Ebrahim Raisi: From Young Prosecutor to Iran’s Presidency

News Desk 

Islamabad: Since June 2021, Ebrahim Raisi has served as president of the Islamic Republic, succeeding the moderate Hassan Rouhani.

During his term, Iran has faced significant crises and conflicts. 

Raisi took office in a country grappling with a deep social crisis and an economy severely strained by US sanctions over its contentious nuclear program.

In September 2022, Iran experienced a wave of mass protests following the death of Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini while in custody. 

In March 2023, in a surprising turn of events, Iran and its regional rival Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to restore diplomatic relations.

However, regional tensions surged again following the bombardment in Gaza that began on October 7.

This led to a series of tit-for-tat escalations, culminating in Tehran launching hundreds of missiles and rockets directly at Israel in April 2024.

In a speech following the inauguration of a dam on Sunday, Raisi reiterated Iran’s support for the Palestinians, a cornerstone of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. 

He stated, “We believe that Palestine is the foremost issue for the Muslim world, and we are convinced that the people of Iran and Azerbaijan always support the people of Palestine and Gaza, while detesting the Zionist regime.”

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Born in 1960 in the holy city of Mashhad in northeast Iran, Ebrahim Raisi quickly ascended to high office.

At just 20 years old, he was appointed prosecutor-general of Karaj, near Tehran. He served as Tehran’s prosecutor-general from 1989 to 1994, deputy chief of the Judicial Authority for a decade starting in 2004, and became the national prosecutor-general in 2014.

Raisi’s black turban signifies his direct descent from the Prophet Mohammed, and he holds the religious title of “Hujjatul Islam,” meaning “proof of Islam,” which is one rank below ayatollah in the Shiite clerical hierarchy.

In Iran’s dual political system, which is divided between the clerical establishment and the government, Raisi’s 85-year-old mentor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been the supreme leader since 1989, has the final say on all major policies.

Raisi has long been seen as a strong contender to succeed Khamenei, who has endorsed his main policies.

Raisi’s victory in the tightly controlled 2021 election brought all branches of power under the control of hardliners, ending eight years of pragmatist Hassan Rouhani’s presidency and his negotiated nuclear deal with Washington.

However, Raisi’s reputation has suffered due to widespread protests against clerical rule and his failure to revive Iran’s economy, which is hampered by Western sanctions.

Last month, Raisi visited Pakistan for three days, during which both countries committed to increasing their trade volume to $10 billion over the next five years and sought to mend ties following tit-for-tat missile strikes in January.