Hussain al-Shahristani

Hussein al-Shahrastani

Husain asch-Shahristani (also Hussein , Arabic حسين الشهرستاني, DMG Ḥusain aš-Šahristānī ; * 1942 in Karbala ) is an Iraqi politician and nuclear scientist.

asch-Schahristani is a nuclear physicist by profession; he received his doctorate in 1969 from the University of Toronto and then held a leading position in the Iraqi Commission for Atomic Energy until 1979 . From 1979 he was incarcerated in Abu Ghuraib prison for ten years because he refused to participate in a planned Iraqi nuclear arsenal .

In 2004, the United Nations favored the Shi'a al-Shahristani as Prime Minister for the Iraqi interim government , but he was ultimately defeated by Iyad Allawi .

For the election on January 30, 2005 , asch-Shahristani joined the predominantly Shiite party alliance United Iraqi Alliance as an independent candidate , which clearly emerged victorious with 48.2% of the votes. He was allegedly placed in a high position on the candidate list on the instructions of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani .

In the new Iraqi government , Husain al-Shahristani, like the Kurd Arif Taifur, is Vice- President of Parliament and thus the deputy of the Sunni President of Parliament, Hajim al-Hasani .

According to his own statements, al-Shahristani is a confidante of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, but he represents somewhat more secular views.