View source for Mohammad Reza Aref

{{Short description|Vice President of Iran }}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Mohammad Reza Aref
| image               = Mohammad Reza Aref in 2024 (2) (cropped).jpg
| caption             = Aref in 2024
| order               = 2nd and 8th [[Vice presidents of Iran|First Vice President of Iran]]
| term_start          = 28 July 2024
| term_end            = 
| president           = [[Masoud Pezeshkian]]
| predecessor         = [[Mohammad Mokhber]]
| successor           = 
| term_start1         = 26 August 2001
| term_end1           = 10 September 2005
| president1          = [[Mohammad Khatami]]
| predecessor1        = [[Hassan Habibi]]
| successor1          = [[Parviz Davoodi]]
| order2              = [[Islamic Consultative Assembly|Member of the Parliament of Iran]]
| constituency2       = [[Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr]]
| term_start2         = 28 May 2016
| term_end2           = 26 May 2020
| majority2           = 1,608,926 (49.55%)
| office3             = Member of [[Expediency Discernment Council]]
| term_start3         = 16 March 2002
| term_end3           = 
| appointer3          = [[Ali Khamenei]]
| 1blankname3         = Chairman
| 1namedata3          = [[Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani]]<br />[[Ali Movahedi-Kermani]] (Acting)<br />[[Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi]]<br />[[Sadeq Larijani]]
| order4              = Supervisor of [[Presidential Administration of Iran]]
| president4          = Mohammad Khatami
| term_start4         = 26 August 2001
| term_end4           = 10 September 2005
| predecessor4        = [[Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani]]
| successor4          = [[Ali Saeedlou]]
| order5              = [[Vice President of Iran]]<br />[[Management and Planning Organization of Iran|Head of Management and Planning Organization]]
| term_start5         = 2 December 2000
| term_end5           = 11 September 2001
| president5          = Mohammad Khatami
| predecessor5        = [[Mohammad-Ali Najafi]]
| successor5          = [[Mohammad Sattarifar]]
| order6              = [[Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (Iran)|Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone]]
| term_start6         = 20 August 1997
| term_end6           = 17 June 2000
| president6          = Mohammad Khatami
| predecessor6        = [[Mohammad Gharazi]]
| successor6          = [[Nasrollah Jahangard]] {{small|(acting)}}
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1951|12|19|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Yazd]], [[Pahlavi dynasty|Imperial State of Iran]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Omid Iranian Foundation]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iranfrontpage.com/reports/2014/10/look-iranian-newspaper-front-pages-oct-26/|title=A look at Iranian newspaper front pages|website=Iran Front Page |date=26 October 2014|access-date=15 February 2016}}</ref>
| otherparty          = [[Islamic Iran Participation Front]] {{small|(Founding member)}}<ref>{{Citation|last1=Buchta|first1=Wilfried|title= Who rules Iran?: the structure of power in the Islamic Republic|publisher=The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung| place=Washington DC|year=2000|isbn=0-944029-39-6|page=180}}</ref>
| spouse              = Hamideh Moravvej Farshi
| children            = 3
| occupation          = Academic
| alma_mater          = [[University of Tehran]]<br />[[Stanford University]]
| signature           = Mohammad Reza Aref signature.svg
| website             = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes           = 
| native_name_lang    = fa
| native_name         = {{No bold|محمدرضا عارف}}
| alt                 = Headshot of Aref in 2017
}}
'''Mohammad Reza Aref''' ({{langx|fa|محمدرضا عارف}}, born 19 December 1951) is an Iranian engineer, academic and [[Iranian Reformists|reformist]] politician who is the eighth and current [[Vice presidents of Iran|first vice president of Iran]] since 2024, under President [[Masoud Pezeshkian]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Pezeshkian names Aref as first vice president |url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/501632/Pezeshkian-names-Aref-as-first-vice-president |website=Tehran Times |access-date=28 July 2024 |language=en |date=28 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mohammad Reza Aref appointed as 1st VP |url=https://president.ir/en/153003 |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=president.ir}}</ref> He is also currently member of the [[Expediency Discernment Council]] since 2002.

