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This article lists the heads of state of Iran since the establishment of the modern Iranian nation-state^[1] in 1501 AD.

Heads of State of Iran

The Expansive Realm of Iran (1501–1736) Safavid dynasty
No.		Name	Birth–Death	Reign start	Reign end	Dynasty
Shah of Persia
1		Shah Ismail I	1487–1524	July 1501^[a]	23 May 1524	Safavid
1		Shah Ismail I	1487–1524	.
2		Shah Tahmasp I	1514–1576	23 May 1524	14 May 1576	Safavid
2		Shah Tahmasp I	1514–1576	Regency: Div Sultan Rumlu: 23 May 1524 – 5 July 1527.^[2]^[3] Chuha Soltan Takkalu: July 1527 – 1530/31.^[2]^[4] Husayn Khan Shamlu: 1530/31 – 1533.^[2]^[5]
3		Shah Ismail II	1537–1577	23 May 1576	24 November 1577	Safavid
3		Shah Ismail II	1537–1577	.
4		Shah Mohammad Khodabanda	1532–1595/96	11 February 1578	1 October 1588	Safavid
4		Shah Mohammad Khodabanda	1532–1595/96	.
5		Shah Abbas I	1571–1629	1 October 1588	19 January 1629	Safavid
5		Shah Abbas I	1571–1629	.
6		Shah Safi	1611–1642	28 January 1629	12 May 1642	Safavid
6		Shah Safi	1611–1642	.
7		Shah Abbas II	1632–1666	12 May 1642	25 September 1666	Safavid
7		Shah Abbas II	1632–1666	.
8		Shah Suleiman I	1648–1694	1 November 1666	29 July 1694	Safavid
8		Shah Suleiman I	1648–1694	.
9		Shah Sultan Husayn	1668–1726	6 August 1694	23 October 1722	Safavid
9		Shah Sultan Husayn	1668–1726	.
Ghilji rebellion
10		Mahmud Shah	1699–1725	23 October 1722	25 April 1725	Hotak
10		Mahmud Shah	1699–1725	.
11		Ashraf Shah	1700–1730	26 April 1725	13 November 1729	Hotak
11		Ashraf Shah	1700–1730	.
Safavid restoration
12		Shah Tahmasp II	1704–1740	10 November 1722	2 September 1732	Safavid
12		Shah Tahmasp II	1704–1740	He was crowned on 9 December 1729 after liberation of the Safavid Capital. Reigned at exile: 10 November 1722 – 8 November 1726. July 1728 – 9 December 1729.
13		Shah Abbas III	1732–1740	2 September 1732	8 March 1736	Safavid
13		Shah Abbas III	1732–1740	Regency: Nader Khan Afshar: 2 September 1732 – 8 March 1736.^[6]
Realm of Iran (1736–1796) Afsharid dynasty
14		Nader Shah	1688–1747	8 March 1736	20 June 1747	Afsharid
14		Nader Shah	1688–1747	.
15		Adil Shah	1719–1749	6 July 1747	29 September 1748	Afsharid
15		Adil Shah	1719–1749	.
16		Ebrahim Shah	1724–1749	29 September 1748	May 1749	Afsharid
16		Ebrahim Shah	1724–1749	.
17		Shahrokh Shah	1734–1796	May 1749	30 December 1749	Afsharid
17		Shahrokh Shah	1734–1796	Proclaimed as Shah at 30 September 1748 and one day later crowned at Mashhad.
Second Safavid restoration
18		Suleiman II	1714–1763	13 January 1750	20 March 1750	Safavid
18		Suleiman II	1714–1763	Proclaimed after deposing and blinding of Shahrokh Shah and crowned at 14 January 1750.
19		Ismail III	1733–1773	29 June 1750	1773	Safavid
19		Ismail III	1733–1773	He was a Puppet ruler who raised to the throne by Ali Mardan Khan Bakhtiari and Karim Khan Zand as a front to legitimize their rule.^[7] Regency: Karim Khan Zand: early 1751 – 1773^[7]^[8]
