Prime Minister of Iran
Encyclopedia
Prime Minister of Iran was a political post in Iran
that had existed during several different periods of time starting with the Qajar era (when the country was internationally known as Persia) until its most recent revival from 1979 to 1989 following the Iranian Revolution
.
became the last prime minister of the Qajar dynasty in 1923.
For a list of Iranian 'prime ministers' prior to 1907 see List of Premiers of Iran (1699-1907).
became Shah of Iran. He installed Mohammad-Ali Foroughi as the prime minister. In 1941 his son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
became Shah. He installed Mohammad-Ali Foroughi as the prime minister too. In 1951, Mohammed Mosaddeq became Prime Minister but was overthrown in a coup d'état in 1953. Amir-Abbas Hoveida became Prime minister of Iran in 1965 and remained in office until 1977. Shapour Bakhtiar
was the last prime minister of Pahlavi era.
of 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini installed Mehdi Bazargan
as the Prime Minister of an interim government, which served until November 1979. The government resigned during the Iran hostage crisis
, but mentioned that it has not been the sole reason, and the decision for mass resignation had been reached one day before the invasion of the United States
embassy by the Iranian students.
The post was left empty until Abolhassan Banisadr
became president in January 1980 and chose Mohammad Ali Rajai
as his prime minister, mainly because of pressures imposed by Majlis
representatives, specially those close to Islamic Republic Party. Rajai served in the post until Banisadr's impeachment in June, 1981, and was elected as president in the elections of July 24, 1981.
Rajai chose Mohammad Javad Bahonar
as his prime minister, but they were assassinated together in Prime Minister's office only a few weeks later, on August 30, 1981.
When Ali Khamenei
became president in the elections of October, 1981, he first introduced right-leaning Ali Akbar Velayati
to the Majlis as his prime minister, but he was voted down by the then left-leaning majority of the parliament, which then forced their own preferred prime minister to Khamenei, namely Mir-Hossein Mousavi
. The dispute was finally ended by interference of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, who advised the president to accept Mousavi.
Mousavi served under the title until 1989, when the constitution
was amended
to remove the title of Prime Minister and divide his responsibilities between the president and a newly-created title of First Vice President
.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
that had existed during several different periods of time starting with the Qajar era (when the country was internationally known as Persia) until its most recent revival from 1979 to 1989 following the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
.
Prime Ministers of Qajar era
In the Qajar era, prime ministers were known by different titles. The post itself was mainly known as ataabak or ataabak-e a'zam (grand ataabak), or sometimes sadr-e a'zam (premier) at the beginning, but became ra'is ol-vozaraa (head of ministers) at the end. The title of nakhost vazir (prime minister) was rarely used. The prime minister was usually called by the honorific title hazrat-e ashraf. Reza Khan Sardar SepahReza Shah
Rezā Shāh, also known as Rezā Shāh Pahlavi and Rezā Shāh Kabir , , was the Shah of the Imperial State of Iran from December 15, 1925, until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on September 16, 1941.In 1925, Reza Shah overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar...
became the last prime minister of the Qajar dynasty in 1923.
For a list of Iranian 'prime ministers' prior to 1907 see List of Premiers of Iran (1699-1907).
Prime Ministers of Pahlavi era
In 1925, Reza ShahReza Shah
Rezā Shāh, also known as Rezā Shāh Pahlavi and Rezā Shāh Kabir , , was the Shah of the Imperial State of Iran from December 15, 1925, until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on September 16, 1941.In 1925, Reza Shah overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar...
became Shah of Iran. He installed Mohammad-Ali Foroughi as the prime minister. In 1941 his son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
became Shah. He installed Mohammad-Ali Foroughi as the prime minister too. In 1951, Mohammed Mosaddeq became Prime Minister but was overthrown in a coup d'état in 1953. Amir-Abbas Hoveida became Prime minister of Iran in 1965 and remained in office until 1977. Shapour Bakhtiar
Shapour Bakhtiar
Shapour Bakhtiar was an Iranian political scientist, writer and the last Prime Minister of Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi...
was the last prime minister of Pahlavi era.
Prime Ministers of Islamic Republic of Iran
After the Iranian RevolutionIranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
of 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini installed Mehdi Bazargan
Mehdi Bazargan
Mehdi Bazargan was a prominent Iranian scholar, academic, long-time pro-democracy activist and head of Iran's interim government, making him Iran's first prime minister after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. He was the head of the first engineering department of Tehran University...
as the Prime Minister of an interim government, which served until November 1979. The government resigned during the Iran hostage crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
, but mentioned that it has not been the sole reason, and the decision for mass resignation had been reached one day before the invasion of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
embassy by the Iranian students.
