Banker, economist and diplomat; 'one of the most significant Iranians of the post World War II period' and 'a nationalist utterly committed to the promotion of his country's interest.' He was born in Rasht and schooled in Paris, Beirut and Tehran. He joined Ministry of Finance culminating in the governorship of the Bank Melli from 1942 to 1950 and successfully asserted the bank's role. Later ambassador to France then as director of the IMF's Middle East department in Washington and finally to head his country's Plan Organisation in 1954. Ebtehaj launched an impressive development programme of dam and road building. He founded his own Iranian bank and in 1974 he established as a joint venture, the Iran-America International Insurance Company. He remained in France since 1977 but moved to London in 1988 where he finally lived and died.