Maryam Rajavi

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Maryam Rajavi
President elect of National Council of Resistance
Incumbent
Assumed office
28 August 1993
Preceded by Massoud Rajavi
Leader of People's Mojahedin Organization
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 February 1993
Preceded by Massoud Rajavi
Deputy Leader of People's Mojahedin Organization
In office
9 December 1989 – 2 February 1993
Leader Massoud Rajavi
Preceded by None
Succeeded by Fahimeh Arvani
Personal details
Born (1953-12-04) 4 December 1953[1]
Tehran, Iran
Political party People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran
Spouse(s) Massoud Rajavi 1985 [1]
Children Mostafa (Son – born in 1980)
Ashraf(Daughter – born in 1982)[1]
Religion Islam

Maryam Rajavi (born Maryam Azodanlu on December 4, 1953,[1] in Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian politician who is President elect of National Council of Resistance of Iran since 1993. She is the wife of Massoud Rajavi, founder of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI). The National Council of Resistance of Iran,[2] is described by its members and supporters as "a broad coalition of democratic Iranian organizations" that are opposed to the Islamic Republic regime.[3] Her platform for the future of Iran has been endorsed not only by Iranians,[4] but members of parliaments across the world and a variety of political dignitaries such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and General James L. Jones, former National Security Adviser to President Barack Obama.[5]

Early life and education

Rajavi was raised in Tehran as the daughter of a middle-class civil servant descended from a member of the Qajar dynasty.[6]

She attended the Sharif University of Technology in Iran, earning a B.S. in Metallurgy.[7]

Political career

Rajavi reported that her participation in activism started when she was 22 as a result of her sister's, Narges, killing by the Shah Muhammad Reza's secret police.[6] Then she became a member of the People's Mojahedin of Iran, "an Iranian organization founded in 1965 by a small group of intellectuals led by Muhammad Hanifnejad.[8]

Rajavi served as an organizer of the anti-Shah student movement in the 1970s and in 1979, became an official of the social section of the PMOI/MEK, where she served until 1981. During that time, Rajavi was a parliamentary candidate in 1980. In 1985, she became Joint-Leader of the PMOI and served in that capacity until 1989 when she became the Secretary General until 1993.[7]

In 2003, Maryam Rajavi's offices were raided by French police. She was placed under arrest and the assets of the NCRI were frozen by the French government. Rajavi's supporters protested her arrest with demonstration until her release by the French government. "[9] Maryam Rajavi congratulated Zohreh Akhyani's election as the new Secretary General of the PMOI on 7 September 2011.[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Maryam". Maryam-rajavi.com. Retrieved 2013-11-07. 
  2. ↑ "Introduction to the National Council of Resistance of Iran". National Council of Resistance of Iran. 16 February 2009. 
  3. ↑ "Mujahadeen-e-Khalq (MEK) (aka People's Mujahedin of Iran or PMOI))". Council on Foreign relations. 2005. Retrieved 2006-09-05. 
  4. ↑ "Who’ll topple Iran? US support for exiles in Paris". New York Post. 2013-06-24. Retrieved 5-8-2013. 
  5. ↑ {{Rudy Giuliani speech Feb 25, 2013: "Iran: Prospects for Democratic Change, U.S. Policy Options," a distinguished panel of bi-partisan former U.S. officials spoke to the need for a new course in dealing with the nuclear and terrorist threats posed by the Iranian regime, namely reaching out to Iran's organized opposition movement and protecting its members who are currently in Iraq.}}
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Smith, Craig S. (24 September 2005). "Exiled Iranians Try to Foment Revolution From France". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 November 2012. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Maryam Rajavi". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 October 2013. 
  8. ↑ "People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran: Mission Report". 
  9. ↑ Graff, James (14 December 2006). "Iran's Armed Opposition Wins a Battle — In Court". Time Magazine. 
  10. ↑ "Maryam Rajavi lauds election of the new Secretary General of the PMOI". NCR. 7 September 2011. 

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by
None		 Deputy Leader of People's Mujahedin of Iran
1989-1993 		Succeeded by
Fahimeh Arvani
Preceded by
Masoud Rajavi		 Leader of People's Mujahedin of Iran
1993-present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Masoud Rajavi		 President of National Council of Resistance
1993-present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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