Ali Khatami

Ali Khatami
Chief of Staff of the President of Iran
In office
10 August 2001  10 August 2005
President Mohammad Khatami
Preceded by Mohammad-Ali Abtahi
Succeeded by Gholam-Hossein Elham
Personal details
Born 1953
Arak, Iran
Political party Independent
Religion Shia Islam

Ali Khatami (born 1953) is the younger brother of former Iranian president, Mohammed Khatami, and served as his chief of staff during his second term in office.

Khatami was born to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khatami, alongside older siblings Fatemeh Khatami and Mohammed Khatami and younger brother, Mohammad-Reza Khatami. He lived in Fort Lee, New Jersey while pursuing a degree in Industrial Engineering in Brooklyn, New York.[1]

In 2000, during his brother's first term as President of Iran, rumors circulated in the Iranian press that Ali Khatami was involved in the distribution of "videotapes in which the officials of the system were insulted". These rumors were denied by the President's office, and described as an effort to exert pressure on the President by showing his family in a damaging light.[2]

In 2001, Mohammed Khatami named Ali as his chief of staff, after being elected to a second term as President.

References

Notes

  1. Sciolino, Elaine (2001). Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran. Simon and Schuster. pp. 79–80. ISBN 0-7432-1779-9.
  2. IRNA (July 1, 2000). "Involvement of Khatami's brother in videotape case strongly denied". IRNA.