Biography Of Velayati

Tehran, May 22, IRNA - Ali Akbar Velayati, born on June 25, 1945, is an Iranian politician, academic and diplomat. Currently he is a senior advisor in charge of International Affairs to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Born in Shemiran, northern Tehran, Velayati received his M.D. from the University of Tehran and pediatrics degrees from Johns Hopkins University, in 1971 and 1974, respectively. Velayati served for two terms as minister of foreign affairs from 1981 to 1989. He remained in the post for two more terms under then president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani from 1989 to 1997. The Guardian Council on Tuesday qualified eight hopefuls, including Velayati, to run in the upcoming presidential race slated for June 14. A total of 686 hopefuls registered from May 7-11 for the 11th presidential election. The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election./end