He was the parliamentary leader of reformists' [[Hope fraction]] in the [[Iranian Parliament]], representing [[Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr]]. Aref has also been heading the [[Iranian Reformists#Reformists' Supreme Council for Policymaking|Reformists' Supreme Council for Policymaking]] since its establishment in 2015.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.irdiplomacy.com/en/page/1953717/Iranian+Reformists+and+February+Parliamentary+Elections.html|title=Iranian Reformists and February Parliamentary Elections|date=13 November 2015|access-date=24 April 2017|work=Iranian Diplomacy}}</ref>

He was also the second first vice president from 2001 to 2005 under [[Mohammad Khatami]] and [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131214120623/http://mardomak.org/news/aref_bio Political posts of Mohammad-Reza Aref]}}</ref> He previously served as [[Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (Iran)|Minister Information and Communications Technology]] and head of [[Management and Planning Organization]] in Khatami's first [[Government of Mohammad Khatami (1997–2005)|cabinet]]. He was a member of [[Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution]] until 2021. He is also an electrical engineer and a professor at [[University of Tehran]] and [[Sharif University of Technology]]. He was a candidate in the [[2013 Iranian presidential election|2013 presidential election]] but withdrew his candidacy in order to give the [[Iranian reform movement|reformist]] camp a better chance to win.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Aref withdrew from the election |url=https://www.isna.ir/news/92032111793/%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%86-%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%87}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-06-11 |title=Iran's Mohammad Reza Aref quits presidential race |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-22851764 |access-date=2024-07-29 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Early life and education==

Aref was born on 19 December 1951 in [[Yazd]].<ref name=ireview>{{cite web|title=Biographies of Eight Qualified Candidates for Iran Presidential Election|url=http://www.iranreview.org/content/Documents/Biographies-of-Eight-Qualified-Candidates-for-Iran-Presidential-Election.htm|work=Iran Review|access-date=13 August 2013|date=22 May 2013}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060518005112/http://www.maslehat.ir/contentstopless.aspx?p=edcc7347-ff6f-4c24-a2d0-227847a53ad2 Dr Aref] Maslehat</ref><ref name=ewatch/> His father, Mirza Ahmad Aref, was a famous businessman.

He received a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering from the [[University of Tehran]], and a master's degree and a PhD in electrical and communication engineering from [[Stanford University]] in 1975, 1976 and 1980, respectively.<ref name=ireview/> His PhD thesis was on the [[information theory]] of networks, supervised by [[Thomas M. Cover]].<ref name=Thesis>{{cite thesis|title=Information flow in relay networks|date=1980 |url=http://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/1011657 |last1=Aref |first1=Mohammad R. }}</ref> He introduced and analyzed deterministic relay networks which is later termed as Aref Networks.<ref name=Ratnakar>{{Citation|title= The multicast capacity of deterministic relay networks with no interference|journal=IEEE Transactions on Information Theory|volume=52 |issue=6|pages=2425–2432|year=2006 |doi=10.1109/TIT.2006.874431|last1=Ratnakar|first1=N. |last2=Kramer |first2=G.|s2cid=14022387}}</ref> During his education at Tehran University, he led many protests and was arrested by [[SAVAK]] prior to the [[Iranian Revolution]].

==Career==
During his political career, Aref has held important positions in [[the Islamic Republic of Iran]]. Following [[the Islamic Revolution]], he began his political career. His first major political post was in 1981 when he became vice president of communication company. He later became acting president of the company in 1983 and became deputy [[Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (Iran)|minister of science]] on the following year. Aref was a faculty member of [[Isfahan University of Technology]] until 1994.

Aref, who was a professor at [[University of Tehran]], was elected as its chancellor in 1994.<ref name=ireview/> He began his career with creating [[Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran|Faculty of Social Sciences]] and also [[Institute of Geophysics]]. After his appointment as minister of technology, Aref was resigned as chancellor of the Tehran University in 1997.<ref name=ireview/>

After [[Mohammad Khatami]] was elected as [[President of Iran]], he nominated Aref as the minister of post, telegraph, and telephone that was later renamed to [[Ministry of Communication and Information Technology|minister of communications and information technology]]. He became the first head of management and planning organization in 2000 after resigned as Minister of Communication.

