Hujjat al-Islam[1][2]
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
غلامحسین محسنی اژه‌ای
Mohseni-Eje'i in 2023
Chief Justice of Iran
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 July 2021
Appointed by Ali Khamenei
Preceded by Ebrahim Raisi
Member of the Interim Leadership Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 March 2026
Serving with Masoud Pezeshkian and Alireza Arafi
Preceded by Ali Khamenei (as Supreme Leader)
First Deputy to the Chief Justice of Iran
In office
23 August 2014 – 1 July 2021
Appointed by Sadeq Larijani
Preceded by Ebrahim Raisi
Succeeded by Mohammad Mosaddegh Kahnamouei
Spokesman of Judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran
In office
16 September 2010[3] – 8 April 2019
Appointed by Sadeq Larijani
Preceded by Alireza Jamshidi
Succeeded by Gholam-Hossein Esmaeili
Prosecutor-General of Iran
In office
24 August 2009 – 23 August 2014
Appointed by Sadeq Larijani
Preceded by Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi
Succeeded by Ebrahim Raisi
6th Minister of Intelligence
In office
24 August 2005 – 23 July 2009
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Preceded by Ali Younesi
Succeeded by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Acting)[4]
Personal details
Born (1956-09-29) 29 September 1956 (age 69)
Ezhiyeh, Isfahan province, Iran
Alma mater Haghani Seminary

Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i (Persian: غلامحسین محسنی اژه‌ای, romanized: Ğolām-Hoseyn Mohseni Eže'i, Persian pronunciation: [ɢolɒːmhoˈsejn mohseˈniː eʒeˈjiː]; born 29 September 1956) is an Iranian politician and Islamic jurist who has served as Chief Justice of Iran since 2021.

He was the Iranian minister of intelligence from 2005 to July 2009, when he was abruptly dismissed. He also held a number of other governmental posts since 1984.

As judiciary chief, Mohseni-Eje'i played a central role in suppressing the 2025–2026 protests in Iran, directing prosecutors to show "no leniency" toward demonstrators, leading to swift executions, widespread use of capital punishment, and the denial of due process, legal counsel, and fair trials for many, particularly young adults.[5]

Mohseni-Eje'i is expected to serve on the interim Leadership Council, along with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Alireza Arafi, following the assassination of Ali Khamenei.[6]

He was sanctioned by the U.S. State Department and the European Union in 2011 for his role in repressing the 2009 post-election protests, with the E.U. accusing him of overseeing "the detention and torture of, and the extraction of false confessions under pressure from, hundreds of activists, journalists, dissidents and reformist politicians".[7][8]

Early life and education

Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i was born in Ezhiyeh, Isfahan province, Imperial State of Iran, in 1956.[9] He is a graduate of the Haqqani school in Qom[10] and one of his teachers was Mesbah Yazdi.[11][12] He also received a master's degree in international law from the Haqqani school.[13]

Career

From 1984 to 1985, Mohseni-Eje'i served as head of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence's Select Committee. From 1986 to 1988, he was the Representative of the Iranian Head of Judiciary to the Ministry of Intelligence. From 1989 to 1990, he served as head of the Prosecutor's Office for economic affairs.

From 1991 to 1994, he held the post of Representative of the Head of Judiciary to the Ministry of Intelligence. From 1995 to 1997, he was the Prosecutor of the Special Clerical Court. He was appointed Iranian Minister of Intelligence on 24 August 2005 after securing 217 votes in his favor at the Majlis of Iran.[14]

He was in office until 26 July 2009, when he was abruptly dismissed.[11] No reason was given for his dismissal.[15] It was thought by some to be connected to his opposition to the appointment of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei as first vice-president.[11]

As a spokesman for the judiciary, he has also been a spokesman to the media and journalists.[16]

Mohseni-Eje'i is expected to serve on the interim Leadership Council, along with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Alireza Arafi, following the Assassination of Ali Khamenei.[6]

Prosecutor general

Shortly after his dismissal, on 24 August 2009, he was appointed Prosecutor-General of Iran by the Head of Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani,[17][18] replacing Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi.[18]

Special Clerical Court

In 1998, with the ruling of Seyyed Ali Khamenei, ⁣[19] he succeeded Mohammad Reyshahri, who held the position of Attorney General of the Special Clerical Court. He has also been the Special Prosecutor for the Clergy for two years.

One notable incident during his tenure at Special Clergy court was him having a fight with Isa Saharkhiz, and biting him.[20]

Teaching

Mohseni Ejei has taught in the Baqer al-Uloom College of the Ministry of Intelligence, in the educational department of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, as well as the Faculty of Judicial Sciences.[21]

Interim Leadership Council

On 1 March 2026, Mohseni Ejei was appointed as a member of the Interim Leadership Council which would take over Khamenei's responsibiliteis, in addition to his position in Assembly of Experts, who will appoint the successor to Khamenei,[22] and his candidacy to be that successor.[23]

Activities and views

In 2000, Eje'i was named by journalist Akbar Ganji as having personally ordered the killing of Pirouz Davani, one of the 80+ Iranian intellectuals murdered in the Chain murders of Iran.[24]

On 15 July 2009, Mohseni-Eje'i told reporters that his ministry might publicize confessions made by people held for weeks without access to their lawyers. He said, "The confessions obtained from those arrested could be made public, should the Judiciary decide to air their remarks." Human rights activists raised concerns that "these so-called confessions are obtained under duress."[25]

After his dismissal, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad praised Mohsen-Eje'i as a good human being, but said his removal was necessary as the ministry needed huge changes to cope with the situation. He further said if the ministry had done its job properly, there would not have been post-election bloody riots in which some people died, but he stopped short of criticizing Mohseni-Eje'i as responsible for them.[26]

