Ali Akbar Mehrabian

Ali Akbar Mehrabian
Minister of Industries and Mines
In office
2 November 2007 – 3 August 2011
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Preceded by Ali-Reza Tahmasbi
Succeeded by Mehdi Ghazanfari
(Industries and Business)
Personal details
Born February 2, 1975 (1975 -02-02) (age 37)
Kerman, Iran
Nationality Iranian

Ali Akbar Mehrabian (Persian: علی اكبر محرابيان, born 2 February 1975) is an Iranian politician who was Minister of Industries and Mines from 2 November 2007 to 3 August 2011. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has proposed he retain this post in the 2009 cabinet. In 2011, it was announced that Ministry of Industries and Mines will be merged with Ministry of Commerce and Mehrabian will leave the cabinet afterward.[1]

Contents

Early life

He was born on 2 February 1975 in Kerman, Iran. His family is from Shiraz. Mehrabi studied at Shiraz University.

Ministerial activities

As minister, Mehrabian has travelled the world promoting Iran's commercial interests in friendly countries such as Qatar,[2] Belarus,[3] Egypt [4] and Venezuela.[5] He has been involved in discussions of a possible World Oil Bank involving Russia and Venezuela,[6] and agreed a cooperation protocol with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[7] He also promoted Iran's bilateral links and financial support for Cuba.[8]

He has expressed deep concern over the non-adherence of industrial states to their commitments to control the emission of greenhouse gases.[9]

He has implemented policies to encourage production of cars powered by compressed natural gas (CNG).[10] Because Iran suffers from a lack of refining capacity, gasoline is rationed. Hundreds of thousands of gasoline-powered vehicles are also being converted to use a bi-fuel system allowing CNG as an alternative fuel.[11] He has encouraged developments under which cars with Iranian content will now be built in Egypt[4] and Syria.[12]

Following deadly crashes of imported aircraft, he also hopes to develop domestic production of aircraft.[13]

He has promoted production of steel, copper,[14] and coal.[15]

He has implemented policies pressurising companies alleged to have links with businesses who trade with Israel, such as Coca Cola, Nestle and Benetton.[16]

Conviction for fraud

He was convicted a fraud in which he and Mousa Mazloum in 2005 published an invention by Farzan Salimi, claiming it as their own. The idea for an "earthquake saferoom" — a design for a fortified room in homes in case of disaster - was owned by Salimi, an Iranian researcher and engineer.[17]

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is also named as an author on the cover of the book in which the fraudulent claim was made.[18] In July 2009, the general court of Tehran convicted Mehrabian and Mousa Mazloum. The court ordered the registration of the design to be taken from them and given to Salimi, but did not otherwise assign punishment.[17][19]

References

  1. ^ http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/163501/محرابیان،-محصولی-و-میرکاظمی-از-دولت-حذف-شدند/ Mehrabian, Mir Kazemi and Mahsouli will leave cabinet
  2. ^ www.qasco.com/news/detail.php?ID=931 Visit of H. E. Eng. Ali Akbar Mehrabian, Iranian Minister of Industry and Mines
  3. ^ http://www.government.by/en/eng_news21052008.html Belarus, Iran to speed up Jofeyr deposit development
  4. ^ a b http://www.developing8.org/2007/12/12/iranegypt-to-produce-cars-development-from-the-d8-automotive-sector/ Iran-Egypt to produce cars: Development from the D-8 Automotive Sector
  5. ^ http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=157439 Tehran-Caracas deals touch $20b
  6. ^ http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/ntm84845.htm Iran, Russia and Venezuela prepared to set up world oil bank
  7. ^ http://www.mehrnews.com/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=654582 Iran, DR Congo ink cooperation protocol
  8. ^ http://havanajournal.com/business/entry/iran-wants-to-loan-more-money-to-cuba-up-to-500million-euros/ Iran wants to loan more money to Cuba, up to 500million Euros
  9. ^ http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3284/html/society.htm Iran curbing greenhouse gases
  10. ^ http://www.payvand.com/news/08/aug/1041.html 120,000 CNG cars produced in 4 months
  11. ^ http://iran.ahk.de/index.php?id=50&L=0&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=686&cHash=fd5f5891d5 650,000 Vehicles Converted to Bi-fuel System
  12. ^ http://www.sana.sy/eng/%2021/2007/12/13/152866.htm President Al-Assad Affirms Importance of Syrian-Iranian Cars Factory
  13. ^ http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20090729072208/Iran%20to%20Produce%20Passenger%20Planes Iran to Produce Passenger Planes
  14. ^ http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601104&sid=a1rzkB_rOKok Iran Plans to Produce 250,000 Tons of Copper in Year to March
  15. ^ http://buyjunction.in/market_news/iran_to_increase_production_of_steel_copper_coal.php Iran to increase production of steel, copper, coal
  16. ^ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i0vWNjBSFX67GiiSk01zDDUwtY1w Iran pressures firm over Coca-Cola links
  17. ^ a b Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press (2009-07-28). "Court finds Iran minister guilty of fraud". Google. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hWwhfDRFoOdvTxSte5ak4cFKMAaQD99N04A81. Retrieved 2009-08-01. 
  18. ^ BBC News (2009-07-27). "Minister of Industry guilty in 'Safe room' matter" (in Persian). Tehran Times. http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2009/07/090728_mg_mehrabian_court.shtml. Retrieved 2009-08-01. 
  19. ^ Press TV (2009-07-27). "Tehran court finds Iran minister guilty of fraud". Tehran Times. http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=199634. Retrieved 2009-08-01. 

See also

Political offices
Preceded by
Ali-Reza Tahmasbi		 Ministry of Industries and Mines
2007–2011		 Succeeded by
Mehdi Ghazanfari
as Minister of Industries and Business