Jamshid Amouzegar
| Jamshid Amouzegar | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 71st Prime Minister of Iran | |
|
In office 7 August 1977 – 27 August 1978 |
|
| Monarch | Mohammad Reza Shah |
| Deputy | Gholam Reza Azhari |
| Preceded by | Amir-Abbas Hoveyda |
| Succeeded by | Jafar Sharif-Emami |
| Minister of Interior | |
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In office 1 March 1974 – 7 August 1977 |
|
| Prime Minister | Amir-Abbas Hoveida |
| Preceded by | Kamal Hassani |
| Succeeded by | Gholam Reza Azhari |
| Minister of Finance | |
|
In office 1 February 1965 – 1 March 1974 |
|
| Prime Minister | Amir-Abbas Hoveida |
| Preceded by | Amir-Abbas Hoveida |
| Succeeded by | Hushang Ansary |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
25 June 1923 Tehran, Iran |
| Died |
27 September 2016 (aged 93) Rockville, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Rastakhiz Party |
| Spouse(s) | Ulriche Amouzegar (1925–2005, her death) |
| Alma mater | Cornell University |
| Religion | Shia Islam |
| Signature |  |
Jamshid Amouzegar (Persian: جمشید آموزگار; 25 June 1923 – 27 September 2016) was an Iranian economist and politician who was prime minister of Iran from 7 August 1977 to 27 August 1978 when he resigned. Prior to that, he served as the minister of interior and minister of finance in the cabinet of Amir-Abbas Hoveida. He was the leader of Rastakhiz Party during his tenure as prime minister of Iran.
Born on 25 June 1923 in Tehran, Iran, He graduated from Tehran University with degrees in law and engineering. Then he attended Cornell University and received a PhD.
Amouzegar began to serve as deputy minister in the Iran's ministry of health under Jahanshah Saleh in 1955. He was appointed minister of labor and then minister of health in the cabinet led by prime minister Hasan-ali Mansour. He subsequently became minister of finance in the cabinet of Amir Abbas Hoveida after the assassination of prime minister Mansour in 1964, remaining in that post for nine years. From 1965 to 1974 he headed several ordinary meetings of the OPEC. In 1971, he and Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani of Saudi Arabia were instrumental in implementing the series of price hikes that ultimately quadrupled the price of oil and provided the resources for Iran to modernize its infrastructure, agriculture, and defense. For this accomplishment, Amouzegar was awarded the Taj-e Iran, first class, an honor normally reserved for only the prime minister and former prime ministers. He was appointed minister of interior in 1974. On 21 December 1975 he was taken hostage by the Venezuelan terrorist Carlos the Jackal during an OPEC meeting. Carlos was ordered to execute him, but did not do so, and Amouzegar was released along with the other hostages after a few days.
In 1977 he became chairman of the Rastakhiz (Resurrection) party, having led the progressive faction against finance minister Hushang Ansary's liberal constructionist faction. Soon after Jimmy Carter became president of the United States, Amouzegar was appointed prime minister of Iran on 7 August 1977, succeeding Amir Abbas Hoveyda. However, he rapidly became unpopular as he attempted to slow the overheated economy with measures that, although generally thought necessary, triggered a downturn in employment and private sector profits that would later compound the government's problems. He resigned and was replaced by Jafar Sharif-Emami on 27 August 1978.
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