 He earned a master's degree from Sharif University of Technology in the energy engineering field, and worked on a PhD in the energy engineering field at Islamic Azad University.In October 2010, he began studying for a PhD at Wolfson College, Oxford in oriental studies with a focus on the Iranian constitution.In 2007 authorities in France arrested the CEO and other officers of the giant oil company Total S.A. on charges that Total had bribed Iranian officials.