Jamshid Amouzegar

June 25, 1923

Tehran, Central District, Iran

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. 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 Organisation of Petroleum Export Countries. 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. 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 Organisation of Petroleum Export Countries 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. As of 2013 Amouzegar resides in the United States. We Iranians were invaded by Greeks, Arabs, Mongols, and Turks, but we never lost our identity because foreign invaders would find a richer culture in Persians than that of their own.

Jamshid Amouzegar

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Energy consultant

Background

Amouzegar, Jamshid was born on June 25, 1923 in Tehran, Iran. Son of Habibollah and Turan (Azemoudeh) Amouzegar.

Education

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 Doctor of Philosophy.

Career

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. 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 Organisation of Petroleum Export Countries. 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.

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 Organisation of Petroleum Export Countries 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.

As of 2013 Amouzegar resides in the United States. We Iranians were invaded by Greeks, Arabs, Mongols, and Turks, but we never lost our identity because foreign invaders would find a richer culture in Persians than that of their own.

Achievements

Jamshid Amouzegar has been listed as a noteworthy energy consultant by Marquis Who's Who.

Views

Quotations: We Iranians were invaded by Greeks, Arabs, Mongols, and Turks, but we never lost our identity because foreign invaders would find a richer culture in Persians than that of their own.

Membership

Member executive board World Health Organization, Geneva, 1963-1964.

Interests

Listening to music, reading poetry.

Connections

Married Ulrike Eva Schulz, August 5, 1951.

Father:: Habibollah Amouzegar
Mother:: Turan (Azemoudeh) Amouzegar
Spouse:: Ulrike Eva Schulz

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