Hossein Fereydoun (Persian: حسین فریدون, born 1957) is an Iranian politician. Fereydoun is brother and aide to the President Hassan Rouhani, described as his “eyes and ears” in the negotiations leading to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.[1]

Hossein Fereydoun
Fereydoun in 2019
Special Aide to the President
In office
28 August 2013 – c. March 2016[1]
PresidentHassan Rouhani
Preceded byAli Akbar Mehrabian
Succeeded byVacant
Ambassador of Iran to Malaysia
In office
1989–1997
PresidentAkbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Personal details
Born1957 (age 66–67)
Sorkheh, Iran
RelationsHassan Rouhani (Brother)

Early life and education

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Born in 1957 in Sorkheh,[2] Fereydoun had a PhD in International relations from the Shahid Beheshti University.[3]

Career

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with Hossein Fereydoun, the brother of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif

He was responsible for the Ayatollah Khomeini's security when he returned to Iran in 1979. He served as the district governor of Karaj and Nishapur. Fereydoun was later appointed as Iran's ambassador to Malaysia and held the office for eight years, before joining Iran's delegation to the United Nations.[4]

Fereydoun is associated with the Moderation and Development Party.[5]

Corruption case

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On 15 July 2017, Fereydoun was arrested for questioning in connection with a corruption probe. He was released 2 days later and reported to pay as much as 500 billion rials (US$15.3 million) for his release.[6] In 2019, he was sentenced to five years in prison.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Did Iran's president sideline his own brother?", Al-Monitor, 27 May 2016, retrieved 11 December 2016
  2. ^ "Tiết lộ bất ngờ về em trai tù tội của Tổng thống Iran" [Unexpected revelation about the prisoner brother of the President of Iran]. baomoi.com (in Vietnamese). 10 March 2019.
  3. ^ "All Rumors about Hassan Rouhani's Recently Arrested Brother Hossein Fereidoun". Iranian Diplomacy. 17 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Iran's Leaders Rail Against The West — And Then Send Their Children To Study And Work There". Business Insider. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  5. ^ Ali Afshari (8 April 2014), "Internal rivalries hinder Rouhani's reform efforts", Al-Monitor, retrieved 11 December 2016
  6. ^ "Iranian President Rouhani's brother 'released on bail'". BBC News. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Iran court sentences brother of president Rouhani to five years in prison". Reuters. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2020.