Upon returning to Iran, Tavakoli joined the faculty of Shahid Beheshti University, where he served as an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science. He retired from academic life in 2013.
Early Revolutionary Roles and Government Service Tavakoli’s public service began in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In his hometown of Behshahr, he held multiple judicial and executive roles: head of city police, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Committee, deputy prosecutor, and revolutionary prosecutor. During this time, Behshahr became known for its strict enforcement of Islamic legal codes, including the implementation of qisas (retaliatory justice) and the amputation of thieves’ hands.
Tavakoli was appointed as Minister of Labor and served as the spokesperson in Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi’s cabinet. He eventually resigned from this position, citing differences in policy direction, and turned his attention to journalism.
