SAEDNEWS: A newly released photograph offers a rare glimpse into the unadorned interior of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani’s preserved residence, now open as a museum.
According to Saed News, visitors to the Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani House‑Museum in Tehran are struck immediately by the deliberate simplicity of the décor. Plain wooden shelving lines the walls, bearing only a handful of personal mementos and a modest selection of religious texts. A single Persian rug, subdued in hue, covers the floor, while light filters softly through unembellished linen curtains.
The room’s centerpiece is an unassuming low table, surrounded by simple cushions rather than ornate chairs—a nod to Rafsanjani’s famed humility. Family photographs rest in unframed mounts, and a single vase of seasonal flowers provides the sole touch of natural colour. Visitors note the absence of gilded frames, crystal chandeliers, or any sign of extravagance commonly associated with Iran’s political elite.
Curators explain that each element was preserved exactly as the late former president left it, in accordance with his wish that the house “reflect a life devoted to service, not showmanship.” Audio guides recount anecdotes of Rafsanjani hosting teetotal gatherings for students and clerics, emphasizing dialogue over display.
Cultural commentators suggest that the museum‑house serves a dual purpose: honoring Rafsanjani’s legacy of pragmatic governance and offering a subtle political message about restraint in public life. In an era of widening economic disparity, the stark interior stands as a quiet rebuke to ostentation—and a reminder that one of Iran’s most influential figures chose simplicity at home as steadfastly as he did in office.
