President Mohammad-Ali Rajai; From Sarvan and Zabul to New York

In August 1980, the Majles (parliament) elected Rajaʾi the Islamic Republic’s second prime minister, a post that had been vacant for some nine months following the resignation of Mehdi Bazargan—the three candidates previously proposed by President Abolhasan Bani-Sadr having been rejected by the IRP. Bani-Sadr did not think Rajaʾi suitable for the office. The two men soon came into conflict over Rajaʾi’s choice of cabinet, and only two-thirds of his original nominees were approved by the Majles in September.