Description
Mehdi Bazargan Biography (1907–1995) was an Iranian scholar, engineer, and pro-democracy activist who became the first prime minister of Iran after the 1979 revolution. Born into a devout family in Tehran, he studied engineering in France and later taught at the University of Tehran. Bazargan was an early supporter of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and was appointed director of the newly nationalized oil industry. He was also a founding member of the Freedom Movement of Iran, advocating for democratic reforms and constitutionalism.
In February 1979, following the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini appointed Bazargan as the head of Iran’s interim government. His tenure was marked by efforts to establish a democratic framework and maintain moderate policies. However, Bazargan resigned in November 1979 after the U.S. embassy was seized, citing the government’s inability to prevent the crisis.
After his resignation, Bazargan remained active in advocating for democratic principles and was elected to Iran’s first Islamic Consultative Assembly in 1980. He continued to promote liberal Islamic thought until his death in 1995.
