Jafar Towfighi

Jafar Towfighi Darian (; born 19 March 1956) is an Iranian chemical engineer, academic, politician and senior consultant of the ministry of science, research and technology who served as minister of science, research and technology for two terms. First in the cabinet headed by President Mohammad Khatami from 2003 till 2005, and second in 2013 as acting minister.

Early life and education Towfighi was born in Tehran on 19 March 1956. He holds a master's degree in chemical engineering, which he received from Shiraz University in 1981. Then he obtained a PhD again in chemical engineering from Bucharest Polytechnic Institute in Romania in 1986. After working as the dean of the faculty of energy at Sharif University of Technology from 2008 to 2010, he began to work at Tarbiat Modarres University's faculty of engineering as a full professor.

On 17 August 2013, he was appointed acting minister of science by Hassan Rouhani following the nominated candidate for the post was rejected by the Majlis on 15 August.

Towfighi was among hundreds of academic faculty who signed a letter condemning the government's crackdown of the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, and failure to prevent a future attack on Iran by the United States and Israel in response to the crackdown.