Famous Iranian Political Leaders

Rezā Shāh was a military colonel who founded the Pahlavi dynasty and reigned as the Shah of Iran from December 1925 to September 1941. He was also the prime minister of Iran from October 1923 to November 1925. His tenure saw the introduction of many social, economic, and political reforms, and he is regarded as the founder of modern Iran. 

Hassan Rouhani is an Iranian politician and the current president of Iran. Serving as the Iranian president since 3 August 2013, Rouhani was named in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World list in 2013. One of the most popular Iranian politicians of all time, Hassan Rouhani is credited with improving the country's diplomatic relations with other countries.

Zerubbabel was a governor of Yehud Medinata, a province in the Achaemenid Empire. The grandson of Jeconiah, Zerubbabel is credited with leading the first group of Jews, who returned from the Babylonian exile, in the first year of Cyrus the Great. Zerubbabel is also credited with laying the foundation of the famous Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the president of Iran from 2005 tom 2013. He had also been the mayor of Tehran earlier and had also served as a leader of the conservative coalition Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, or Abadgaran. He is also part of the Islamic Society of Engineers.

Shapur I ruled as the Shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire from 240 to 270. A fierce conqueror, Shapur destroyed the Arab city of Hatra in the early 240s before waging wars against Roman emperors like Philip the Arab and Valerian and capturing cities of Nisibis, Carrhae, Dura-Europos, and Antioch. Shapur remained active in his later years before dying of illness.

Shahpur Bakhtiar was an Iranian politician best remembered for serving as the 45th Prime Minister of Iran from 6 January 1979 to 11 February 1979. Bakhtiar also wrote many articles and books, including Ma Fidélité and 37 Days after 37 Years. Shahpur Bakhtiar was killed in France on 6 August 1991 after he had escaped a couple of assassination attempts.

Nizam al-Mulk was a Persian political philosopher, scholar, and vizier of the Great Seljuk Empire. Nizam rose to the position of the de facto ruler from humble beginnings. He is perhaps best remembered for founding several important institutions known as madrasa in cities across the Seljuk Empire. Nizam al-Mulk is also credited with writing an important political treatise called Siyasatnama.

Reza Pahlavi is the oldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, and his wife Farah Diba. He was the crown prince before the Iranian Revolution overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. He is the founder of the self-styled National Council of Iran and a prominent critic of Iran's Islamic Republic government. 

Ali-Reza Pahlavi was an Iranian prince who belonged to the Pahlavi Imperial Family. The son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Ali Reza was second in the order of succession to the imperial throne before the Iranian Revolution. Ali-Reza Pahlavi suffered from depression and passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Boston, USA, at the age of 44.

Mohammad Khatami is an Iranian politician who served as the President of Iran from 1997 to 2005. A respected and influential politician, Khatami advocated tolerance, freedom of expression, and civil society during his presidency. He  also served as the Minister of Culture of Iran from 1982 to 1992.

Shapur II ruled as the Shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire from 309 to 379. Referred to as Shapur II the Great, he ruled for the entirety of his life and is remembered as the longest-reigning monarch in the history of Iran. His reign, which witnessed the expansion of his empire's territory, marked the beginning of the first Sasanian golden era.

Cyaxares ruled as the king of the Medes from 625 to 585 BC. He is credited with founding the Median Empire and helped transform the empire into a regional power by uniting most of the ancient Iranian tribes after collaborating with the Babylonians to wipe out the Assyrian Empire.

Ardeshir Zahedi was an Iranian diplomat and politician best remembered for serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 12 January 1966 to 12 September 1971. An influential politician, Ardeshir Zahedi also served as ambassador to the US and to the UK from 1960 to 1962 and from 1962 to 1966 respectively. 

Masoud Barzani is a Kurdish politician who served as the President of Kurdistan Region from 2005 to 2017. A respected politician, Barzani has been serving as the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party since 1979. Barzani is credited with playing a crucial role in the progression of the Kurdistan Region polity after the end of the Gulf War in 1991.