The post was left empty until Abolhassan Banisadr
Abolhassan Banisadr
Abulhassan Banisadr is an Iranian politician, economist and human rights activist who served as the first President of Iran from 4 February 1980 after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the abolition of the monarchy until his impeachment on 21 June 1981 by the Parliament of Iran...
became president in January 1980 and chose Mohammad Ali Rajai
Mohammad Ali Rajai
Mohammad Ali Rajai was the second elected President of Iran from 2 to 30 August 1981, after serving as Prime Minister under Abolhassan Banisadr. He was also Minister of Foreign Affairs from 11 March 1981 to 15 August 1981, while he was Prime Minister...
as his prime minister, mainly because of pressures imposed by Majlis
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
representatives, specially those close to Islamic Republic Party. Rajai served in the post until Banisadr's impeachment in June, 1981, and was elected as president in the elections of July 24, 1981.
Rajai chose Mohammad Javad Bahonar
Mohammad Javad Bahonar
Hojatoleslam Mohammad Javad Bahonar was an Iranian scholar, Shiite theologian and politician who served as the Prime minister of Iran from 15 to 30 August 1981 when he was assassinated by Mujahideen-e Khalq MEK, also known as PMOI and KMO...
as his prime minister, but they were assassinated together in Prime Minister's office only a few weeks later, on August 30, 1981.
When Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
became president in the elections of October, 1981, he first introduced right-leaning Ali Akbar Velayati
Ali Akbar Velayati
Ali Akbar Velayati is an Iranian politician, academic and diplomat. He was the Foreign Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1997...
to the Majlis as his prime minister, but he was voted down by the then left-leaning majority of the parliament, which then forced their own preferred prime minister to Khamenei, namely Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a Reformist candidate for the 2009 presidential election and eventually the leader of the opposition in the post-election...
. The dispute was finally ended by interference of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, who advised the president to accept Mousavi.
Mousavi served under the title until 1989, when the constitution
Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran was adopted by referendum on October 24, 1979, and went into force on December 3 of that year, replacing the Constitution of 1906. It was amended on July 28, 1989. The constitution has been called a "hybrid" of "authoritarian, theocratic and...
was amended
Iranian constitutional referendum, 1989
A constitutional referendum was held in Iran on 28 July 1989, alongside presidential elections. Approved by 97.6% of voters, It was the first and so far the only time the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been amended. It made several changes to articles 5, 107, 109, 111, and added...
to remove the title of Prime Minister and divide his responsibilities between the president and a newly-created title of First Vice President
Vice President of Iran
Vice President of Iran is defined by article 124 of the Iranian constitution, as anyone appointed by the President to lead an organization related to Presidential affairs. , there are 12 Vice Presidents in Iran...
.
Living former Prime Ministers
| Name | Picture | Term | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamshid Amouzegar |  |
1977–1978 | |
| Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani |  |
1981–1981 | |
| Mir-Hossein Mousavi Mir-Hossein Mousavi Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a Reformist candidate for the 2009 presidential election and eventually the leader of the opposition in the post-election... |
1981–1989 |
See also
- List of Prime Ministers of Iran
- List of Premiers of Iran (1699-1907)
- Politics of IranPolitics of IranThe politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is...
- President of IranPresident of IranThe President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
- History of IranHistory of IranThe history of Iran has been intertwined with the history of a larger historical region, comprising the area from the Danube River in the west to the Indus River and Jaxartes in the east and from the Caucasus, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and Egypt...
Further reading
- For a full list of "Viziers" of Iran/Persia in the last 2000 years, see: "Iranian Viziers: From Bozorgmehr to Amir Kabir" (وزیران ایرانی از بزرگمهر تا امیر کبیر), by Abdolrafi' Haqiqat (عبدالرفیع حقیقت). Perry-Castañeda LibraryPerry-Castañeda LibraryThe Perry–Castañeda Library is the main central library of the University of Texas at Austin library system in Austin, Texas. PCL is located at 21st Street and Speedway in Austin, TX....
collection DS 271 F34 1995 http://catalog.lib.utexas.edu/search~S29?/cDS+271/cds++271/1%2C81%2C120%2CB/frameset&FF=cds++271+f34+1995&1%2C1%2C