President of Iran facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of theIslamic Republic of Iran |
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Seal of the Presidential Administration of Iran
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| Presidential Administration | |
| Style | Mr. President |
| Member of |
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| Residence |
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| Seat | Pasteur, Tehran |
| Appointer | Direct vote |
| Term length | 4 years, renewable once consecutively |
| Formation | 4 February 1980 |
| First holder | Abolhassan Banisadr |
| Deputy | First Vice President |
| Salary | 2155 USD annually (538,592,400 ﷼)(as of 2019) |
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The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian: رئیسجمهور ایران, romanized: Rais Jomhure Irān) is a very important leader in Iran. This person is the head of government, which means they manage the country's daily affairs. They are the second highest-ranking official, right after the Supreme Leader.
The first election for president was held in 1980. Abulhassan Banisadr won that election. Today, Masoud Pezeshkian is the current president of Iran. He was chosen in the 2024 Iranian presidential election. The Supreme Leader officially approved him.
Contents
History of Iran's Presidency
After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iran needed a new set of rules for its government, called a constitution. The Supreme Leader at the time, Ruhollah Khomeini, asked a special group called the Assembly of Experts to write this constitution. They finished it on October 24, 1979. Both Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini and Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan approved it.
The 1979 Constitution said that the Supreme Leader was the country's main leader, or head of state. It also said that both the president and the prime minister would manage the government. The prime minister's job was removed in 1989. This meant the president became the main person in charge of the government's daily work.
The very first Iranian presidential election happened on January 25, 1980. Abulhassan Banisadr won with a large number of votes. However, he was removed from office by the Parliament on June 22, 1981. A temporary group then took over until a new election could be held.
Mohammad-Ali Rajai was elected president on July 24, 1981. He started his job on August 2. Sadly, he was in office for less than a month. He and his prime minister were both killed in a bombing. Another temporary group managed the country until October 13, 1981. Then, Ali Khamenei was elected president.
Later, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the election on August 3, 2005. He also won the election on June 12, 2009. However, some people disagreed with the results of the 2009 election. They pointed out unusual voting numbers.
Some presidents have served two terms. These include Ali Khamenei, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mohammad Khatami, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hassan Rouhani.
The president before the current one was Ebrahim Raisi. He took over from Hassan Rouhani, who was president for eight years. On May 19, 2024, a helicopter carrying President Raisi had an accident. There were no survivors. Raisi was the second Iranian president to pass away while in office. After his death, the first vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, became the acting president. He served until new elections were held on June 28.
The President's Job
Before becoming president, a person needs the official approval of the Supreme Leader. Then, they are sworn in by the Parliament. The Supreme Leader has the power to remove a president from office. This can happen if the Parliament removes them or if the Supreme Court finds them guilty of breaking the constitution.
The Supreme Leader has the most power in Iran. The president follows the Supreme Leader's directions. Unlike leaders in many other countries, the Iranian president does not have complete control over the government. The Supreme Leader is ultimately in charge.
Before an election, people who want to be president must be approved by the Guardian Council. The Supreme Leader chooses the members of this council. The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term. People vote directly for them. A president can only serve two terms in a row.
Chapter IX of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran explains what qualities a presidential candidate must have. The Supreme Leader sets the rules for all elections in Iran. The president is responsible for carrying out the Supreme Leader's decisions. This includes:
- Signing agreements with other countries.
- Managing national plans and the country's budget.
- Handling government jobs.
The president chooses ministers for the government. But these choices must be approved by the Parliament and the Supreme Leader. The Supreme Leader can also remove or bring back any minister or vice president at any time. The Supreme Leader also directly picks certain ministers, like those for defense, intelligence, and foreign affairs.
Iran's foreign policy, which is how it deals with other countries, is directly controlled by the Supreme Leader's office. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs mainly handles official meetings and ceremonies. For example, the Quds Corps, which reports directly to the Supreme Leader, chooses Iran's ambassadors to Arab countries.
The current Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has been leading Iran for over thirty years. He makes the final decisions on almost everything in the country. This includes the economy, education, the environment, and foreign policy. He also decides how transparent elections in Iran should be. He has even fired and rehired people in the president's cabinet.
Who Can Be President?
The rules for becoming president are set by the Supreme Leader. Anyone who wants to be president must be at least 18 years old. They are elected for a four-year term. A president can only be reelected once in a row.
Candidates must be approved by the Council of Guardians. This council has twelve members. Six are religious leaders chosen by Iran's Supreme Leader. The other six are lawyers suggested by the head of Iran's judicial system and approved by the Majles (Parliament).
The Constitution of Iran says that presidential candidates must have these qualities:
- Be of Iranian origin.
- Have good management skills.
- Have a good past record.
- Be trustworthy and religious.
- Truly believe in the main ideas of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its official religion.
The Council of Guardians can reject candidates they don't think are suitable. This approval process means only a small number of candidates are usually allowed to run. For example, in the 1997 election, only four out of 238 people who wanted to be president were approved. Some people from Western countries say this process helps the council and Supreme Leader make sure only people with similar conservative views can win. The council says this isn't true, pointing to times when they approved Iranian reformists. They often reject candidates by saying they are not "a well-known political figure."
To win the election, a candidate needs more than half of the votes. If no one gets a majority in the first round, the top two candidates have a second election, called a runoff.
The president automatically becomes the head of the Supreme National Security Council and the head of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution.
Can a Woman Be President?
Whether a woman can run for president depends on how a specific part of the Iranian constitution is understood. Article 115 says the president must be chosen from "religious and political men" or "religious and political personalities." The Persian words used can be translated in two ways. In 1997, the Guardian Council used the first meaning to reject Azam Taleghani, the first woman to try to run for president. However, before the 2021 election, a spokesperson for the Guardian Council said that legally, there is nothing stopping a woman from becoming president.
What Happens if a President Can't Serve?
According to Article 131 of the Iranian constitution, if the president dies, resigns, is removed, is absent, or is sick for more than two months, the first deputy takes over. This must be approved by the Leader. A special council, made up of the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, and the first deputy, must arrange for a new president to be elected within 50 days. If the first deputy cannot do the job, or if there is no first deputy, the Leader appoints someone else.
President's Powers and Responsibilities
The president's duties are important, but they are always under the supervision and approval of the Supreme Leader. Here are some of the president's main jobs:
- They are the second-in-command of the executive branch of the government, after the Supreme Leader. They also lead the cabinet meetings.
- They are the deputy commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army.
- They can declare a state of emergency after Parliament approves it. (However, declaring martial law is not allowed.)
- They lead the Supreme National Security Council.
- They lead the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution.
- They appoint the first vice president and other vice presidents.
- They suggest members for the Cabinet to the Parliament.
- They send and receive all foreign ambassadors.
- They issue official orders, called decrees.
- They give out medals to honor people who have served the nation.
- They sign treaties, agreements, and contracts after Parliament approves them.
- They sign the results of public votes (referendums) and laws approved by Parliament and the judiciary.
Latest Election Results
The most recent presidential election in Iran was held in 2024. In the first round, Masoud Pezeshkian received 10,415,991 votes, and Saeed Jalili received 9,473,298 votes. Since no candidate won more than half of the votes, a second round (runoff) was held. In the runoff, Masoud Pezeshkian won with 16,384,403 votes, becoming the new president. Saeed Jalili received 13,538,179 votes in the second round.
See also
- List of presidents of Iran
- Advisor to the President of Iran
- Aide to the President of Iran
- Chief of Staff of the President of Iran
- First Lady of Iran
