Abbas Akhondi Seeks Presidential Seat Amidst Past Controversies

When Abbas Akhondi registered to run for the upcoming presidential election, he expressed concerns about Iran, including issues of poverty and social decline.

Mehir Javdanfar, a Jewish Iranian journalist and analyst of Iran and Israel issues, commented on X, stating: "Abbas Akhondi is the only candidate worth attention compared to others."

This tweet received significant attention from users on the X platform, with some pointing out Akhondi's alleged economic corruption.

Akhondi has previously stated that Iran is in social decline and that society can no longer generate hope domestically.

However, he is now attempting to inspire hope and rally support from Hassan Rouhani's supporters and reformists, should his candidacy be approved.

Akhondi, like many other revolutionaries, has held significant responsibilities from a young age.

He served as the deputy to his political mentor, Ali Akbar Natiq Noori, and later became a minister in Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's government.

He returned to the cabinet under Rouhani's presidency but eventually left the government due to frustration, even being blocked from becoming a mayor.

Now, Akhondi is planning to run for the presidential election, aiming to test his political luck, much like Ali Akbar Natiq Noori.

His nomination speech was notably sharp and distinct from other candidates, including former vice president Eshaq Jahangiri.

Given his history, there is scepticism about his approval, unless the government intends to repeat a complex political maneuver similar to the 2005 election.

Akhondi is known as a supporter of the "Iranshahr" theory, developed by Javad Tabatabaei, a renowned researcher and philosopher.

Tabatabaei believed that Iranian rulers, thinkers, and ordinary people had forgotten the country's political structure, preventing them from crafting an effective plan for progress and development.

Born in Iraq

During the registration of candidates for the upcoming election, the birth certificates and birthplaces of Ali Larijani and Abbas Akhondi attracted significant attention.

He attended elementary school at the Iranian "Alavi" school in Najaf and completed his secondary and high school education in Tehran, Qom, and again in Tehran.

He has highlighted his role as one of the founders of Jihad of Construction, taking on provincial responsibilities at the age of 26.

Akhondi's political career includes serving as the political deputy in the Ministry of Interior under Ali Akbar Natiq Noori.

He married Nafiseh Rasouli, the daughter of Hashem Rasouli Mahalati, a member of Ruhollah Khomeini's office.

When Noori's right-wing faction was ousted from the Ministry of Interior, Akhondi left the ministry and became the head of the Housing Foundation at 30.

At 36, he was appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Development in Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's government, during which he had conflicts with Hashemi Rafsanjani's relatives and was involved in disputes with Gholamhossein Karbaschi, the mayor of Tehran.

Rafsanjani noted in his memoirs that Akhondi defended his complaint against the Tehran Municipality but was criticized for the lack of a parliamentary investigation into municipal violations.

Akhondi briefly served as the deputy state radio and television organization in Mohammad Khatami's government before moving to London for further studies.

During his tenure, he expressed concerns about the leadership's opposition to negotiations with the US and the lack of support from the militant clerical faction.

After returning from London, Akhondi supported Mir Hossein Mousavi in the 2009 election and was introduced as Mousavi's representative to the Guardian Council.

As Minister of Roads and Urban Development in Rouhani's government, Akhondi faced three impeachment attempts but retained his position with support from traditional fundamentalists like Mohammadreza Bahonar.

Akhondi resigned in 2019, citing frustration and a lack of support from the government.

One of the controversies during his tenure involved accusations of an aristocratic lifestyle and financial corruption.

After his ministry, his son Mehdi Akhondi was arrested.

Akhondi admitted to financial struggles in the past but refuted claims of immense wealth, stating that his account balance was modest at the beginning of the government.

On August 11, 2021, Abbas Akhondi was sentenced to 60 lashes and three months in prison by Branch 78 of the Tehran Court of Appeal.

This sentence followed a complaint by Mehdi Hashemi, the former head of the Engineering System Organization and the current head of the Construction Commission of the parliament.

The complaint stemmed from Akhondi's 2018 announcement on his Telegram channel that Mehdi Hashemi's academic degree was fake.