Ali Reza Nobari

Ali Reza Nobari is the former Governor of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Bank Markazi Iran). At the time of his appointment, he was the youngest person, at thirty two years old, to ever have served as a central banker. Ali Reza held graduate degrees from Ecole Polytechnique and Stanford in mathematics, physics, economics and operations research. He was also the first person from Iran in thirty five years to receive a full scholarship to Ecole Polytechnique which was granted after he received the highest score in the country on his high school comprehensive exams.

He was appointed to the position of Governor of the Central Bank by newly elected President Abolhassan Banisadr in late 1979 and served as Iran's Central Banker until he was forcibly ousted in the coup of June of 1981 (which also ousted President Banisadr and other members of Banisadr's government).

Ali Reza Nobari served as Iran's Central Banker during the Iran Hostage Crisis. And during that time, he appeared on American television including Nightline with Ted Koppel. He worked tirelessly to unfreeze Iran's funds and bring about a speedy release of US hostages. His position was supported by then President Banisadr but opposed by others close to Khomeini.