Amir Kabir

Who was Amir Kabir?

Mirza Taghi Khan Farahani known as Amir Kabir, also known by the titles of Atabak and Amir-e Nezam; chief minister to Naser al-Din Shah Qajar for the first three years of his reign and one of the most capable and innovative figures to appear in the whole Qajar period. Amir Kabir served as Prime Minister of Persia under Naser al-Din Shah. Born in Hezaveh, a county of Arak and put to death in 1852, he is a controversial historical figure. He is considered by some to be "widely respected by liberal nationalist Iranians" as "Iran's first reformer", a modernizer who was "unjustly struck down" attempted to bring "gradual reform" to Iran. As prime-minister he also ordered the killing of many Babis, and ordering the execution of the founder of the movement, the Báb.