Afsharid restoration
(17)		Shahrokh Shah	1734–1796	9 May 1755	14 May 1796	Afsharid
(17)		Shahrokh Shah	1734–1796	.
Zand dynasty
Wakil-al Raʿāyā
20		Karim Khan	1705–1779	1773	1 March 1779	Zand
20		Karim Khan	1705–1779	.
21		Abol-Fath Khan	1755–1787	6 March 1779	May/June 1779	Zand
21		Abol-Fath Khan	1755–1787	He and his younger brother Mohammad Ali Khan were Co-rulers.
22		Mohammad Ali Khan	1760–1779	6 March 1779	19 June 1779	Zand
22		Mohammad Ali Khan	1760–1779	He and his elder brother Abol-Fath Khan were Co-rulers until May/June 1779.
(21)		Abol-Fath Khan	1755–1787	19 June 1779	22 August 1779	Zand
(21)		Abol-Fath Khan	1755–1787	.
23		Sadeq Khan	?–1781	22 August 1779	14 March 1781	Zand
23		Sadeq Khan	?–1781	.
24		Ali-Morad Khan	c. 1720–1785	15 March 1781	11 February 1785	Zand
24		Ali-Morad Khan	c. 1720–1785	.
–		Bagher Shah	?–1786	12 February 1785	17 February 1785	—
–		Bagher Shah	?–1786	After the death of Ali-Morad Khan, Bagher Khan Khorasgani Governor of Isfahan proclaimed himself as Shah and mentioned himself in the Khutbah and on coins. He was defeated from the corps of Jafar Khan.^[9]
25		Jafar Khan	?–1789	18 February 1785	23 January 1789	Zand
25		Jafar Khan	?–1789	.
26		Seyd Morad Khan	?–1789	23 January 1789	10 May 1789	Zand
26		Seyd Morad Khan	?–1789	.
27		Lotf Ali Khan	c. 1769–1794	10 May 1789	20 March 1794	Zand
27		Lotf Ali Khan	c. 1769–1794	.
Shah of Iran
(27)		Lotf Ali Shah	c. 1769–1794	21 March 1794	30 October 1794	Zand
(27)		Lotf Ali Shah	c. 1769–1794	.
Sublime State of Persia (1796–1925)
28		Agha Mohammad Shah	1742–1797	14 May 1796	17 June 1797	Qajar
28		Agha Mohammad Shah	1742–1797	Agha Mohammad decided to move his capital to the small town of Tehran on 1786.^[10] He was formally crowned as Shah during spring 1796 at the Mugan plain, on his return after the conquest of Tbilisi.^[11]^[12]
29		Fath-Ali Shah	1772–1834	17 June 1797	23 October 1834	Qajar
29		Fath-Ali Shah	1772–1834	.
30		Mohammad Shah	1808–1848	9 November 1834	5 September 1848	Qajar
30		Mohammad Shah	1808–1848	.
31		Naser al-Din Shah	1831–1896	13 September 1848	1 May 1896	Qajar
31		Naser al-Din Shah	1831–1896	Queen-mother Mahd-e Olia: 5 September 1848 – 1 October 1848.
32		Mozaffar ad-Din Shah	1853–1907	2 May 1896	8 January 1907	Qajar
32		Mozaffar ad-Din Shah	1853–1907	.
33		Mohammad Ali Shah	1872–1925	8 January 1907	16 July 1909	Qajar
33		Mohammad Ali Shah	1872–1925	.
34		Ahmad Shah	1898–1930	16 July 1909	15 December 1925	Qajar
34		Ahmad Shah	1898–1930	Reigned in exile: from 2 December 1923 Regency: Ali Reza Azod al-Molk: 18 July 1909 – 23 September 1910.^[13] Abolqasem Naser ol-Molk: 24 September 1910 – 21 July 1914.^[14] Prince Mohammad Hassan Mirza: 24 March 1924 – 31 October 1925.
Imperial State of Iran (1925–1979)
No.		Name	Birth–Death	Took office	Left office	Political Affiliation
Provisional Head of State
	35	Reza Khan	1878–1944	31 October 1925	15 December 1925	Military
	35	Reza Khan	1878–1944	.