[[File:7-e Tir Aref, Khatami's Vice President.jpg|180px|thumb|left|Aref during a campaign for supporting [[Iranian Green Movement|Green Movement]] in June 2009]]
Khatami was reelected in 2001 and his former vice president [[Hassan Habibi]] resigned immediately after the election. After Habibi's resignation, he appointed Aref as his [[Vice President of Iran|First Vice President]].<ref name=ewatch>{{cite web|title=Mohammad Reza Aref|url=http://iranelectionwatch.com/potential-candidates/|publisher=Iran Election Watch|access-date=13 February 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130204000341/http://iranelectionwatch.com/potential-candidates/|archive-date=4 February 2013}}</ref> He served in this post until September 2005 and was succeeded by [[Parviz Dawoodi]] after the election of [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]. Then, he served as a professor in the department of electrical engineering at [[Sharif University of Technology]], offering courses on [[cryptography]], [[coding theory]], estimation theory and Information Theory. He is currently one of the members of [[Expediency Discernment Council|the Expediency Discernment Council]] that is an advisory unit for Iran's Supreme Leader [[Ali Khamenei]].<ref name=ewatch/>

He was nominated for parliamentary election of [[2008 Iranian legislative election|2008]] as the [[Iranian reform movement|reformist]] front's first in the list but he withdrew to protest the rejection of some candidates by the [[Guardian Council]].<ref name=ftimes08>{{cite news|last=Bozorgmehr|first=Najmeh|title=Khatami calls Iran poll disqualifications a 'disaster'|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/123e583e-d4de-11dc-9af1-0000779fd2ac.html#axzz2WsKdjXHy|access-date=21 June 2013|newspaper=Financial Times|date=7 February 2008|location=Tehran}}</ref> In June 2013, Aref announced that he together with other reformist figures was planning to launch a national party, namely Hope of Iran.<ref>{{cite news|title=Iranian Reformist Candidate, President-Elect Explore Forming New Party|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/13/jun/1212.html|access-date=29 June 2013|work=Payvand|date=29 June 2013|agency=Radio Zamaneh}}</ref> On the other hand, Iran's president-elect [[Hassan Rouhani]] stated that Aref will be one of his cabinet members.<ref name=iview22june>{{cite news|title=Who Might Serve in Rowhani's Cabinet?|url=http://www.iransview.com/who-might-serve-in-rowhanis-cabinet/1159/|access-date=1 July 2013|newspaper=Iran's View|date=22 June 2013}}</ref> However, Aref rejected Rouhani's invite for a political post (Vice Presidency or [[Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (Iran)|Ministry of Science]]) to focus on his party's establishment. He also announced his interest in becoming one of Rouhani's advisers in politics and human rights.

===2013 presidential election===
{{main|Mohammad Reza Aref 2013 presidential campaign}}
{{See also|2013 Iranian presidential election}}
[[File:Mohammad Reza Aref3.jpg|180px|thumb|Aref and his wife Hamideh in [[Mashhad]] during a campaign meeting]]
[[File:Mohammad Reza Aref and his spouse at Fajr Film Festival.jpg|180px|thumb|Aref and his wife Hamideh at [[Fajr Film Festival]]]]
Aref was one of the potential candidates for [[2013 Iranian presidential election|the presidential elections]] held in June 2013.<ref name=ewatch/> He said that he would not stand if Khatami ran but after Khatami declined, Aref announced that he would run in the election. He registered on 11 May 2013 and was confirmed by the [[Guardian Council]]. His major goals were lowering the unemployment rate and resolving high inflation. He pledged an extra 1 million jobs annually, which would include 200 thousand jobs from tourism development. He also added that if elected, his administration would bolster Iran's [[Foreign relations of Iran|international relations]] and would find a "political solution" to closing the "[nuclear] dossier once and for all". Aref said he would remain "committed to the law" throughout the election process, promising to implement an economic plan to propel the country out of inflation and to achieve development and progress.<ref>[http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/iranelections/2013/05/2013521111920821747.html Al Jazeera, Candidates profile]</ref> Aref censured the foreign policy of the [[Ahmadinejad]]'s administration, vowing to improve Iran's diplomatic ties with other countries if elected president. He added that the next administration can have friendly ties with the world and improve the conditions in the country through such relations. Aref also said he would pursue and implement plans to further the presence and participation of the youth in various arenas of the country.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} Vowing to tackle unemployment, Aref said he aimed all-out development in various political, cultural, economical and social fields.
<blockquote>"By implementing the subsidy reform plan I will put bread on the tables. I have come to eradicate inflation and create one million job opportunities every year",{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}</blockquote>

