Abbas Vaez Tabasi, Ali Khamenei's representative in the provinces of Khorasan Razavi, North Khorasan, and South Khorasan, died early Friday morning at Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad. He was one of the most influential clerics close to the Iranian government.
Abbas Vaez Tabasi was transferred to Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad on Friday evening, March 27, due to respiratory problems, and was treated, dying a week later. Tabasi’s transfer to the hospital occurred on the same day as the elections for the 10th Majlis and the Assembly of Experts, and made headlines. The Jahan News website reported on the same day, March 27, that Ayatollah Vaez Tabasi had been transferred to the hospital on Friday evening due to respiratory problems and had passed away. However, this news was immediately denied by Iranian authorities.
A day after the cleric was transferred to the hospital, Dr. Seyed Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi, Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, visited Vaez Tabasi at Mashhad Hospital. IRNA reported that the Minister of Health said: “His physical condition is not good and he is in a coma, but the medical team has made every effort.”
Iranian newspapers reported on election day that Mr. Vaez Tabasi had participated in the vote in a wheelchair.
A summary of the biography of Vaez Tabasi: From high school to seminary
Vaez Tabasi was born in 1935 into a religious family in Mashhad. He lost his father when he was one year old and spent his childhood under the care of his mother. Iranian media reports state that this cleric was interested in seminaries and attended religious meetings of religious scholars from his childhood and adolescence.
Despite these interests, he continued his education in elementary and high school “due to the circumstances and requirements of the time.” At the age of 16, Vaez Tabasi continued his religious education under the supervision of religious scholars such as Adib Neyshaburi, Hajj Seyyed Ahmad Modarres Yazdi, Hajj Sheikh Mujtaba Qazvini, and Milani.
Political activities of Vaez Tabasi
IRNA, in describing the political life of this cleric, writes that “he expressed his anger and resentment in various ways, with a deep sense of hatred for the Pahlavi regime.” Because of these speeches, Vaez Tabasi was banned from the pulpit and imprisoned. After the Bahman Revolution of 1979, he was appointed as Ayatollah Khomeini’s representative in Greater Khorasan and the guardian of the Astan Quds Razavi, and after Khomeini’s death, this decision was confirmed by Khamenei. Abbas Vaez Tabasi also had friendly and close relations with Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
Ayatollah Vaez Tabasi was also the head of the Khorasan Seminary. In addition, he was a member of institutions such as the Expediency Discernment Council and the third term of the Assembly of Experts.
According to Tasnim News Agency, Vaez Tabasi has taught logic, principles, landmarks, laws, treatises, and kifayah for about 30 years.
Ayatollah Abbas Vaez Tabasi died at 2 a.m. on Friday, March 4, at the age of 80, after a week of treatment at Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad.