No.		Name	Birth–Death	Took office	Left office	Dynasty
Shah of Iran
(35)		Reza Shah	1878–1944	15 December 1925	16 September 1941	Pahlavi
(35)		Reza Shah	1878–1944	.
36		Mohammad Reza Shah	1919–1980	16 September 1941	11 February 1979	Pahlavi
36		Mohammad Reza Shah	1919–1980	Reigned in exile: 16–22 August 1953 (Baghdad; from 18 August at Rome) from 16 January 1979 (Egypt; from 22 January at Morocco).

No.		Name	Birth–Death	Took office	Left office	Political Affiliation
Islamic Republic of Iran (1979–present)
Leader of the Revolution
	37	Ruhollah Khomeini	1900-1989	5 February 1979	3 December 1979	Independent
	37	Ruhollah Khomeini	1900-1989	.
Supreme Leader of Iran
	(37)	Ruhollah Khomeini	1900-1989	3 December 1979	3 June 1989	Independent
	(37)	Ruhollah Khomeini	1900-1989	.
	38	Ali Khamenei	1939–present	4 June 1989	Incumbent	Independent^[b]
	38	Ali Khamenei	1939–present	.

Timeline

Notes

^ Is equivalent to Muharram 907 AH.
^ Resigned from Combatant Clergy Association after selection as Supreme Leader.^[15]

References

^ Mikaberidze 2011, p. 432.
^ ^a ^b ^c Potts 2014, p. 230: "During the first nine years of his reign Shah Tahmasp was advised, in succession, by a Rumlu regent (Div Sultan Rumlu); a Triumvirate including a Takkalu (Chuha Soltan Takkalu) and an Ustajlu (Köpek Sultan Ustajlu) chief; a Takkalu (Chuha Sultan) who distributed land widely to members of his own tribe during his four years in office and was ruler of Iran in all but name; and a Shamlu (Husayn Khan Shamlu) who held his post for three years before being put to death in 1533 in alleged complicity with the Ottoman regime."
^ Mitchell 2009: "Ṭahmāsp's puppet status continued with his accession to the throne on 23 May 1524, and the self-appointed status of Div Solṭān Rumlu as the Shah's Vicegerent and the Empire's De facto ruler.."
^ Savory 1995: "Dīv Solṭān, by virtue of a testamentory disposition of the late Shah, retained the office of Amīr al-Omarā and was made Atābeg (Guardian) of the young prince Ṭahmāsb, who succeeded his father at the age of ten and a half. Dīv Solṭān thus became the De facto ruler of the state... After a period of negotiation, a Triumvirate was formed consisting of Dīv Solṭān Rūmlū, Čūha Solṭān Takkalū, and Kopek Ostājlū, but civil war broke out between rival Qezelbāš factions in 932 AH / 1526 AD. Kopek Solṭān was killed in 933 AH / 1526 or 1527 AD, and Čūha Solṭān succeeded in persuading Shah Ṭahmāsb that Dīv Solṭān was the cause of the discord."
^ Savory 2004: "Ḥosayn Khan, however, did not draw the obvious conclusions from the fate of Čuha Sultan, but proceeded to repeat the latter's mistakes, appointing members of the Šāmlu tribe to provincial governorships and fatally underestimating the Shah's new determination to rule De facto as well as De jure."
^ Savory 1982: "After the deposition of his father by Nāder Khan Afšār in Rabīʿ I 1145 AH / August 1732 AD, the eight-month-old Abbas was invested as ʿAbbās III on 7 September 1732. Nader Khan, who was the real ruler of the country, dropped his own now obviously inappropriate style of Ṭahmāsp-qolī Khan and assumed the titles of Vakīl -Al-dawla (Deputy of the state) and Nāʾeb-al-salṭana (Viceroy)."
^ ^a ^b Perry 1998.
^ Perry 1991, pp. 68: "The early months of 1751 thus mark the beginning of Karim Khan's rule as Viceroy of the nominal King Ismaʿil III, a position to be hotly disputed for twelve more years but never wrested from him."
^ Bamdad 2005, p. 177.
^ Gharipour 2012, p. 204.
^ Axworthy 2008, p. 192.
^ Hambly 1963, p. 169.
^ Mahbubi Ardakani 1988: "After the deposition of Mohammad Ali Shah on 16 July 1909, a regent had to be appointed because Ahmad Shah was a Minor. The choice fell on ʿAżod-al-molk. As a senior dignitary and the chief of the Qajar tribe, he enjoyed the respect of the constitutionalists and was in good relationship with the olamā. He served as regent for one year and three months until his death."
^ Bakhash 2015: "Citing the disordered state of affairs in Iran, the divisions in parliament, the lack of parliamentary unanimity over his own election, he left France for Iran only in December, arriving home two months later. He did not take the Oath of office until March 1911."
^ "جامعه روحانيت مبارز جوان مي‌شود" [Combatant Clergy Association gets younger] (in Persian). Fararu. 8 July 2012. 118101. Archived from the original on 2 September 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.

Bibliography

Axworthy, Michael (2008). Iran: Empire of the Mind: A History from Zoroaster to the Present Day. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0141903415.
Gharipour, Mohammad (2012). The Bazaar in the Islamic City: Design, Culture, and History. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press. ISBN 978-9774165290.
Mikaberidze, Alexander (2011). Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-337-8.
Perry, John R. [in Persian] (1991). "The Zand dynasty". In Avery, Peter; Hambly, Gavin R. G. [in Persian]; Melville, Charles P. (eds.). The Cambridge History of Iran. Vol. 7: From Nadir Shah to the Islamic Republic. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 63–103. ISBN 978-0-52120-095-0.
Potts, Daniel T. (2014). Nomadism in Iran: From Antiquity to the Modern Era. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199330799.
Zabir, Sepehr (2011). The Iranian Military in Revolution and War (RLE Iran D). Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-81270-5.
Bāmdād, Mahdī [in Persian] (2005). ʻAlīʹzādah Ishkavarī, D̲abīḥallāh (ed.). Šarḥ-i ḥāl-i riǧāl-i Īrān dar qarn-i 12 wa 13 wa 14 hiǧrī (in Persian). Tehran: Ferdows. ISBN 978-9643201395.
Hambly, G. R. G. [in Persian] (1963). "Aqa Mohammad Khan and the establishment of the Qajar dynasty". Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society. 50 (2): 161–174. doi:10.1080/03068376308731821.
Bakhash, Shaul (16 May 2016) [3 December 2015]. "NĀṢER-AL-MOLK, ABU'L-QĀSEM". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica. New York City: Bibliotheca Persica Press. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
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Savory, Roger M. (23 March 2012) [15 December 2004]. "ḤOSAYN KHAN ŠĀMLU". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica. Fasc. 5. Vol. XII. New York City: Bibliotheca Persica Press. pp. 514–515. Retrieved 1 January 2018.