He holds a bachelor"s degree in agriculture from Shiraz University and also, received a Doctor of Philosophy in the same field from University of Saskatchewan of Canada.
His family are from the province of Khuzestan. He also is a university professor at Tehran University. Hosseini was the minister of labour and social affairs in the cabinet of the then president Mohammad Khatami from 2001 to 2004.
Then he served as the minister of economy and finance affairs in the same cabinet.
He was appointed in 2004, replacing Tahmasb Mazaheri in the post. Hosseini was replaced by Davoud Danesh-Jafari on 24 August 2005 when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president
Hosseini is a member of the Islamic Iran Participation Front.