Historic Appointment: Mohammad Reza Aref Named First Deputy of Iran’s 14th Government

Born in 1951 in Yazd, Mohammad Reza Aref comes from a religious family. His father, Haj Mirza Ahmad Aref, was a notable figure in Yazd’s bazaar. Aref showed early promise in mathematics, mastering calculus at a young age and achieving top positions in national mathematics competitions. He studied electrical engineering at the technical faculty of Tehran University, where he was active in religious meetings and was even arrested by SAVAK in 1975. Aref graduated with an average of 3.91 out of 4 and then went to America on a scholarship from Isfahan University of Technology. He obtained his master’s and doctorate degrees in telecommunication electricity from Stanford University under the supervision of Thomas M. Cover.

Aref’s wife, Hamida Morouj, born in 1956 in Yazd, is a dermatologist and hair specialist. She was active in the Islamic Student Association in Shiraz before the revolution. The couple, who registered together for the Iranian presidential election in 2012, have three sons. In July 2016, their son Hamidreza’s comments on university education and genetics sparked widespread discussion on social media. He emphasized the importance of talent and heredity, noting that both his parents excelled academically, which contributed to his and his brothers’ success in their studies. Hamidreza studied at Sharif University of Technology and later pursued a doctorate in international relations at the University of Florida, highlighting that in the U.S., admissions are based on merit rather than familial connections.