Fazlollah Zahedi was an Iranian statesman and lieutenant general who served as the 36th Prime Minister of Iran after overthrowing Mohammad Mosaddegh in the 1953 Iranian coup d'état with the help of the Great Britain and the United States. Fazlollah Zahedi was serving as the Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, when he died at the age of 71.

Maryam Rajavi is an Iranian woman best known as the leader of a political-militant organization called People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK), which is working towards overthrowing the Iranian government. In July 2021, Maryam Rajavi organized a protest and condemned Ebrahim Raisi, calling him the "henchman" of the butchery of 30,000 political prisoners. 

Abolhassan Banisadr was an Iranian writer and politician who served as the first president of Iran from 4 February 1980 to 22 June 1981. Prior to his presidency, Banisadr served as the Minister of Finance from 17 November 1979 to 10 February 1980. Abolhassan Banisadr is also credited with co-founding a political organization called National Council of Resistance of Iran.

Sogdianus of Persia ruled over the Achaemenid Empire from 424 to 423 BC. His rule was cut short by his untimely death as he was captured and killed by his half-brother Ochus who succeeded Sogdianus and ruled over the Persian Empire until 404 BC. Interestingly, Sogdianus of Persia had ascended the throne after having his elder half-brother Xerxes II killed.

Moshe Katsav is an Israeli ex-politician who became the second Mizrahi Jew to serve as the President of Israel from 1 August 2000 until his resignation on 1 July 2007. Katsav resigned after allegations of sexual harassment from his female subordinates. In 2011, Moshe Katsav was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment, of which he served five, at Maasiyahu Prison.

Aga Khan I or Hasan Ali Shah was an important Muslim leader in Iran. The first Nizari Imam to be honored with the honorific title of Aga Khan, Hasan Ali Shah served as the governor of Kerman. As the governor, Aga Khan I managed to restore order in Kerman, which was held by rebellious groups at that time.

Mehdi Bazargan was an Iranian academic, scholar, head of Iran's interim government, and long-time pro-democracy activist. He is best remembered for serving as the 46th Prime Minister of Iran from 4 February 1979 to 6 November 1979. A renowned and respected academic, Mehdi Bazargan served as the head of the University of Tehran's first engineering department.

Ali Reza Pahlavi was an Iranian socialite best known as the younger son of former Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Ali Reza was second in the right of succession to the Iranian throne prior to the Islamic Revolution. He died at the age of 44 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after suffering from depression for a long time. 

Hossein Rezazadeh is an Iranian politician. Also a former weightlifter, he is a two-time Olympic champion and four-time World Weightlifting champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest weightlifters of all time. The Rezazadeh Stadium was built in his honor. He entered politics in 2013 and was elected as a member of the City Council of Tehran. 

Amir Kabir was chief minister to Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (Shah of Persia) for three years. He is regarded as "Iran's first reformer." He tried to bring gradual reform to the country. He executed many Babis, including the founder of the movement, the Báb. Later in his life, he was exiled to Fin Garden in Kashan and eventually murdered. 

Ahmad Khomeini was an Iranian political leader who played an important role in the Iranian Revolution. The son of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ahmad served as his father's right-hand man before, during, and after the Revolution. Acting as a bridge between Ruhollah Khomeini and the Iranian people, many of Ahmad Khomeini's decisions had decisive effects on the outcome of the Revolution.

Massoud Rajavi was a political figure who became the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) in 1979. He joined the MEK as a young law student at the University of Tehran. He actively participated in the 1979 Iranian Revolution. He was married to Maryam Rajavi, who became the co-leader of the MEK. He disappeared in 2003. 

Maryam Namazie is a British-Iranian secularist, human rights activist, communist, commentator, and broadcaster. Namazie has had a huge impact on the lives of refugees around the world. In the USA, she co-founded the Committee for Humanitarian Assistance to Iranian Refugees. Maryam Namazie is also an outspoken critic of cultural relativism and the oppression of women in some Muslim countries.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is an Iranian politician and former military officer. He is the current Speaker of the Parliament of Iran. From 2005 to 2017, he served as the Mayor of Tehran. After serving as the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards' Aerospace Force from 1997 to 2000, he served as the Chief of police between 2000 and 2005.

