Hassan Rouhani
Hassan Rouhani (Persian: حسن روحانی, Standard Persian pronunciation: [hæˈsæn-e ɾowhɒːˈniː] ⓘ; born Hassan Fereydoun (Persian: حسن فریدون); 12 November 1948) is an Iranian Islamist politician who served as the seventh president of Iran from 2013 to 2021. He is also a sharia lawyer ("Wakil"), academic, former diplomat and Islamic cleric. He has been a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts since 1999. He was a member of the Expediency Council from 1991 to 2021, and also was a member of the Supreme National Security Council from 1989 to 2021. Rouhani was deputy speaker of the fourth and fifth terms of the Parliament of Iran (Majlis) and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 1989 to 2005. In the latter capacity, he was the country's top negotiator with the EU three, UK, France, and Germany, on nuclear technology in Iran, and has also served as a Shia mujtahid (a senior cleric), and economic trade negotiator.: 138
Hassan Rouhani | |
|---|---|
حسن روحانی | |
Rouhani in 2020 | |
| 7th President of Iran | |
| In office 3 August 2013 – 3 August 2021 | |
| Supreme Leader | Ali Khamenei |
| Vice President | Eshaq Jahangiri |
| Preceded by | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad |
| Succeeded by | Ebrahim Raisi |
| Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement | |
| In office 3 August 2013 – 17 September 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad |
| Succeeded by | Nicolás Maduro |
| Chief Nuclear Negotiator of Iran | |
| In office 6 October 2003 – 15 August 2005 | |
| President | Mohammad Khatami |
| Deputy | Hossein Mousavian |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ali Larijani |
| Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council | |
| In office 14 October 1989 – 15 August 2005 | |
| President | Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Mohammad Khatami |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ali Larijani |
| Member of the Assembly of Experts | |
| Assumed office 19 February 2007 | |
| Constituency | Tehran Province |
| Majority | 2,238,166 (53.56%) |
| In office 18 February 2000 – 18 February 2007 | |
| Constituency | Semnan Province |
| First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament | |
| In office 2 June 1992 – 26 May 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Hossein Hashemian |
| Succeeded by | Behzad Nabavi |
| Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | |
| In office 28 May 1984 – 27 May 2000 | |
| Constituency | Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr |
| Majority | 729,965 (58.3%; 2nd term) |
| In office 28 May 1980 – 27 May 1984 | |
| Constituency | Semnan |
| Majority | 19,017 (62.1%) |
| Advisor to the President of Iran President of Center for Strategic Research | |
| In office August 1992 – 10 June 1997 | |
| President | Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani |
| Preceded by | Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Member of Expediency Discernment Council | |
| In office 8 May 1991 – 3 August 2013 | |
| Appointed by | Ali Khamenei |
| Chairman | Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani |
| Succeeded by | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad |
| National Security Advisor of Iran to the President | |
| In office 2000–2005 | |
| President | Mohammad Khatami |
| Preceded by | Khosrow Tehrani |
| In office 1989–1997 | |
| President | Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Hassan Fereydoun 12 November 1948 Sorkheh, Semnan Province, Imperial State of Iran |
| Political party | Moderation and Development Party (1999–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Combatant Clergy Association (1988–present; inactive since 2009) Islamic Republican Party (1979–87) |
| Spouse |
Sahebeh Arabi (m. 1968) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Qom Seminary University of Tehran Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Signature | |
| Website | Personal website (Persian) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Iran |
| Years of service | 1971–72 (conscription) 1985–91 |
| Unit | Sepah Danesh of Nishapur (1971–72) |
| Commands | Commander-in-Chief of Air Defense (1985–91) Deputy to Second-in-Command of Iran's Joint Chiefs of Staff (1988–89) |
| Battles/wars | Iran–Iraq War |
| Awards | Order of Nasr (1st Class) Order of Fath (2nd Class) |
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Elections
First term
Second term
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On 7 May 2013, Rouhani registered for the presidential election that was held on 14 June 2013. He campaigned on promises to restore the economy, improve rocky relations with Western nations, and prepare a "civil rights charter" if elected. He also expressed official support for upholding the rights of ethnic and religious minorities. He was elected as President of Iran on 15 June, defeating Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and four other candidates; he took office on 3 August 2013. In 2013, Time magazine named him in its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Rouhani is frequently described as a centrist and reformist. In domestic policy, he encourages personal freedom, free access to information, and has improved women's rights by appointing female foreign ministry spokespeople. He has also improved Iran's diplomatic relations with other countries through exchanging conciliatory letters. Rouhani won re-election in the 2017 election with 23,636,652 votes (57.1%). He became the third Iranian President, after Mohammad Khatami and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to win a presidential victory as an incumbent with an increased electoral mandate.
Although Rouhani originally had the support of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during his second term, their relationship soured as Khamenei criticized Rouhani for presumably being too soft in negotiations with the West over the Iran nuclear agreement. After his second term, Rouhani was not appointed to any senior role by Khamenei and did not meet with him again until 2021.