The question of Bazargan’s replacement resulted in a long standoff between President Abolhassan Banisadr—who was supposed to appoint the new prime minister—and the socially conservative and pro-clerical Islamic Republic Party (IRP), which repeatedly opposed his choices in parliament. Khomeini eventually intervened, forcing Banisadr to appoint Rajai, who was a loyal IRP supporter, as well as a leading figure in the fiercely anti-imperialistic “Islamic left.” As prime minister, Rajai argued the need for a state-led economy and worked impose an Islamist ideology on Iranian education, banning the teaching of English and closing Iran’s universities to prevent them from becoming centers of opposition to the new regime.
