Ali Amini | IICHS

Eftekhar Belarashk

Son of Mohsen Amini (Mirza Ali Khan Aminoddowleh’s son) and Fakhroddowleh, daughter of Mozaffaraddin Shah, Dr. Ali Amini was born in Tehran, 1905. He received his elementary education in Roshdieh and his secondary education in Darolfonun. He left Iran for France in 1925. He was graduated in law and received his doctorate in economics and returned to Iran and married Vossouqoddowleh’d daughter in 1933.

Upon his return to Iran, Ali Amini entered the government services and was in charge of many offices. He was an alternate member of primary court. He served in the general department of formulating regulations. He was the deputy of general department of Opium monopoly. He became deputy and head of customs and director general of ministry of finance in October 1939, second deputy to the ministry of finance in 1941, deputy prime minister in Qavam’s cabinet, minister of national economy in Mansur and Mossaddeq’s cabinets in 1950 and 1951, minister of finance after 1953 coup in Lieutenant general Zahedi’s cabinet. His main important deed in this cabinet was carrying negotiations with Henderson, the US embassy on financial help to Iran and to provide budget for Truman’s Point Four program.

Among his other appointments are: head of negotiating board with the representatives of consortium (the United States, England and France) to conclude oil contract with Mr. Pitch, minister of justice in Ala’s cabinet, and Iranian ambassador to the United States.

Backed by the US government, Ali Amini was appointed prime minister in 1961. His program was for 15 months. The main goals of his program were decrease of living expenses and prices, land reform, agricultural development, strengthening of the judiciary. Among his first actions in his new office are the detainments of some army commandants, fight against corruption, land reform, appointment of Mohammad Derakhshesh as the minister of education, freedom of political parties’ activities, free activity of national front, removal of Teimur Bakhtiar, the head of SAVAK.

Amini’s cabinet was not that successful in implementing its plans. Amini resigned 14 months after his appointment. The main reason for this was Iran’s bankruptcy and the foreign merchants removing their capital from Iran, economic crisis and resistance against the demonstrations of students, US opposition to offering 700 million dollars loan to Iran. After resignation, Amini was away from the political scene for a while. Again in 1978, Mohammad Reza Shah entered into talks with him to find solutions to prevent the expansion of national revolution and appointed him as prime minister. However, Amini did not accept and left for Europe before the success of revolution. He died in 1992.

Amini was a member of Freemasonic lodge of seekers of Ideal. He left the lodge in 1977.
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