In his teenage years, Rajai moved to Tehran, where he joined the Iranian Air Force. His time in the military was short-lived, as he soon turned his focus toward education. In 1959, he graduated from Tarbiat Moallem University with a degree in education, a field he was passionate about. Rajai then pursued a career as a mathematics teacher, a role that allowed him to influence the younger generation while also engaging in political activism.
Involvement in the Anti-Shah Movement
The late 1940s and 1950s were a tumultuous time in Iran, marked by widespread dissatisfaction with the rule of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. During this period, Rajai became increasingly involved in the anti-Shah movement. He aligned himself with various political groups, including the Fadayeen-e Islam, an organization dedicated to establishing an Islamic state in Iran, and Mahmoud Taleghani, a prominent cleric and revolutionary figure.
Initially, Rajai was associated with the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), a group that combined Islamic and Marxist ideologies. However, as the MEK began to embrace more left-leaning ideals, Rajai distanced himself from the organization, finding its principles increasingly incompatible with his own Islamic beliefs. In 1960, he joined the Freedom Movement of Iran, a political group that sought to achieve greater political freedom and the establishment of a democratic government within an Islamic framework.
