Hassan Rouhani

Hassan Rouhani
Khamenei.ir · CC BY 4.0 · source
Name	Hassan Rouhani
Caption	Rouhani in 2017
Office	7th President of Iran
Term start	3 August 2013
Term end	3 August 2021
Predecessor	Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Successor	Ebrahim Raisi
Office1	Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council
Term start1	14 October 1989
Term end1	15 August 2005
Appointer1	Ali Khamenei
Predecessor1	Position established
Successor1	Ali Larijani
Office2	Member of the Assembly of Experts
Term start2	23 February 1999
Term end2	21 May 2016
Constituency	Tehran Province
Office3	Member of the Parliament of Iran
Term start3	28 May 1980
Term end3	28 May 2000
Constituency	Tehran, Semnan, Mashhad
Birth name	Hassan Fereydoun
Birth date	12 November 1948
Birth place	Sorkheh, Imperial State of Iran
Party	Moderation and Development Party
Otherparty	Combatant Clergy Association (1977–2013)
Spouse	Sahebeh Rouhani, 1972
Alma mater	University of Tehran, Glasgow Caledonian University
Religion	Twelver Shia Islam

Hassan Rouhani is an Iranian Shia Islamic cleric, diplomat, and jurist who served as the seventh President of Iran from 2013 to 2021. A longtime member of Iran's political establishment, his presidency was defined by the negotiation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with world powers and a platform of moderate social policies and economic engagement. His tenure concluded with the election of his hardline successor, Ebrahim Raisi, amid renewed economic challenges and diplomatic tensions.

Early life and education

Born Hassan Fereydoun in 1948 in Sorkheh, a town in Semnan Province, he adopted the surname Rouhani, meaning "spiritual." He began religious studies in his youth at the Semnan seminary before moving to the Qom seminary, a major center for Shia scholarship. Alongside his theological education, he pursued secular academic studies, earning a B.A. in Judicial law from the University of Tehran in 1972. He later obtained a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Constitutional law from Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland, completing his doctorate in 1999.

Political career before presidency

Rouhani's political activism began in opposition to the Pahlavi dynasty, leading to his arrest several times by SAVAK, the Shah's secret police. Following the Iranian Revolution, he was elected to the first Majlis in 1980, representing constituencies including Tehran, Semnan, and Mashhad. During the Iran–Iraq War, he held key security roles, serving on the Supreme Defense Council and as deputy speaker of parliament. In 1989, Ali Khamenei appointed him as the first secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, a position he held for 16 years, during which he served as the country's chief nuclear negotiator under President Mohammad Khatami. He was also a member of the Assembly of Experts from 1999 to 2016 and headed the Center for Strategic Research.

Presidency (2013–2021)

Rouhani won the 2013 Iranian presidential election in the first round, defeating prominent conservatives like Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Saeed Jalili, and succeeded Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. His campaign centered on promises of constructive engagement with the international community, easing social restrictions, and rescuing the ailing economy. He was re-elected in the 2017 Iranian presidential election by a wide margin, defeating Ebrahim Raisi. His presidency operated within the framework of the Vilayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist) under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, often navigating tensions with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Judiciary.

Nuclear deal and foreign policy

The hallmark of Rouhani's foreign policy was the successful negotiation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 with the P5+1 (the UN Security Council's five permanent members—US, UK, France, Russia, China—plus Germany). This agreement placed limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal was championed by his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif. However, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018, reimposing severe sanctions under a "maximum pressure" strategy. Rouhani's government also sought improved relations with European partners and regional neighbors while maintaining support for allies like the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad.

Domestic policy and economy

Rouhani's domestic agenda prioritized economic stabilization and a more open social atmosphere. The initial sanctions relief from the JCPOA provided a brief economic boost, but the reimposition of U.S. sanctions after 2018 led to a severe recession, high inflation, and a plummeting value for the Iranian rial. His government faced significant protests, including the 2017–18 Iranian protests and the 2019–20 Iranian protests, driven by economic hardship. On social policy, his administration slightly relaxed enforcement on mandatory hijab and increased internet bandwidth, but reform efforts were frequently blocked by the Judiciary of Iran and hardline factions in the parliament.

Post-presidency and legacy

Since leaving office in August 2021, Rouhani has been a member of the Expediency Discernment Council. His legacy is deeply intertwined with the nuclear deal; he is credited with diplomatically reintegrating Iran into the global community but criticized for an economic strategy overly reliant on the JCPOA's survival. The subsequent collapse of the deal and the election of the conservative Ebrahim Raisi marked a shift away from Rouhani's policy of détente. His tenure remains a subject of debate within Iran's political spectrum, representing a distinct era of attempted moderation constrained by structural hardline power.

Category:Presidents of Iran Category:1948 births Category:Living people