Aref also said he is a [[Iranian reform movement|reformist]] and reform means safeguarding the ideals of the [[Islamic Revolution]], accountability and encouraging popular participation.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} He also called for investigation of alleged fraud in the [[2009 Iranian presidential election|2009 election]] and trial of effects in [[Death of Neda Agha Soltan]] and other deaths in the [[2009–2010 Iranian election protests|protests]].

Aref announced his decision to drop out of the election in a statement issued late on 11 June, in which he said the decision was made after he received suggestions from former President [[Mohammad Khatami]], who advised to stand aside.<ref name=alim12june>{{cite news|last=Pedram|first=Ali M.|title=Iran: Khatami returns to front-line politics|url=http://www.aawsat.net/2013/06/article55305349|access-date=3 July 2013|newspaper=Asharq Alawsat|date=12 June 2013}}</ref><ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-11/iran-s-aref-quits-presidency-race-to-focus-reform-vote-on-rohani.html Iran’s Aref Quits Presidency Race to Focus Reform Vote on Rohani] ''Bloomberg''</ref> He also called on the Iranian people to vote en masse in the upcoming presidential election to create a political epic and maintain the dignity of the [[Islamic Republic of Iran]].<ref>[http://tabnak.ir/fa/news/325123/%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%81-%D9%81%D9%82%D8%B7-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF عارف فقط انصراف داد]</ref>

[[File:Mohammad Reza Aref in reformists meeting for 2016 election in Hejab sallon.jpg|180px|thumb|Aref speaking in reformist alliance's electoral meeting in Tehran]]

===2016 legislative election===
On 4 November 2014, Aref announced he would run for [[Parliament of Iran]] in the [[2016 Iranian legislative election|2016 election]] from [[Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr (electoral district)|Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr district]]. He officially ran for the seat on 22 December 2015. He was also named as the [[Pervasive Coalition of Reformists]]' head list.

He was elected to the Parliament with 1,608,926 votes which was the highest in the election. All other 29 Reformists candidates also run to the parliament, the first time since 1980 that all candidates are run from same party in Tehran district.

==Personal life==
Aref married Hamideh Moravvej Farshi in 1976.<ref>[http://webzine.mehrnews.com/FullStory/News/?NewsId=2101 Who will be next First Lady?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140406224904/http://webzine.mehrnews.com/FullStory/News/?NewsId=2101 |date=6 April 2014 }}</ref> Hamideh has a PhD in dermatology and also works at [[Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (Iran)|the ministry of science]]. They have three sons.

In 2017, his son Hamid Reza said in an interview "I'm proud that [my] capabilities come from '[[Aghazadeh|good genes]]'...", which sparked controversy.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-aref-son-good-genes-firestorm/28718364.html|title=Firestorm in Iran As Politician's Son Credits 'Good Genes' For His Success|date=5 September 2017|access-date=5 September 2017|author=Golnaz Esfandiari|work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Mohammad Reza Aref}}
* {{official website}} {{in lang|en}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Aref, Mohammad Reza}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Stanford University School of Engineering alumni]]
[[Category:University of Tehran alumni]]
[[Category:Iranian electrical engineers]]
[[Category:First vice presidents of Iran]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Iran]]
[[Category:Vice ministers of Iran]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Sharif University of Technology]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Tehran]]
[[Category:Chancellors of the University of Tehran]]
[[Category:People from Yazd]]
[[Category:Members of the Expediency Discernment Council]]
[[Category:Candidates for President of Iran]]
[[Category:Members of the 10th Islamic Consultative Assembly]]
[[Category:Heads of reformist fractions in Islamic Consultative Assembly]]
[[Category:Islamic Iran Participation Front politicians]]
[[Category:Members of the Reformists' Supreme Council for Policymaking]]
[[Category:Iranian campaign managers]]
[[Category:Academy of Sciences of Iran members]]