# Government of Ali Amini

Ali Amini was appointed to rule by decree as the Prime Minister of Iran on 5 May 1961, succeeding Jafar Sharif-Emami. His cabinet was approved on 9 May 1961.
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was not enthusiastic about appointing Ali Amini as prime minister. In addition, the Kennedy administration established a task force, the Iran Task Force, to support the cabinet of Amini which was regarded by the Shah as a move to reduce his power and authority.

## Composition

Though Amini was considered a "maverick aristocrat" and "too independent of the personal control of the monarch", appointment of ministers of foreign affairs, war, the interior was made at the behest of the Shah. All of the three portfolios, plus agriculture ministry were left unchanged in the next administration under Asadollah Alam.
Most controversially, Amini gave three ministries to "middle-class reformers who had in the past criticized the political influence of the shah as well as the corrupt practices of the landed families". The three portfolios were justice, agriculture and education ministries. Noureddin Alamouti, an ex-member of the Tudeh Party who later entered the inner circle of Ahmad Qavam was appointed as the justice minister while agriculture ministry went to Hassan Arsanjani who was a radical and another protege of Qavam. Muhammad Derekhshesh who was as a leader of teacher's trade union drew support from both the Tudeh and the National Front, became the education minister. Moreover, he included Gholam-Ali Farivar as the industry minister in his cabinet, who was a former leader of the Iran Party (a party affiliated with the National Front).

## Cabinet

Members of Amini's cabinet were as follows:
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party |
| Prime Minister | Ali Amini | 5 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Foreign Minister | Hossein Ghods-Nakhai | 9 May 1961 | 1 April 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Foreign Minister | Abbas Aram | 1 April 1962 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Interior Minister | Sadegh Amirazizi | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Military |
| Agriculture Minister | Hasan Arsanjani | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Culture Minister | Mohammad Derakhshesh | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Commerce Minister | Ali-Asghar Pourhomayoun(head of ministry) | 9 May 1961 | 1 July 1961 | People's Party |
| Commerce Minister | Jahangir Amouzegar | 1 July 1961 | 28 May 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Finance Minister | Abdolhossein Behnia | 9 May 1961 | 17 February 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Finance Minister | Mohammad-Ali Hanjani(head of ministry) | 17 February 1962 | 28 May 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Finance Minister | Jahangir Amouzegar | 28 May 1962 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Justice Minister | Noureddin Alamouti | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | People's Party |
| Labor Minister | Ataollah Khosravani | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Post & Telegraph Minister | Houshang Samii | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Nationalists |
| Public Health Minister | Ismail Riahi | 3 June 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Military |
| Roads Minister | Jamal Ganji | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | People's Party |
| Mine & Industry Minister | Gholam-Ali Farivar | 9 May 1961 | 31 December 1961 | Nonpartisan |
| Mine & Industry Minister | Taqi Sarlak | 31 December 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| War Minister | Ali-Asghar Naghdi | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Military |
| Minister without portfolio | Hadi Ashtari | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |
| Minister without portfolio | Ali-Asghar Pourhomayoun | 9 May 1961 | 19 July 1962 | People's Party |
| Minister without portfolio | Mohsen Sadr | 28 May 1962 | 19 July 1962 | Nonpartisan |