Empowering the President’s Wife: 7 Dynamic Legacies and Charitable Endeavors

Ateghe Sediqi: A Political Journey

Ateghe Sediqi, a politician and human rights activist, was the wife of former Iranian President Mohammad-Ali Rajai. Engaged in activities against the Pahlavi regime, she played a crucial role in establishing Refah School and managed the school after her husband entered politics. After Rajai’s assassination in 1981, Sediqi continued her political journey, winning elections and serving in the Iranian Parliament until 1992.

Born Pouran Rajai in 1943, Ateghe Sediqi played a significant role during the Iranian Revolution. Renaming herself in 1975 due to her activities during this transformative period, she actively accompanied her husband in activities against the Pahlavi regime. Sediqi was instrumental in establishing Refah School and managed it after her husband entered politics. Her involvement extended to welcoming Ruhollah Khomeini back to Iran from exile in 1979.

Following the tragic assassination of her husband, Mohammad-Ali Rajai, in a bombing in 1981, Sediqi took on an active political role. She was elected to the parliamentary seat of Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat, and Eslamshahr district in a by-election held on October 2, 1981, with an impressive 1,842,746 votes. Re-elected in the 1984 and 1988 elections, her political journey was not without challenges. Unfortunately, her nomination for the 1992 election was rejected by the Guardian Council. Despite this setback, she remained an influential figure, supporting Mir-Hossein Mousavi in the 2009 presidential election before retiring from politics.

December 12, 2023 | 9:20 pm