Masoud Pezeshkian (Persian: مسعود پزشکیان, born 29 September 1954 in Mahabad from Azerbaijani family)[1] is an Iranian reformist politician who is currently representing Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr electoral district in the Parliament of Iran, and also served as its First Deputy Speaker from May 29, 2016 to May 26, 2020. He was Minister of Health between 2001 and 2005 in the cabinet of President Mohammad Khatami.

Masoud Pezeshkian
Member of the Parliament of Iran
Assumed office
27 May 2008
ConstituencyTabriz, Osku and Azarshahr
Majority261,605 (36.27%)
Minister of Health and Medical Education
In office
22 August 2001 – 24 August 2005
PresidentMohammad Khatami
Preceded byMohammad Farhadi
Succeeded byKamran Bagheri Lankarani
Personal details
Born (1954-09-29) September 29, 1954 (age 69)
Mahabad, Iran
Alma materTabriz University of Medical Sciences
Iran University of Medical Sciences
ProfessionHeart surgeon

Career edit

He was the chancellor of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences for 7 years. He is a cardiac surgeon (heart surgeon) and an academic member of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences at the present time. He is elected as one of Iranian parliament members from Tabriz in 2008 election. He had a speech on condemnation of violence against fraud in Iranian presidential election on June 30, 2009 in Iran parliament. In 2010, he failed in his bid to become deputy speaker of parliament.[2] He is also a member of Iran-Turkey Friendship society.[3]

Views edit

Pezeshkian supports teaching of Azerbaijani language in Iranian schools.[1]

During the Mahsa Amini protests in September 2022, Pezeshkian said in an interview, "It is our fault. We want to implement religious faith through the use of force. This is scientifically impossible."[4]

COVID-19 outbreak edit

On 3 March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran, Pezeshkian claimed that the figures reported by Iran’s health ministry are "not real".[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "افراد رد صلاحیت‌شده فقط توانستند یک نامه بنویسند". Iranian Labour News Agency. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Persian Press Review". Tehran Times. 29 May 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  3. ^ "گروه های دوستی پارلمانی مجلس نهم". Islamic Consultative Assembly Website. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Iranian Majles Member and FMR. Health Minister Masoud Pezeshkian Blames Regime for Mahsa Amini's Death: Our Behavior is Making Iranians Hate Islam, We Must Reexamine Our Methods; You Cannot Implement Faith with Force".
  5. ^ "Iran's official figures on coronavirus cases 'not real': Iranian official". Al Arabiya English. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
Assembly seats
Preceded by 1st Vice Speaker of Parliament of Iran
2016–2020
Succeeded by