Shariatmadari is a reformist[5] and regarded a moderate figure within the camp (in contrast to radical reformers), although he shares some views with the conservatives.[6]
Early life and education
Shariatmadari was born in Tehran on 24 June 1960.[7] He attended the University of Kerman and graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.[7]
He was the minister of commerce from 1997 to 2005 in the cabinet headed by President Khatami.[9][10][11] In 2006, he was appointed to then newly founded the Strategic Council for Foreign Relation as a member.[12] He is also a foreign policy advisor to Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran.[7][13]
On 8 October 2013, President Hassan Rouhani appointed Shariatmadari as vice president for executive affairs.[14] He was also appointed as acting Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports on 28 October 2013 after Rouhani's nominee for the post was rejected by the Parliament.[15]
Candidacy for 2013 election
In August 2012, the Society for Defending the Values of the Islamic Revolution announced that Shariatmadari as its candidate for the presidential election to be held in June 2013.[9] He also confirmed it in January 2013.[16] He was among independent and technocrat candidates.[17][18] On the other hand, he was also regarded as one of the reformist candidates.[19] He announced in April 2013 that he would withdraw his candidacy if Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, Mohammad Khatami or Hassan Khomeini run for the election.[13] In May 2013, Shariatmadari withdrew his candidacy in favor of Rafsanjani.[20][21]
^"New Govt". APS Diplomat Recorder. 18 August 2001. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
^Mozaffari, Mehdi (April 2009). "Iranian Ideological Foreign Policy"(PDF). Centre for Studies in Islamism and Radicalisation. Retrieved 21 February 2013.