Morteza Agha-Tehrani
Encyclopedia
Morteza Agha-Tehrani is a hardline
Iran
ian shia cleric and politician
who is widely seen as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's moral advisor and the ethics mentor of his cabinet. He has been selected as a member of Iranian Parliament
representing Tehran
in 2008 legislative election
. He is also one of the closest disciples of Ayatollah
Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
.
, he famously remarked about the Iranian reform movement: "Throw away these filthy reformists as you would a tissue that you use to wipe a baby's behind. And don't get close to them."
Agha-Tehrani led a raid on Sufi mosque
s in Qom
. In 2006, authorities in the city of Qom arrested more than 1,000 followers of the mystical Sufi tradition of Islam. On 14 February 2006, Iran's hard-line daily "Kayhan
" quoted senior clerics in Qom as saying that Sufism should be eradicated in the city, while the Reuters news agency reported that in September one of Iran's hard-line clerics, Grand Ayatollah Hosein Nuri-Hamadani
, called for a clampdown on Sufis in Qom. In 2006, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a plan to suppress what he called "indecent religious associations that work under the cover of spirituality and Sufism."
Agha-Tehrani was among the group of clerics sent sent abroad by Mesbah-Yazdi to study and obtain degrees from Western universities. Agha-Tehrani studied in Canada for a while before transferring to New York as a student. There, he continued his studies at a university in upstate New York, and also became the religious leader of the Islamic Institute of New York. He was able to finish his studies with the help of couple of other people and get a Ph.D. in philosophy. Though he has an advanced degree from an American institution, it is said he cannot speak English fluently. He employed the services of a translator for his mosque sermons. He obtained a U.S. green card to facilitate travel, but his attitude to the West and especially the U.S. has been harsh and unfriendly. Reportedly, he did not approve of Iranians living in the U.S and encouraged them to go back to Iran. He sent his own son back to Iran at the age of 14 to undertake seminary studies in preparation for a clerical career. Like his mentor Mesbah-Yazdi, Agha-Tehrani takes a harsh stance towards people and groups that do not share his ideas.
Hardline
In politics, hardline refers to the doctrine, policy, and posturing of a government or political body as being absolutist and sometimes authoritarian. The hardline position is usually extremist and uncompromising....
Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian shia cleric and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who is widely seen as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's moral advisor and the ethics mentor of his cabinet. He has been selected as a member of Iranian Parliament
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
representing Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
in 2008 legislative election
Iranian legislative election, 2008
Legislative elections for Majlis of Iran were held on 14 March 2008, with a second round held on 25 April 2008. Conservatives loyal to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were considered the victors of the election, at least in part because "all the most prominent" reformist candidates were disqualified...
. He is also one of the closest disciples of Ayatollah
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi is a hardline Iranian Twelver Shi'i cleric and politician who is widely seen as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's spiritual advisor. He is also a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for choosing the Supreme Leader, where he heads...
.
Biography
Addressing a congregation in the small town of ZarandZarand
Zarand may refer to:* Zarand, Iran, a city in Kerman Province, Iran* Zarand County, an administrative subdivision of Kerman Province, Iran* Zărand , Arad County, Romania...
, he famously remarked about the Iranian reform movement: "Throw away these filthy reformists as you would a tissue that you use to wipe a baby's behind. And don't get close to them."
Agha-Tehrani led a raid on Sufi mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s in Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
. In 2006, authorities in the city of Qom arrested more than 1,000 followers of the mystical Sufi tradition of Islam. On 14 February 2006, Iran's hard-line daily "Kayhan
Kayhan
Kayhan is an influential newspaper in Iran. Directly under the supervision of the Office of the Supreme Leader, it is regarded to be "the most conservative Iranian newspaper."...
" quoted senior clerics in Qom as saying that Sufism should be eradicated in the city, while the Reuters news agency reported that in September one of Iran's hard-line clerics, Grand Ayatollah Hosein Nuri-Hamadani
Hossein Noori Hamedani
Grand Ayatollah Hosein Nuri-Hamadani is an Iranian Twelver Shi'a Marja. Nuri-Hamadani has been called a "hard-line cleric," who has expressed his strong disapproval of Sufis and dervishes, Jews, the intellectual Abdolkarim Soroush and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of...
, called for a clampdown on Sufis in Qom. In 2006, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a plan to suppress what he called "indecent religious associations that work under the cover of spirituality and Sufism."
Agha-Tehrani was among the group of clerics sent sent abroad by Mesbah-Yazdi to study and obtain degrees from Western universities. Agha-Tehrani studied in Canada for a while before transferring to New York as a student. There, he continued his studies at a university in upstate New York, and also became the religious leader of the Islamic Institute of New York. He was able to finish his studies with the help of couple of other people and get a Ph.D. in philosophy. Though he has an advanced degree from an American institution, it is said he cannot speak English fluently. He employed the services of a translator for his mosque sermons. He obtained a U.S. green card to facilitate travel, but his attitude to the West and especially the U.S. has been harsh and unfriendly. Reportedly, he did not approve of Iranians living in the U.S and encouraged them to go back to Iran. He sent his own son back to Iran at the age of 14 to undertake seminary studies in preparation for a clerical career. Like his mentor Mesbah-Yazdi, Agha-Tehrani takes a harsh stance towards people and groups that do not share his ideas.