Esmaeil Khatib
{{Short description|Iranian cleric and politician (born 1961)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Ashtiani-Khatib-Rahimi 2024 (cropped) 2.jpg
| caption = Khatib in 2024
| office = Minister of Intelligence
| term_start = 25 August 2021
| term_end =
| president = Ebrahim Raisi
Mohammad Mokhber (acting)
Masoud Pezeshkian
| predecessor = Mahmoud Alavi
| successor =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1961}}
| birth_place = Qaen, South Khorasan, Imperial State of Iran
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party =
| spouse =
| occupation = Cleric
| alma_mater =
| native_name_lang = fa
| native_name = {{nobold|اسماعیل خطیب}}
}}
Esmaeil Khatib (born 1961) is an Iranian cleric and politician who has been serving as the minister of intelligence since August 2021. He is the eighth official to hold the post.
Early life and education
Khatib was born in Qaen, South Khorasan, in 1961.{{cite news|author=Shahriar Kia|title=Who is Esmail Khatib, Iran's Minister of Intelligence (MOIS)|url=https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/terrorism-a-fundamentalism/who-is-esmail-khatib-irans-minister-of-intelligence-mois/|access-date=28 January 2022|work=NCRI|date=22 September 2021}}{{cite news|author=Jazeh Miller|title=Iran: Raisi's Weak Cabinet, but Specialized in Repression|work=Iran News Update
|url=https://irannewsupdate.com/news/infightings/iran-raisis-weak-cabinet-but-specialized-in-repression/|access-date=28 January 2022|date=13 August 2021}} He studied Islamic jurisprudence in Qom. He was a pupil of leading figures such as Ali Khamenei, Mohammad Fazel Lankarani, Naser Makarem Shirazi and Mojtaba Tehrani.
Career
Khatib has the title of Hujjat al-Islam, meaning proof of Islam in English.{{cite news|title=Esmail Khatib: Islamic Republic of Iran Minister of Intelligence|work=United against Nuclear Iran|url=https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/esmail-khatib-islamic-republic-of-iran-minister-of-intelligence|access-date=28 January 2022}} Previous posts of Khatib included the head of the Information Protection Center of the Judiciary and head of Astan Quds Razavi Security. He also worked in the Office of the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, as Iran's chief warden, and in the intelligence department of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as well as in the Ministry of Intelligence.
In 1985 Khatib was assigned to the intelligence unit of the IRGC by Mohsen Rezaei who was the first commander-in-chief of the corps. Khatib was in the post until 1991. During the tenure of the Minister of Intelligence Ali Fallahian Khatib was appointed head of the ministry's regional branch in Qom in 1999. Khatib was appointed chief warden in the Office of Supreme Leader in 2010.
Khatib was nominated as the minister of intelligence to the cabinet of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and was confirmed by the Majlis on 25 August 2021.{{cite journal|author1=Ardavan Khoshnood|author2=Erfan Fard
|title=Meet Esmaeil Khatib, Iran's New Spymaster|url=https://besacenter.org/esmaeil-khatib-iran-intelligence/|journal=Besa Center Perspectives
|date=17 September 2021|issue=2154}} He received 222 votes in favor.{{cite news|title=Majlis votes for 18 proposed ministers, rejects education minister nominee|url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/464333/Majlis-votes-for-18-proposed-ministers-rejects-education-minister|access-date=29 January 2022|work=Tehran Times|date=25 August 2021}} Khatib replaced Mahmoud Alavi in the post.
During the summer of 2023, senior security and intelligence officials, including Khatib, met in Mashhad to create a coordinated strategy to counter the "coherent and extensive" planning by the West to undermine national stability and purpose.{{cite web|author=Golnaz Esfandiari| title=Senior Iranian Officials Discussed Common Strategy To Counter Alleged Plots By 'Enemies'|website=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|date=23 June 2023|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-officials-common-strategy-enemies-plots/32472873.html|access-date=3 January 2024}}
=Views=
Khatib is one of the close allies of Ali Khamenei and was also a supporter of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. He has close connections with other significant religious figures in Iran most of whom are his teachers.
References
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External links
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Category:21st-century Iranian politicians
Category:Ministers of intelligence of Iran
Category:People from South Khorasan province
Category:Iranian individuals subject to U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions