🇮🇷 Iran
Unitary state, Islamic Republic, presidential system, islamic theocracyElectoral autocracy
Mojtaba Khamenei
President · 223 days in office
How the political system works in Iran
Iran is governed as a unitary state with a islamic republic, presidential system, islamic theocracy. Its president, Mojtaba Khamenei, has led the country since Mar 8, 2026. Iran has had 10 presidents since 1980. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral autocracy.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
Mohammad Khatami
2,923 days
Shortest-serving
Mohammad-Ali Rajai
28 days
Average tenure
1,796 days
Mojtaba Khamenei: 88% below average
Female leaders
0 of 10
All male to date
Recent presidents by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Iran?
Across 9 completed terms, the average president of Iran has served 1,796 days (about 4.9 years). That has stayed fairly steady: the last five completed terms averaged 1,971 days.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All presidents of Iran
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 |  Masoud Pezeshkian | Jul 28, 2024 | Incumbent | 811 |
| 9 |  Mohammad Mokhber | May 19, 2024 | Jul 28, 2024 | 70 |
| 8 |  Ebrahim Raisi | Aug 3, 2021 | May 19, 2024 | 1,020 |
| 7 |  Hassan Rouhani | Aug 3, 2013 | Aug 3, 2021 | 2,922 |
| 6 |  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | Aug 3, 2005 | Aug 3, 2013 | 2,922 |
| 5 |  Mohammad Khatami | Aug 2, 1997 | Aug 3, 2005 | 2,923 |
| 4 |  Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani | Aug 17, 1989 | Aug 2, 1997 | 2,907 |
| 3 |  Ali Khamenei | Oct 9, 1981 | Aug 16, 1989 | 2,868 |
| 2 |  Mohammad-Ali Rajai | Aug 2, 1981 | Aug 30, 1981 | 28 |
| 1 |  Abolhassan Banisadr | Feb 5, 1980 | Jun 22, 1981 | 503 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the President of Iran?
- Mojtaba Khamenei has been President of Iran since Mar 8, 2026.
- How is the leader of Iran chosen?
- Iran is governed as a unitary state with a islamic republic, presidential system, islamic theocracy. Its president, Mojtaba Khamenei, has led the country since Mar 8, 2026. Iran has had 10 presidents since 1980. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral autocracy.
- Who is the longest-serving President of Iran?
- Mohammad Khatami, with 2,923 days in office.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Iran?
- Across 9 completed terms, the average president of Iran has served 1,796 days (about 4.9 years). That has stayed fairly steady: the last five completed terms averaged 1,971 days.
- Has Iran ever had a female president?
- No. All 10 presidents of Iran to date have been men.