Mohammad-Javad Larijani

Mohammad-Javad Larijani
Larijani in 2023
International Deputy for Chief Justice Secretary of High Council for Human Rights
In office 27 July 2004 – 29 December 2019
Appointed by	Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Ali Bagheri
Member of the Parliament of Iran
In office 28 May 1992 – 28 May 2000
Constituency	Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr
Personal details
Born	1951 (age 73–74) Najaf, Kingdom of Iraq
Relatives	Abdollah Javadi-Amoli (uncle) Ahmad Tavakoli (cousin) Fazel Larijani (brother) Ali Larijani (brother) Sadeq Larijani (brother) Bagher Larijani (brother)
Alma mater	UC Berkeley Sharif University of Technology

Mohammad-Javad Ardeshir Larijani (Persian: محمدجواد لاریجانی; born 1951 (1951)) is an Iranian conservative politician and former diplomat. He is currently a top adviser to the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in foreign affairs and secretary of High Council for Human rights, Judiciary of Islamic Republic of Iran.^[1]

He has been a key planner of Iran's foreign policy, and led the ceasefire negotiations after Iran–Iraq War.

Mohammad Javad Larijani was born to Iranian parents and is a brother of Ali Larijani, former chairman of the Parliament and Sadegh Larijani, former chief justice.^[2] Larijani is a cousin of Ahmad Tavakkoli, who is the current director of Majlis Research Center.

Larijani, raised in a religious family, graduated from a hawza before starting his higher education in electrical engineering in Aryamehr University, wearing the uniform for the full four years. He later continued his studies outside Iran, and began to study in the PhD program in mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley.^[3] However, he did not complete his studies at Berkeley.^[4]

Larijani is one of the top advisors to the supreme leader and the head of the human rights council in the judiciary. The council rejects and condemns appointment of Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran by United Nations and strongly opposes the western countries' positions about current human rights situation in Iran. Iran has repeatedly been accused of human rights violations, most recently after the November 2019 protests. The UN Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran has expressed "The Special Rapporteur is shocked at the number of deaths, serious injuries and reports of ill-treatment of persons detained during the November 2019 protests. According to reports, detainees are being tortured or are suffering other forms of ill-treatment, sometimes to extract forced confessions. There are also reports of denials of medical treatment, including for injuries caused by the excessive use of force by the security forces, with some other detainees being held incommunicado or being subjected to enforced disappearance. He is concerned about reports that families of individuals killed by the security forces have been threatened not to speak out. He remains highly concerned about the continuing restrictions on freedom of expression."^[5] Additionally Larijani has been the director of Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics in Tehran. Previously, he was a Majlis representative and the director of Majlis Research Center. He served as deputy minister of foreign affairs in the 1980s.^[2]

In a 2010 NBC News interview, Larijani defended the arrest of Nasrin Sotoudeh, an Iranian feminist activist, and a prominent human rights lawyer. Sotoudeh was detained in September and faces trial for "collusion against national security" and "spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic.".^[6] Larijani told NBC News that Iranian authorities believed that she was engaged "in a very nasty campaign" against Iran's national security. Nasrin Sotoudeh works for Shirin Ebadi's law firm. Shirin Ebadi is the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

In November 2011, Larijani claimed that nuclear weapons violate Islam.^[7]

In response to the Mahsa Amini protests, Larijani said on Iranian broadcast Channel 3 (Iran) which has been translated by MEMRI, "[Mahsa Amini] was detained by the police, and she was in a classroom when she suddenly collapsed. The police were enforcing the limitation on public nudity. You may call it 'hijab,' modesty, or whatever, but in all countries – without exception – there are limits on public nudity."^[8]

Larijani has praised Iranian Judiciary for capital punishment of narcotic offenses. He has stated that the world should learn from Iran on this matter.^[9]

Larijani has stated on Barack Obama that "Since Obama came to office he spoke of dialogue with Iran, What has happened that this black "nigger" is talking about regime change in Iran".^[10] This racist statement was widely condemned by many Iranian politicians.^{[citation needed]}

The high council is subjected to controversy. The council has history of defending the government’s controversial human rights violating actions to outside bodies rather than improving the human rights situation.^[11] According to Fars News Agency, in the "Human Rights and the New Challenges of the Islamic World" conference, Larijani pointed out the human rights challenges raised by the UN Commission on Human Rights against Iran. He said, "The origin of these challenges has a completely legal basis and is based on the international laws that we have signed, and the violator they have named is 80% related to the way the judiciary acts..."^[12] Larijani admits that Iran’s laws do not align with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , particularly regarding religious freedom and the right to change or promote one’s religion. However Iran has its own legal and cultural framework that differs from Western or international norms. Larijani frames international criticism and sanctions not as legitimate enforcement of universal values, but as external pressure or punishment for Iran refusing to conform to those values.^[13]

"According to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to declare in private and in public that he has accepted a new religion and to propagate it, and should not be pressured for doing this. However, this is not in accordance with our laws. As a result, these countries are telling us, ‘You are not adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and you are inherently in violation.’ For this reason, they have considered punitive mechanisms, including all kinds of sanctions, for our country."^[13]

On May 2015, according to a violations report conducted by database of human rights violators in Iran Larijani stated "The field of human rights is vast, and the Human Rights Headquarters [of the Judiciary] is a governmental institution."^[14] On September 2016 he stated "The main points of attack [global objections to human rights violations in Iran] are the implementation of Sharia laws, the regime's handling of anti-revolutionary elements, the treatment of seditionists, the situation of Baha'is, the status of minorities, and finally the status of women."

The report further states that on March 2014, responding to international condemnation over the high rate of executions in Iran, Larijani argued "Unfortunately, international bodies, instead of praising Iran, have used the increase in the number of executions due to Iran's decisive action against drugs as a basis for human rights attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran." Larijani characterized the extensive execution of individuals convicted of drug trafficking as "a great service to humanity". In addition, he defended the application of Qisas, stating: "It is clear that the criticisms against Iran in the name of human rights have no human rights basis. Their main goal in criticizing executions in Iran is Qisas, while Qisas is a right of the citizens and has nothing to do with the government or the judiciary. It embodies life, and the basis of Islam in Qisas is forgiveness and pardon". ^[14]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Mohammad-Javad Larijani.

• Larijani's information page at Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics
• Charlie Rose. "Mohammad-Javad Larijani". Retrieved 2 August 2023.