List of presidents of Iran

Politics of Iran
Government of Islamic Republic of Iran
Leadership
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Supreme Councils
Local governments
Elections
Political parties and factions
Inside government
Reformists
Principlists
Outside government
Monarchism
Liberalism
Nationalism
Pan-Iranism
Socialism
Intellectual backdrop
Foreign relations
Related topics

This is a list of the presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the establishment of that office in 1980. The president of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in the country. The current president, Masoud Pezeshkian has been in office since 28 July 2024 after winning the 2024 Iranian presidential election.

Background

After the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and referendum to create the Islamic Republic on March 29 and 30, the new government needed to craft a new constitution. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ordered an election for the Assembly of Experts, the body tasked with writing the constitution.[1] The assembly presented the constitution on October 24, 1979, and Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini and Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan approved it. This was also approved in constitutional referendum on December 2 and 3.

The 1979 Constitution designated the supreme leader as the head of state and the president and prime minister as the heads of government. The post of prime minister was abolished after the 1989 constitutional referendum.

The first Iranian presidential election was held on January 25, 1980 and resulted in the election of Abolhassan Banisadr with 76% of the votes. Banisadr was impeached on June 22, 1981 by Parliament. Until the early election on July 24, 1981, the duties of the president were undertaken by the Provisional Presidential Council. Mohammad-Ali Rajai was elected president on July 24, 1981 and took office on August 2. Rajai remained in office for less than one month, with both he and his prime minister being assassinated on August 30, 1981. Once again, a Provisional Presidential Council filled the office until October 13, 1981 when Ali Khamenei was elected president.

Ali Khamenei, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mohammad Khatami, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hassan Rouhani were each elected president for two terms. Ebrahim Raisi was the eighth president, serving from his election in 2021 until his death on May 19, 2024 leaving the office occupied in an acting capacity by First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber. Masoud Pezeshkian was elected as the current president on July 6, 2024.

List of officeholders

Islamic Republic of Iran (1979-1989)

1st Constitution (1979–1989)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party Election Previous office Prime minister Cabinet
Took office Left office Time in office
The Council of the Islamic Revolution deputised during the interim (3 December 1979 – 4 February 1980).[a]
1
Abolhassan Banisadr سید ابوالحسن بنی‌صدر
Abolhassan Banisadr
سید ابوالحسن بنی‌صدر
(1933–2021)
4 February 198022 June 19811 year, 138 daysIndependent1980Minister of Finance
(1979–1980)		Mohammad-Ali RajaiRajai
The Presidential Council deputised during the interim (22 June 1981 – 2 August 1981).[a]
2
Mohammad-Ali Rajai محمدعلی رجائی
Mohammad-Ali Rajai
محمدعلی رجائی
(1933–1981)
2 August 198130 August 1981[b]28 daysIRP1981 (Jul)Prime Minister of Iran
(1980–1981)		Mohammad-Javad BahonarBahonar
The Presidential Council deputised during the interim (30 August 1981 – 9 October 1981).[a]
3
Ali Khamenei علی خامنه ای
Ali Khamenei
علی خامنه ای
(born 1939)
9 October 198116 August 1989[2]7 years, 311 daysIRP
CCA		1981 (Oct)
1985		Member of the Parliament of Iran
(1980–1981)		Mir-Hossein MousaviMousavi I–II

2nd Constitution (from 1989)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party Election Previous office First vice president Cabinet
Took office Left office Time in office
4
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani اکبر هاشمی رفسنجانی
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
اکبر هاشمی رفسنجانی
(1934–2017)
16 August 1989[2]3 August 19977 years, 352 daysCCA1989
1993		Speaker of the Parliament of Iran
(1980–1989)		Hassan HabibiRafsanjani I–II
5
Mohammad Khatami محمد خاتمی
Mohammad Khatami
محمد خاتمی
(born 1943)
3 August 19973 August 20058 yearsACC1997
2001		Minister of Culture
(1982–1992)		Hassan Habibi
Mohammad Reza Aref		Khatami I–II
6
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad محمود احمدی‌نژاد
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
محمود احمدی‌نژاد
(born 1956)
3 August 20053 August 20138 yearsABII2005
2009		Mayor of Tehran
(2003–2005)		Parviz Davoodi
Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei
Mohammad-Reza Rahimi		Ahmadinejad I–II
7
Hassan Rouhani حسن روحانی
Hassan Rouhani
حسن روحانی
(born 1948)
3 August 20133 August 20218 yearsMDP2013
2017		Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council
(1989–2005)		Eshaq JahangiriRouhani I–II
8
Ebrahim Raisi ابراهیم رئیسی
Ebrahim Raisi
ابراهیم رئیسی
(1960–2024)
3 August 202119 May 2024[b]2 years, 290 daysCCA2021Chief Justice
(2019–2021)		Mohammad MokhberRaisi
–
Mohammad Mokhber[a] محمد مخبر
Mohammad Mokhber[a]
محمد مخبر
(born 1955)
Acting
19 May 202428 July 202470 daysIndependent–Vice President
(2021–2024)		–Mokhber
9
Masoud Pezeshkian مسعود پزشکیان
Masoud Pezeshkian
مسعود پزشکیان
(born 1954)
28 July 2024Incumbent97 daysIndependent2024Minister of Health and Medical Education
(2001–2005)		Mohammad Reza ArefPezeshkian

