Mostafa Chamran
Encyclopedia
Mostafa Chamran Savei was an Iran
ian scientist who served as first Defence Minister
of post-revolutionary Iran and as member of parliament
, as well as commander of paramilitary volunteers in Iran–Iraq War. He was killed during the war. He helped found the Amal Movement
in southern Lebanon
, and fought alongside Amal guerrillas in the late 1970s.
Alborz High School
and then graduated from Tehran University.
In the late 1960s, he moved to the United States for higher education, obtaining an M.S. degree from the Texas A&M University
. He then went on to obtain his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Plasma Physics in 1963 from the University of California, Berkeley
.
He was then hired as a senior research staff scientist at Bell Laboratories and NASA
's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
.
He was fluent in Persian
, English
, Arabic
, French
, and German
.
, organizing and training guerrillas and revolutionary forces in Algeria
, Egypt
, Syria
, especially Amal Movement
in southern Lebanon.
He was appointed commander of Iran's Pasdaran
, as well as Iran's Minister of Defense, personal military aide to Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini
, and the latter's representative to the Supreme Council of Defense. In March 1980, he was elected into the Majlis of Iran
(the Iranian Parliament
) as a representative from the city of Tehran
.
on June 21, 1981 as the Iran–Iraq War was raging on.
He was later given a hero status and many buildings and streets in Iran and Lebanon, as well as major expressway
, were named after him.
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 scientist who served as first Defence Minister
Defence minister
A defence minister is a person in a cabinet position in charge of a Ministry of Defence, which regulates the armed forces in some sovereign nations...
of post-revolutionary Iran and as member of 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...
, as well as commander of paramilitary volunteers in Iran–Iraq War. He was killed during the war. He helped found the Amal Movement
Amal Movement
Amal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa...
in southern Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, and fought alongside Amal guerrillas in the late 1970s.
Education
Born in 1932 in Tehran, he became a young student of Ayatollah Taleqani and Morteza Motahari. He studied atAlborz High School
Alborz High School
Alborz High School , is a college preparatory high school located in the heart of Tehran, Iran. It is named after the Alborz mountain range north of Tehran.- History :...
and then graduated from Tehran University.
In the late 1960s, he moved to the United States for higher education, obtaining an M.S. degree from the Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. He then went on to obtain his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Plasma Physics in 1963 from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
He was then hired as a senior research staff scientist at Bell Laboratories and NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...
.
He was fluent in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Revolutionary activities
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Chamran became politically active. He became a leading and founding member of the Islamic revolutionary movement in the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, organizing and training guerrillas and revolutionary forces in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, especially Amal Movement
Amal Movement
Amal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa...
in southern Lebanon.
Return to Iran
With the Islamic Revolution taking place in Iran, Chamran's career took a sharp turn.He was appointed commander of Iran's Pasdaran
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution , often called Revolutionary Guards, is a branch of Iran's military, founded after the Iranian revolution...
, as well as Iran's Minister of Defense, personal military aide to 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...
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
, and the latter's representative to the Supreme Council of Defense. In March 1980, he was elected into the Majlis of Iran
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...
(the Iranian Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
) as a representative from the city of 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...
.
Death
He was killed in Khuzestan ProvinceKhuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq's Basra Province and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahwaz and covers an area of 63,238 km²...
on June 21, 1981 as the Iran–Iraq War was raging on.
He was later given a hero status and many buildings and streets in Iran and Lebanon, as well as major expressway
Chamran Expressway
Shahid Chamran Expressway is an expressway in Tehran, Iran, leading from Tohid Square to Parkway Junction. Chamran is the oldest expressway in Tehran, and is unofficially called Parkway Expressway or just Parkway for short...
, were named after him.