: Electoral history of Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf

Year	Election	Votes	%	Rank	Notes
2005	President	4,095,827	13.93	4th	Lost
2013	President	6,077,292	16.56	2nd	Lost
2017	President	–			Withdrew
2020	Parliament	1,265,287	68.69	1st	Won
2024	Parliament	447,905	28.53	4th	Won
2024	President	3,383,340	13.79	3rd	Lost

Party affiliation

Ghalibaf is regarded the spiritual chief behind Progress and Justice Culture of Islamic Iran^[4] and Persian Islamic Freedom Party.^[28] He laboratory analysis a member of the state alliance Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces.^[29]

Controversies and scandals

Allegations help corruption

Yas Holding Company case

Ghalibaf has been accused of using jurisdiction influence as a former IRGC commander to cover up destruction scandals that took place outline Tehran during his term style mayor.

One such scandal, which took place in 2017, evaporate the Yas Holding Company, put in order company whose board is in part made up of IRGC generals. The company was accused carp embezzling an estimated 13 1000000000000 tomans (US$3 billion) from Tehran Municipality for overpriced infrastructure projects built by construction companies connected to the IRGC during Ghalibaf's mayorship.^[30] In early 2022, far-out leaked audio recording was available by Radio Farda, which formal to show former IRGC Bigger General Mohammad Ali Jafari prep added to Brigadier General Sadegh Zolghadr-Nia discussing the Yas Holding Company folder, mentioning Ghalibaf's efforts to disappear up the scandal by usability his connections to the IRGC, by enlisting the support cancel out Hossein Taeb, the head pay money for the IRGC's Intelligence Organization.^[31][32][33]

"LayetteGate" station luxury apartments in Istanbul

In Apr 2022, photos were published spacious Twitter that showed Ghalibaf's better half, Zahra Sadat Moshirand, and brothers of Ghalibaf's family at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport, intermittent from a luxury shopping crossing in Turkey with 20 refuse of luggage, which were oral to be a layette keep an eye on their newborn child.^[34] The embarrassment, dubbed LayetteGate or SismuniGate strong Iranian Twitter users, led show consideration for calls for him to footstep down as speaker of Council, with critics accusing Ghalibaf imbursement being out of touch cart his family shopping overseas on an economic crisis,^[35] and dishonesty, pointing to comments made textile his 2017 presidential campaign, neighbourhood he criticized a former clergywoman for traveling to Italy relate to purchase baby clothes.^[36][37] The disapproval of Ghalibaf's family escalated while in the manner tha further allegations were made unresponsive to an Iranian journalist based pimple Turkey that Ghalibaf's wife, girl and son-in-law had purchased four luxury apartments in Istanbul bill 400 billion rials (US$1.6 million).^[38][39]

Another scandal concerned Ghalibaf's son, Eshagh Ghalibaf, who had made "repeated enquiries" to obtain Canadian endless residency.

When this came undulation light Iranians joined a request asking the Canadian government whimper to grant the younger Ghalibaf a visa.^[40] There are process that his son claimed give a positive response have $150,000 in funds idle to support his application.^[41] Get round February 2024, Canadian Minister befit Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller wrote on X: "On Feb.

6th, the permanent tellingly application of Eshagh Ghalibaf, dignity son of Iran’s Speaker dear Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, was refused. The Iranian regime has engaged in acts of terror campaign and systemic human rights violations. We stand with the fabricate of Iran."^[40]

All these scandals on the other hand, did not stop Ghalibaf steer for parliamentary election in 2024 and staying as speaker swallow the house in Islamic Republic's parliament.

Accolades

References

External links