Ahmad Masjed-Jamei

Iranian politician and academic

Ahmad Masjed-Jamei
Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance
In office
14 January 2001 – 24 August 2005
Acting: 14 December 2000 – 14 January 2001
PresidentMohammad Khatami
Preceded byAta'ollah Mohajerani
Succeeded byHossein Saffar Harandi
Chairman of the City Council of Tehran
In office
3 September 2013 – 3 September 2014
DeputyMorteza Talaie
Preceded byMehdi Chamran
Succeeded byMehdi Chamran
Member of City Council of Tehran
In office
11 January 2007 – 4 August 2021
Majority1,397,741
Personal details
Born (1956-10-23) 23 October 1956 (age 67)
Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan province, Imperial State of Iran
Alma materUniversity of Tehran

Ahmad Masjed-Jamei (Persian: احمد مسجدجامعی) is an Iranian reformist politician and academic who was chairman of City Council of Tehran from 3 September 2013 until 3 September 2014. He served as Culture Minister under President Mohammad Khatami from 2000 to 2005. He was elected a Tehran City Councillor in 2006 and was reelected in 2013.

Career

Culture Minister

Jamei became culture minister when Khatami's first minister, Ata'ollah Mohajerani, was forced to resign following criticism by conservatives for "eroding moral standards".[1] Jamei previously served as deputy culture minister.

As culture minister he promoted freedom of the press, saying it helps to prevent the accumulation of "negative anxieties" in society.[2] However his efforts were undermined by the judiciary which was controlled by the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, which ordered the closure of over 100 newspapers during Jamei's tenure as culture minister[3] Jamei protested against the closure of newspapers and arrest of journalists without effect.[4]

Dialogue among civilizations

Following the election Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president in the Iranian presidential election of 2005, Jamei was appointed managing director of the International Center for Dialogue Among Civilizations, an organization founded by Khatami.[5]

Election as City Council chairman

After 2013 local election, he was nominated as chairman of City Council of Tehran by Reformists. Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani was also Reformists' nominee for Mayor of Tehran. On 3 September 2013, Masjed-Jamei was elected as chairman by 16 out of 31 votes and succeeded Mehdi Chamran in the post.[6]

References

  1. ^ Senior reformer quits in Iran, BBC, 14 December 2000.
  2. ^ Iranian Culture minister calls for freedom of press, Payvand, 5 April 2003
  3. ^ Press Freedom Table, Freedom House
  4. ^ Iran minister protests questioning of journalists, Dawn, 17 February 2002
  5. ^ Fresh Appeal for Civilizational Dialogue, Iran Daily, 7 January 2006
  6. ^ مسجد جامعی رئیس شورای شهر تهران شد Khabar Online.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Cabinet of President Mohammad Khatami (1997–2005)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Agriculture**
Minister of Jihad of Construction**
Ministry of Jihad of Agriculture**
Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance
  • Attaollah Mohajerani (1997–2000)
  • Ahmad Masjed-Jamei* (2000–2001)
  • Ahmad Masjed-Jamei (2001–2005)
Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics
Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance
Minister of Education
Minister of Energy
Minister of Health and Medical Education
Minister of Mines and Metals***
Minister of Industries***
Minister of Industries and Mines***
Minister of Intelligence
Minister of Interior
Minister of Justice
Minister of Petroleum
Minister of Roads and Transportation
Commerce
Minister of Science, Research and Technology
Minister of Welfare and Social Security****
Ministry of Cooperatives
Ministry of Housing and Urban Development
First Vice President
Chief of Staff
Vice President and Head of
Atomic Energy Organization
Vice President and Head of
Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization
Vice President and Head of
Environmental Protection Organization
Vice President and Head of
Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs
Vice President and Head of
Management and Planning Organization of Iran
Vice President and Head of
Physical Education Organization
Vice President for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
* Acting
**Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Jihad of Construction merged, forming Ministry of Jihad of Agriculture
***Ministry of Industries and Ministry of Mines and Metals merged, forming Ministry of Industries and Mines
****established in 2004