Ali Akbar Mohtashami-Pur
Encyclopedia
Hojatoleslam Ali-Akbar Mohtashamipur or Mohtashemi is a Twelver Shia Hojatoleslam
cleric who was active in the 1979 Iranian Revolution
and later became interior minister
of the Islamic Republic of Iran He is "seen as a founder of the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon" and one of the "radical ... elements, advocating the export of the revolution," in the Iranian clerical hierarchy.
In an assassination attempt targeting Mohtashemi, he lost his right hand when he was opening a book loaded with explosives.
Iraq, where he spent considerable time with his mentor the Ayatollah Khomeini. After the revolution he served as Iran's ambassador to Syria
and later became Iran's Minister of the Interior. While ambassador to Syria, he is thought to have played a "pivotal role" in the creation of the Lebanese radical Shia organization Hezbollah, working "within the framework of the Department for Islamic Liberation Movements run by the Iranian Pasdaran." Mohtashemi "actively supervised" Hezbollah's creation, merging into it existing radical Shi'ite movements: the Lebanese al-Dawa
; the Association of Muslim Students; Al-Amal al-Islamiyya. In 1986 his "close supervision" of Hezbollah was cut short when the Office of Islamic Liberation was reassigned to Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is also described as making "liberal" use of the diplomatic pouch as Ambassador, bringing in "crates" of material from Iran.
In 1984, after the Beirut bombings, Mohtashemi received a parcel containing a book on Shia holy places. As he opened the package it detonated, blowing off his hand and severely wounding him. Mohtashami was medevaced to Europe and survived the blast to continue his work. The identity of the perpetrators of the attack is unknown.
In 1989 the new Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
ousted Mohtashemi from the Lebanon desk of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, replacing him with Rafsanjani's brother Mahmud Hashemi. This was seen as an indication of Iran's downgrading of its support for Hezbollah and for a revolutionary foreign policy in general.
In August 1991 regained some of his influence when he became chairman of the Defense committee of the Majlis
(parliament) of Iran.
More controversially, Mohtashami is thought
and to have been instrumental in the killing of Lt. Col. William R. Higgins
, the American Chief of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
's (UNTSO) observer group in Lebanon who was taken hostage Feb. 17 1988 by Lebanese pro-Iranian Shia radicals. The killing of Higgins is said to have come "from orders issued by Iranian radicals, most notably Mohtashemi," in an effort to prevent "improvement in the U.S.-Iranian relationship."
While Mohtashemi was a strong opponent of Western influence in the Muslim world and of the existence of the state of Israel
, he was also a supporter and advisor of reformist Iranian president Mohammad Khatami
who was famous for championing of free expression and civil rights. Mohtashemi was in the Western news again in 2000, not as a hardline radical but for refusing to appear in court in Iran after his pro-reform newspaper, Bayan, was banned.
Hojatoleslam
Hujjat al-Islam is an honorific title meaning "authority on Islam" or "proof of Islam", given to Twelver Shī‘ah clerics...
cleric who was active in the 1979 Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
and later became interior minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
of the Islamic Republic of Iran He is "seen as a founder of the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon" and one of the "radical ... elements, advocating the export of the revolution," in the Iranian clerical hierarchy.
In an assassination attempt targeting Mohtashemi, he lost his right hand when he was opening a book loaded with explosives.
Overview
Mohtashemi studied in the holy city of NajafNajaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
Iraq, where he spent considerable time with his mentor the Ayatollah Khomeini. After the revolution he served as Iran's ambassador to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and later became Iran's Minister of the Interior. While ambassador to Syria, he is thought to have played a "pivotal role" in the creation of the Lebanese radical Shia organization Hezbollah, working "within the framework of the Department for Islamic Liberation Movements run by the Iranian Pasdaran." Mohtashemi "actively supervised" Hezbollah's creation, merging into it existing radical Shi'ite movements: the Lebanese al-Dawa
Islamic Dawa Party in Lebanon
The Islamic Dawa Party in Lebanon was a Shia fundamentalist or Islamist Shia party in Lebanon. A twin party of the larger Islamic Dawa Party of Iraq, it was founded by Najaf-educated Shia clerics returning to Lebanon...
; the Association of Muslim Students; Al-Amal al-Islamiyya. In 1986 his "close supervision" of Hezbollah was cut short when the Office of Islamic Liberation was reassigned to Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is also described as making "liberal" use of the diplomatic pouch as Ambassador, bringing in "crates" of material from Iran.
In 1984, after the Beirut bombings, Mohtashemi received a parcel containing a book on Shia holy places. As he opened the package it detonated, blowing off his hand and severely wounding him. Mohtashami was medevaced to Europe and survived the blast to continue his work. The identity of the perpetrators of the attack is unknown.
In 1989 the new Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is an influential Iranian politician and writer, who was the fourth President of Iran. He was a member of the Assembly of Experts until his resignation in 2011...
ousted Mohtashemi from the Lebanon desk of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, replacing him with Rafsanjani's brother Mahmud Hashemi. This was seen as an indication of Iran's downgrading of its support for Hezbollah and for a revolutionary foreign policy in general.
In August 1991 regained some of his influence when he became chairman of the Defense committee of the Majlis
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
(parliament) of Iran.
More controversially, Mohtashami is thought
to have played an active role, with the Pasdaran and Syrian military intelligence, in the supervision of Hezbollah's suicide bomb attacks against the American embassy in Beirut in April 1983, the American and French contingents of the MNF in October 19831983 Beirut barracks bombingThe Beirut Barracks Bombing occurred during the Lebanese Civil War, when two truck bombs struck separate buildings housing United States and French military forces—members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon—killing 299 American and French servicemen...
and the American embassy annex in September 1984.
and to have been instrumental in the killing of Lt. Col. William R. Higgins
William R. Higgins
William Richard "Rich" Higgins was a United States Marine Corps colonel who was captured in 1988 while serving on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. He was held hostage, tortured and eventually murdered by his captors.-Biography:William Higgins was born in Danville, Kentucky on...
, the American Chief of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
The United Nations Truce Supervision Organization is an organization founded on 29 May 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Its primary task was providing the military command structure to the peace keeping forces in the Middle East to enable the peace keepers to observe and maintain the...
's (UNTSO) observer group in Lebanon who was taken hostage Feb. 17 1988 by Lebanese pro-Iranian Shia radicals. The killing of Higgins is said to have come "from orders issued by Iranian radicals, most notably Mohtashemi," in an effort to prevent "improvement in the U.S.-Iranian relationship."
While Mohtashemi was a strong opponent of Western influence in the Muslim world and of the existence of the state of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, he was also a supporter and advisor of reformist Iranian president Mohammad Khatami
Mohammad Khatami
Sayyid Mohammad Khātamī is an Iranian scholar, philosopher, Shiite theologian and Reformist politician. He served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture in both the 1980s and 1990s...
who was famous for championing of free expression and civil rights. Mohtashemi was in the Western news again in 2000, not as a hardline radical but for refusing to appear in court in Iran after his pro-reform newspaper, Bayan, was banned.