January 10-2014
. . . thinker
Foreign Policy magazine has named President Rohani one of the 134 leading global thinkers in the world for 2013.
Rohani was the only Iranian on the list. Rohani was the 18th person on the list, which is based on reader ballots.
No Iranian appeared on the lists in 2012 and 2011. In 2010, the magazine listed Abdulkarim Soroush, one of the philosophers of the revolution who has been driven into exile for questioning what has become of the revolution, in 40th place with Mehdi Karrubi, another cleric and 2009 failed presidential candidate, in 41st place.
In 2009, the magazine listed Soroush in 45th place, and Zahra Rahnavard, wife of failed 2009 presidential candidate Mir-Hossain Musavi, in third place. Many people asked how Rahnavard could rank so high in 2009 and disappear from the list thereafter.
The list is called the 100 leading global thinkers, but because some people are chosen in pairs or trios, there are actually 134 people on the list this year.
The brief write-up on Rohani did not make clear why he was chosen. It described his diplomatic foray at the UN to try to resolve the nuclear dispute.
The write-up concluded that many people doubt Rohani’s authority. “After all, Rohani still answers to the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenehi,” the magazine said. “Nonetheless, Rohani’s early charm offensive with the United States is a promising sign. And in a relationship that hasn’t shown promise in decades, that’s saying something.”
Meanwhile, Forbes has produced its annual list of the world’s billionaires. This year, it tracked down 1,426 people in the wealthy stratosphere. The only Iranian worth more than $4 billion is Pierre Omidyar, who was ranked 123rd wealthiest in the world with $8.7 billion.
