Abbas Vaez Tabasi, Custodian of the Astan Quds Razavi, Passes Away

Abbas Vaez Tabasi, the representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic in Khorasan and the custodian of the Astan Quds Razavi, passed away early on Friday, March 4. Abbas Vaez Tabasi had experienced respiratory issues at home after participating in elections on Friday, March 7, and was subsequently transferred to the hospital. After being hospitalized, he fell into a coma. His attending physician stated: "His brain function was unpredictable, and he is in a coma, making it difficult for his brain function to return to normal." Abbas Vaez Tabasi was born in 1935 in Mashhad and served as the representative of the Supreme Leader in Khorasan. He also held the position of custodian of the Astan Quds Razavi, which manages the endowments of the eighth Imam of Shia Islam. This institution is considered one of the wealthiest economic entities in Iran. Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, appointed Abbas Vaez Tabasi as the custodian of the Astan Quds Razavi in April 1980, a position he held until his death. Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, appointed him as the "Representative of the Supreme Leader in Khorasan" in September 1989. Abbas Vaez Tabasi also served as a representative of Khorasan in all four previous sessions of the Assembly of Experts. He did not run for the fifth Assembly due to health issues.