Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was a great treasure for the Islamic Republic.

Navigating the country through the stormy years of the Islamic Revolution was a very difficult task which had to be handled by Rafsanjani and some other senior officials of the time. 

The handling of the affairs at that time was extremely difficult as the country had to deal with separatist movements, terrorist activities and a sudden and insane war against Iran by Iraq in the 1980.

However his wise advices and important decisions during hard times earned Rafsanjani the title of “the man of all seasons”.

Also, his circumspect views made him an internationally famous figure. Rafsanjani’s statement in 2002 that likened George W. Bush to a dinosaur with the brain of a sparrow will be remembered in history. Probably Rafsanjani was predicting that Bush, through his reckless unilateral approaches, which one of them was manifested in the war on Iraq, was giving gifts to extremists.

As an influential, moderate, and intelligent politician, respected at home and abroad, Rafsanjani’s domain of activities was inclusive. For example when he was president from 1989 to 1997 his cabinet included moderate figures from both conservative and reformist camps.

It took some years that a segment of the society and some political activists and groups to realize the grandeur and maturity of Rafsanjani.

Rafsanjani’s major concerns were national unity and social and economic development.

He also pushed for unity among regional countries and constantly advised against extremism and that is why he was recognized as a unifying figure in the Islamic world. Bakir Izetbegovic, the president of Bosnia and Herzegovina who visited Iran last October, called Rafsanjani “champion of peace in the Islamic world”.

PA/AK