According to Stratfor, Mohseni-Eje'i is a principlist affiliated with hardline cleric Mohammad Yazdi.[27]

Mohsen-Eje'i has indicated he would welcome alternative punishments to the death penalty for some drug traffickers, if these alternatives proposed by teachers were more effective punishments than the death penalty. However, he stated that, so far, critics of the death penalty in Iran have not offered alternatives that would deal effectively with Iran's drug gangs.[28]

Role in the Suppression of Iranian Protests (2025–2026)

Mohseni-Eje'i played a key role in suppressing the 2025–2026 protests in Iran. As judiciary chief, he directed prosecutors to show "no leniency" toward demonstrators, resulting in the swift execution of dozens of protesters. Under his leadership, Iran became one of the top nations in capital punishment, with many death sentences handed down within days of arrest on charges like "moharebeh" (waging war against God) and "corruption on earth." Many of those executed were young adults, often denied due process and legal counsel, with confessions extracted under duress.[5][29]

Sanctions

He is known for his harsh sentencing and has been sanctioned by Canada, the U.S., Switzerland, the European Union and others for Human Rights abuses.[30] Mohseni-Eje'i was among several Iranian officials who were sanctioned in 2011 by the United States Department of State and the European Union for his role in suppressing the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests.[31] The E.U. accused him, stating that "While he was Intelligence Minister during the 2009 elections, intelligence agents under his command were responsible for the detention and torture of, and the extraction of false confessions under pressure from, hundreds of activists, journalists, dissidents and reformist politicians. In addition, political figures were coerced into making false confessions under unbearable interrogation, which included torture, abuse, blackmail and the threatening of family members".[7][8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "درباره حجت الاسلام محسني اژه اي چه مي دانيم؟/دانشنامه". yjc.ir. Young Journalists Club. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  2. ^ "محسنی اژه ای در حالی می گوید مرا آیت الله نخوانید که بعضی افراد از رسانه ها می خواهند به آنها آیت الله بگویند". khabaronline.ir. Khabaronline News Agancy. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. ^ "انتصاب محسنی اژه‌ای به عنوان سخنگوی قوه‌قضائیه". Donya-e Eqtesad. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  4. ^ Abbas Milani (3 August 2009). "Inside The Civil War That's Threatening The Iranian Regime". New Republic. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Who is Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the 'death sentence-happy' Iranian chief justice who Israel claims to have killed?". Wion. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  6. ^ a b Reals, Tucker (1 March 2026). "Iran names three men for interim Leadership Council to pick next supreme leader". CBS News. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  7. ^ a b Jeyaretnam, Miranda; Guzman, Chad de (2 March 2026). "After Khamenei, Who Could Lead Iran Next?". TIME. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  8. ^ a b eur-lex.europa.eu https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L:2022:114:FULL. Retrieved 2 March 2026. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ "Iran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presented his cabinet". Caucaz Europenews. 14 August 2005. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  10. ^ Shmuel Bar; Shmuel Bacher; Rachel Machtiger (January 2008). "Iranian nuclear decision making under Ahmedinejad" (PDF). Lauder School of Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  11. ^ a b c Sahimi, Muhammad (26 July 2009). "Ahmadinejad Sacks Ministers; Mashaei to Remain Close". PBS. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  12. ^ David E. Thaler; Alireza Nader; Shahram Chubin; Jerrold D. Green; Charlotte Lynch; Frederic Wehrey (2010). "Factionalism and the Primacy of Informal Networks". Mullahs, Guards, and Bonyads (PDF). Santa Monica: RAND Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  13. ^ Yonah Alexander; Milton M. Hoenig (2008). The New Iranian Leadership: Ahmadinejad, Terrorism, Nuclear Ambition, and the Middle East. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-275-99639-0. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  14. ^ "Iran: 17 proposed ministers receive votes of confidence, 4 rejected". Payvand. 25 August 2005. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  15. ^ "Iran intelligence minister sacked". BBC News. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  16. ^ What do we know about Hojjatoleslam Mohseni Ejei? / Encyclopedia YJC
  17. ^ Iran's sacked minister appointed as prosecutor general english.people.com.cn 25 August 2009
  18. ^ a b "Iran's sacked minister named top prosecutor". Al Arabiya. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  19. ^ Appointment of Mr. Mohseni Ejei as the Prosecutor of the Special Clerical Court khamenei.ir
  20. ^ "BBC Persian". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  21. ^ محسنی اژه‌ای[permanent dead link] تابناک (وبگاه)، دریافت شده در ۱۰ خرداد ۱۴۰۰
  22. ^ "Who are the three men on Iran's interim leadership council?". The Globe and Mail. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  23. ^ Jeyaretnam, Miranda; Guzman, Chad de (2 March 2026). "After Khamenei, Who Could Lead Iran Next?". TIME. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  24. ^ "Iranian journalist names names". BBC. 30 November 2000. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Iran: Stop 'Framing' Government Critics". Human Rights Watch. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  26. ^ "فارسی – ايران – احمدی نژاد تغییر وزیر اطلاعات را به ناآرامی ها ارتباط داد". BBC. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  27. ^ "Crisis as opportunity for the IRGC". Stratfor. 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 5 August 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  28. ^ "حقوق ماهانه 40 میلیونی برای 50 نفر از مدیران یک وزارت خانه" [The monthly salary is 40 million for 50 members of Ministry]. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News (in Persian). 22 June 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  29. ^ "EXPLAINER - Who are candidates for Iran's next supreme leader?". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  30. ^ "Who are the three men on Iran's interim leadership council?". The Globe and Mail. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  31. ^ Iran names hardline cleric as top judge amid calls for probe aljazeera.com, accessed 28 November 2021
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