President of Iran

The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the head of government of Iran. While the president is also Iran's head of state, the system of government established after the Islamic Revolution provides that the president must perform his functions in conformity with the directives of the supreme leader, who is the highest political and religious authority in the country. The office was established after the adoption of the new constitution following the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The first presidential election was held in 1980. The president is the second in command of the executive branch of government after the supreme leader, and chairperson of the cabinet, and is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the government. The president answers to the supreme leader and executes his decrees. The president appoints the ministers, subject to the approval of Parliament and the supreme leader, who can dismiss or reinstate any of the ministers and vice presidents at any time. The president issues decrees, sends and receives foreign ambassadors, signs referendum results and legislation approved by parliament and the judiciary, and signs treaties, protocols, contracts, after parliamentary approval. The president is listed in the United Nations' "Heads of State, Heads of Government" as the country's head of state, rather than its supreme leader. The president is elected for a four-year term in a national election by universal adult suffrage by Iranians of at least 18 years of age, and can only be reelected once if in a consecutive manner. Candidates for the presidency must be approved by the Guardian Council. Masoud Pezeshkian is currently the president of Iran, after being elected in the 2024 Iranian presidential election and being officially endorsed by the supreme leader.