Mostafa Chamran was an Iranian physicist, politician, and commander.  He served as the first defense minister of post-revolutionary Iran. He helped to found the Amal Movement in southern Lebanon. He was the commander of paramilitary volunteers in the Iran–Iraq War, known as "Irregular Warfare Headquarters". He died in the war and is known as a martyr in Iran.  

Bahram Chobin was a nobleman, political leader, and general of the late Sasanian Empire. He also served as its ruler from 590 to 591. A respected political leader renowned for his character, skills, and accomplishments, Bahram Chobin came to be known as a hero and his life inspired several folktales and literary works.

Sadeq Khalkhali was an Iranian Shia cleric who served as the Head of Islamic Revolutionary Court from 1979 to 1980. He gained notoriety as Iran's hanging judge during the Iranian Revolution and is remembered for ordering the executions of many former government officials, including Nematollah Nassiri and Amir Abbas Hoveida.

Ahmad Qavam was a politician best remembered for serving as the Prime Minister of Iran on five occasions between 1921 and 1952. During one of his terms as the Prime Minister, Ahmad Qavam played a key role in the signing of the 1942 Tripartite Treaty between Britain, Russia, and Iran.

Sadegh Ghotbzadeh was an Iranian politician who worked closely with Ayatollah Khomeini during his 1978 exile in France. He served as the foreign minister during the Iran hostage crisis following the Iranian Revolution. He was arrested on charges of planning to kill Ayatollah Khomeini and criticizing the Islamic Republic Party. He was executed in 1982. 

Hossein Fatemi was an Iranian scholar who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 16 September 1952 to 19 August 1953. He worked closely with Mohammad Mosaddegh and proposed the nationalization of Iranian gas and oil assets. When the Mosaddegh government was toppled after the 1953 coup d'état, Hossein Fatemi was arrested, tortured, and executed by a firing squad.

Mohammad Beheshti was an Iranian philosopher, jurist, politician, and cleric. He is credited with shaping Islamic republic's administrative structure as well as Iran's post-revolution constitution. Beheshti is also credited with training many politicians in the Islamic Republic, including Mohammad Khatami, Hassan Rouhani, and Ali Akbar Velayati. Mohammad Beheshti also served as the Chief Justice of Iran from 1980 to 1981. 

Hushang Ansary is an Iranian-American former businessman, diplomat, and philanthropist. He is best known for serving as the Iranian Minister of Tourism and Information from 1971 to 1974. He also served as the Minister of Finance from 1974 to 1977. Hushang Ansary is a recipient of several prestigious awards like the Woodrow Wilson Award and Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

Qazi Muhammad was an Iranian Kurdish leader best remembered for establishing the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan. He served as the President of the short-lived self-governing state Republic of Mahabad. In 1947, Qazi Muhammad was hanged to death by the Pahlavi dynasty after accusing him of treason.

Mehdi Karroubi is an Iranian Shia reformist politician and cleric who served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Iran between 1989 and 2004. He played an important role in the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests, following which he was put under house arrest.

Jafar Sharif-Emami was an Iranian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Iran on two occasions: from August 1960 to May 1961 and again from August 1978 to November 1978. He also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from July 1960 to December 1960. Sharif-Emami left Iran after the Islamic Revolution and settled in New York City.

Mohammad Mirmohammadi was an Iranian politician who served as the senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was conservative and principlist. A member of the Expediency Discernment Council, he was also a member of the 6th and 7th Iranian parliaments for Qom. He has served as the secretary-general of the Islamic Civilization Party as well.  

Haj Ali Razmara was an Iranian military leader and politician. He is best remembered for serving as the 33rd Prime Minister of Iran from 26 June 1950 to 7 March 1951. On 7 March 1951, Razmara became the third prime minister from Iran to be assassinated when he was killed at the age of 49 by Khalil Tahmassebi in Tehran.