Astan Quds Razavi
Astan Quds Razavi (Persian: آستان قدس رضوی, romanized: Āstān-e Qods-e Razavi) is a bonyad based at Mashhad, Iran. It is the administrative organization which manages the Imam Reza shrine and various institutions which belong to the organization.
Native name
آستان قدس رضوی
April 11, 1510
Ahmad Marvi (Custodian and Chairman of the supervisory board)
Mostafa Feyzi (Deputy of Custodian)
The administrative apparatus of Astan Quds Razavi is considered the longest-lasting organization since the martyrdom of Imam Reza about 1200 years ago.[1] The main resource of the institution is endowments.[2] The Astan Quds Razavi is a major player in the economy of the city of Mashhad.[3] The organization by order of Ruhollah Khomeini was tax exempt for 35 years until 2019.[4][5]
Current situation[edit]
Since the revolution, the Astan-e-Qods the bonyad has grown from a "modest concern" into a conglomerate employing 19,000 people[3] and running "auto plants, agricultural businesses, and many other enterprises"[2]
The land occupied by the shrine has grown fourfold since 1979, according to the head of the foundation's international relations department. The foundation owns most of the real estate in Mashhad and rents out shop space to bazaars and hoteliers.[3]
According to journalist Christopher de Bellaigue, "when asked to identify the most important man in the city, Mashhadis do not name the mayor but rather" the head of Astan-e-Qods.[3]
Ayatollah Abbas Vaez-Tabasi had been the head of Astan-e-Qods from the revolution until his death in 2016.[3]
Ebrahim Raisi succeeded him in March 2016 and held office until April 2019.[6] Finally, the supreme leader of Iran, Seyyed Ali Khamenei appointed Ahmad Marvi as the new chief of this Bonyad instead of Ebrahim Raisi;[7] and Raisi became the Chief Justice of Iran.[8]