Hassan Habibi

This article is about the politician. For the footballer, see Hassan Habibi (footballer).

Hassan Ebrahim Habibi حسن ابراهیم حبیبی
First Vice President of Iran
In office 1 September 1989 – 11 September 2001
President	Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Mohammad Khatami
Succeeded by	Mohammad-Reza Aref
Minister of Justice
In office 9 March 1985 – 1 September 1989
President	Ali Khamenei
Prime Minister	Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Preceded by	Mohammad Asghari
Succeeded by	Esmail Shooshtari
Minister of Science
In office 6 October 1979 – 29 October 1981
President	Abulhassan Banisadr Mohammad-Ali Rajai
Prime Minister	Mohammad-Ali Rajai Mohammad-Javad Bahonar Mahdavi Kani (Acting)
Preceded by	Ali Shariatmadari
Succeeded by	Hassan Arefi
Minister of Culture
In office 1 October 1979 – 6 November 1979
Prime Minister	Mehdi Bazargan
Preceded by	Abbas Dozdozani
Succeeded by	Nasser Minachi
Personal details
Born	(1937-01-29)29 January 1937 Tehran, Iran
Died	Tehran, Iran
Political party	Executives of Construction Party (1993-2013)
Other political affiliations	Islamic Republican Party (1979-1987) Freedom Movement (1966-1979)
Spouse(s)	Shafigheh Rahideh
Religion	Islam

Hassan Ebrahim Habibi (29 January 1937 – 31 January 2013) was an Iranian politician, lawyer, scholar and the head of Academy of Persian Language and Literature (from 11 October 2004 to his death in 2013). He was also a member of the High Council of Cultural Revolution. Habibi was the first vice president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Early life and education

Habibi was born on 29 January 1937. He studied sociology in France. He held a PhD in law and sociology. When he was a university student he visited Khomeini while the latter was in exile.

Career

Habibi was tasked by Ayatollah Khomenei to draft the prospective constitution of Iran when the latter was in exile in Paris. His version was heavily modified due to criticisms and the final text was approved by the election in November 1979.

Following the Iranian revolution, Habibi was named public spokesman for the revolutionary council. He was among the main architects of the first draft of Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was later passed for more discussion to an elected Assembly of Experts for Constitution. The assembly made significant changes in the original draft, e.g. by introducing the new position of "leader of the Islamic Republic" based on Khomeini's concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists, which gave almost unlimited power to the clergy. The modified version was approved in a popular referendum in 1979. In the 1980 presidential election, Habibi run for office, but received only ten percent of the vote against Banisadr's seventy percent. Habibi was backed by Mohammad Beheshti in the election process. In the same year he won a parliamentary seat, being a representative of the Islamic Republican Party.

Habibi served as the minister of justice under Prime Minister Mousavi. He was first vice president of Iran from 1989 to 2001, eight years under President Rafsanjani and then four years under President Khatami. He was replaced by Mohammad Reza Aref in the post in Khatami's second term. He was also head of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature and a member of the Expediency Council.

Death

Habibi died on 31 January 2013. He was buried at the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini in Tehran on 1 February. The funeral service was attended by leading Iranian political figures, including former President Ahmedinejad.

Work

Habibi is the author of several books, including God (1981), Society, Culture, Politics (1984), Islam and the Crisis of Our Time (1984), In the Mirror Of Rights: Views Of International Rights, Comparative Rights And Sociology (1988), Seeking the Roots (editing & translation) (1994), Casework of An Ages Student (1997), One Word Out Of Thousands (2 vol.) (1998-2001) and General International Rights (2 vol.) (2003).

References

Political offices
Preceded by Office established	First Vice President of Iran 1989–2001	Succeeded by Mohammad-Reza Aref