Bazargan, Mehdi (1907–1995)

Iranian politician, prime minister in 1979. In 1977 he cofounded the Human Rights Association and in February 1979, following the overthrow of the government of Shapour Bakhtiar, he became Iran's first post-revolutionary prime minister, heading the Provisional Government. The moderate Bazargan faced opposition from leftists and fundamental Islamists and in November 1979 he resigned, following the hostage-taking of US diplomats in Tehran by radical Islamic students.

A devout Muslim, he had served as a deputy minister 1951–53 under Muhammad Mossadeq and in 1961 cofounded the Freedom Movement of Iran. During the regime of Shah Reza Pahlavi, from 1953, Bazargan became a leader of the opposition to the shah's authoritarian rule and was imprisoned several times.

Following his resignation, he became a critic of the Islamic Revolution's excesses and of corruption, founding, in 1987, the Association for Defence of the Freedom and Sovereignty of the Iranian Nation. Bazargan opposed the 1980–88 war with Iraq and faced harassment from militants within the regime, but escaped arrest.