Jamshid Amouzegar

Dr. Jamshid Amouzegar (born 25 June 1923) is an Iranian economist, artist and politician who was Prime Minister of Iran from 7 August 1977 to 27 August 1978 when he resigned. Prior to that, he was Minister of Interior and Minister of Finance in the cabinet of Amir-Abbas Hoveida. He was the leader of Rastakhiz Party during his tenure as prime minister.

Early life

Born on 25 June 1923 in Tehran, Iran, he first climbed his way to college graduating with degrees in Law and Engineering from Tehran University. While World War II was brewing, he was able to enroll in Cornell University. After completing his PhD at Cornell University, he returned to Iran and became deputy minister in Iran's ministry of Health, under Dr Jahanshah Saleh in 1955. Amouzegar was among the first of Iran's politicians schooled and trained in the United States. Prior to that time, Iran's elite were almost entirely trained in France, among other European countries.

Political career

Amouzegar first took the post of Minister of Labor and then Minister of Health in the cabinet of prime minister Hasan-ali Mansour. He subsequently became Minister of Finance in the cabinet of Amir Abbas Hoveida after the assassination of Prime minister Mansour in 1964, remaining in that post for nine years. In 1971, he and Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani of Saudi Arabia were instrumental in implementing the series of price hikes that ultimately quadrupled the price of oil and provided the resources for Iran to modernize its infrastructure, agriculture, and defense. For this accomplishment, Amouzegar was awarded the Taj-e Iran, first class, an honor normally reserved for only the prime minister and former prime ministers. He was appointed Minister of the Interior in 1974.

On 21 December 1975, he was taken hostage by the Venezuelan terrorist Carlos the Jackal during an OPEC meeting. Carlos was ordered to execute him, but did not do so, and Amouzger was released along with the other hostages after a few days.

In 1977, he became chairman of the Rastakhiz (Resurrection) party, having led the Progressive faction against Finance Minister Hushang Ansary's Liberal Constructionist faction. Soon after Jimmy Carter became president of the United States, Amouzegar was appointed prime minister of Iran in August 1977 in Ramsar, succeeding his rival Amir Abbas Hoveyda. However, he rapidly became unpopular as he attempted to slow the overheated economy with measures that, although generally thought necessary, triggered a downturn in employment and private sector profits that would later compound the government's problems. Hence, in the wake of Khomeini's revolution, he soon resigned and was replaced by Jafar Sharif-Emami.

Dr. Jamshid Amouzegar currently resides in the United States.

Quotes

A memorable quote by Dr. Amouzegar:

See also

• Pahlavi Dynasty
• List of Prime Ministers of Iran
• Jahangir Amuzegar

Source used for this article

• Iran in the last 3 centuries. Alireza Avsati. Vol 2. ISBN 964-93406-4-5
• Qajar (Kadjar) Orders and Decorations. http://www.qajarpages.org/qajorders.html