Timeline

Masoud PezeshkianMohammad MokhberEbrahim RaisiHassan RouhaniMahmoud AhmadinejadMohammad KhatamiAkbar Hashemi RafsanjaniAli KhameneiMohammad-Ali RajaiAbolhassan Banisadr
No. President Born Age at
start of presidency 		Age at
end of presidency 		Time in office Post-presidency
timespan 		Lifespan
Died Age
1 Abolhassan Banisadr Mar 22, 1933 46 years, 319 days
Feb 4, 1980 		48 years, 92 days
Jun 22, 1981 		1 year, 138 days 40 years, 109 days Oct 9, 2021 88 years, 201 days
2 Mohammad-Ali Rajai Jun 15, 1933 48 years, 48 days
Aug 2, 1981 		48 years, 76 days
Aug 30, 1981 		28 days 0 days[c] Aug 30, 1981 48 years, 76 days
3 Ali Khamenei Jul 16, 1939 42 years, 85 days
Oct 9, 1981 		50 years, 31 days
Aug 16, 1989 		7 years, 311 days 35 years, 78 days
–
 85 years, 109 days
4 Akbar Rafsanjani Aug 25, 1934 54 years, 356 days
Aug 16, 1989 		62 years, 343 days
Aug 3, 1997 		7 years, 352 days 19 years, 158 days Jan 8, 2017 82 years, 136 days
5 Mohammad Khatami Oct 14, 1943 53 years, 293 days
Aug 3, 1997 		61 years, 293 days
Aug 3, 2005 		8 years, 0 days 19 years, 91 days
–
 81 years, 19 days
6 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Oct 28, 1956 48 years, 279 days
Aug 3, 2005 		56 years, 279 days
Aug 3, 2013 		8 years, 0 days 11 years, 91 days
–
 68 years, 5 days
7 Hassan Rouhani Nov 12, 1948 64 years, 264 days
Aug 3, 2013 		72 years, 264 days
Aug 3, 2021 		8 years, 0 days 3 years, 91 days
–
 75 years, 356 days
8 Ebrahim Raisi Dec 14, 1960 60 years, 232 days
Aug 3, 2021 		63 years, 157 days
May 19, 2024 		2 years, 290 days 0 days[c] May 19, 2024 63 years, 157 days
- Mohammad Mokhber
(Acting)
 Jun 26, 1955 68 years, 328 days
May 19, 2024 		69 years, 32 days
Jul 28, 2024 		70 days 97 days
–
 69 years, 129 days
9 Masoud Pezeshkian Dec 29, 1954 69 years, 212 days
Jul 28, 2024 		(Incumbent) 97 days (Incumbent)
–
 69 years, 309 days

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Article 131 of The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran:
    In case of death, dismissal, resignation, absence, or illness lasting longer than two months of the President or when his term in office has ended and a new president has not been elected due to some impediments, or similar other circumstances, his first deputy shall assume, with the approval of the Leader, the powers and functions of the President. The Council, consisting of the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, head of the judicial power, and the first deputy of the President, is obliged to arrange for a new President to be elected within a maximum period of fifty days. In case of death of the first deputy to the President, or other matters which prevent him to perform his duties or when the President does not have a first deputy, the Leader shall appoint another person in his place.[3]
  2. ^ a b Died in office.
  3. ^ a b Died in office

See also

References

  1. ^ "Assembly of Experts". Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Letter to Hashemi Rafsanjani and resignation from presidency" (in Persian). Khamenei.ir. 16 August 1989. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Constitution". Archived from the original on 12 January 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.