List of heads of state of Iran

This article lists the heads of state of Iran since the establishment of the modern Iranian nation-state in 1501.

Heads of State of Iran

The Expansive Realm of Iran (1501–1736) Safavid dynasty NamePortrait Birth–Death Reign start Reign end Dynasty Shah of Persia 1 Shah Ismail I 1487–1524 22 December 1501 23 May 1524 Safavid 2 Shah Tahmasp I 1514–1576 23 May 1524 14 May 1576 Safavid 3 Shah Ismail II 1537–1577 23 May 1576 24 November 1577 Safavid 4 Shah Mohammad Khodabanda 1532–1595/96 11 February 1578 1 October 1588 Safavid 5 Shah Abbas I 1571–1629 1 October 1588 19 January 1629 Safavid 6 Shah Safi 1611–1642 28 January 1629 12 May 1642 Safavid 7 Shah Abbas II 1632–1666 12 May 1642 25 September 1666 Safavid 8 Shah Suleiman I 1648–1694 1 November 1666 29 July 1694 Safavid 9 Shah Soltan Hoseyn 1668–1726 6 August 1694 23 October 1722 Safavid Ghilji rebellion 10 Mahmud Shah 1699–1725 23 October 1722 25 April 1725 Hotak 11 Ashraf Shah 1700–1730 26 April 1725 13 November 1729 Hotak Safavid restoration 12 Shah Tahmasp II 1704–1740 10 November 1722 2 September 1732 Safavid 13 Shah Abbas III 1732–1740 2 September 1732 8 March 1736 Safavid Realm of Iran (1736–1796) Afsharid dynasty 14 Nader Shah 1688–1747 8 March 1736 20 June 1747 Afsharid 15 Adel Shah 1719–1749 6 July 1747 29 September 1748 Afsharid 16 Ebrahim Shah 1724–1749 29 September 1748 May 1749 Afsharid 17 Shahrokh Shah 1734–1796 May 1749 30 December 1749 Afsharid Second Safavid restoration 18 Suleiman II 1714–1763 13 January 1750 20 March 1750 Safavid 19 Ismail III 1733–1773 29 June 1750 1773 Safavid Afsharid restoration (17) Shahrokh Shah 1734–1796 9 May 1755 14 May 1796 Afsharid Zand dynasty Wakil-al Raʿāyā 20 Karim Khan 1705–1779 1773 1 March 1779 Zand 21 Abol-Fath Khan 1755–1787 6 March 1779 May/June 1779 Zand 22 Mohammad Ali Khan 1760–1779 6 March 1779 19 June 1779 Zand (21) Abol-Fath Khan 1755–1787 19 June 1779 22 August 1779 Zand 23 Sadeq Khan ?–1781 22 August 1779 14 March 1781 Zand 24 Ali-Morad Khan c. 1720–1785 15 March 1781 11 February 1785 Zand – Bagher Shah ?–1786 12 February 1785 17 February 1785 25 Jafar Khan ?–1789 18 February 1785 23 January 1789 Zand 26 Seyd Morad Khan ?–1789 23 January 1789 10 May 1789 Zand 27 Lotf Ali Khan c. 1769–1794 10 May 1789 20 March 1794 Zand Shah of Iran (27) Lotf Ali Shah c. 1769–1794 21 March 1794 30 October 1794 Zand Qajar dynasty (1796–1925) 28 Agha Mohammad Shah 1742–1797 14 May 1796 17 June 1797 Qajar 29 Fath-Ali Shah 1772–1834 17 June 1797 23 October 1834 Qajar 30 Mohammad Shah 1808–1848 23 October 1834 5 September 1848 Qajar 31 Naser al-Din Shah 1831–1896 5 September 1848 1 May 1896 Qajar 32 Mozaffar ad-Din Shah 1853–1907 1 May 1896 3 January 1907 Qajar 33 Mohammad Ali Shah 1872–1925 3 January 1907 16 July 1909 Qajar 34 Ahmad Shah 1898–1930 16 July 1909 15 December 1925 Qajar Pahlavi dynasty (1925–1979) Name Birth–Death Took office Left office Political Affiliation Presidency of the Provisional Government 35 Reza Khan 1878–1944 31 October 1925 15 December 1925 Military Hambly, Gavin RG (1991). "The Pahlavī Autocracy: Riżā Shāh, 1921–41". In Avery, Peter; Hambly, Gavin RG; Melville, Charles P. (eds.). The Cambridge History of Iran (in English). Vol. 7. Cambridge University Press . pp. 224. Name Birth–Death Took office Left office Dynasty Shah of Iran (35) Reza Shah 1878–1944 15 December 1925 16 September 1941 Pahlavi 36 Mohammad Reza Shah 1919–1980 16 September 1941 11 February 1979 Pahlavi Name Birth–Death Took office Left office Political Affiliation Islamic Republic of Iran (1979–present) Supreme Leader of Iran 37 Ruhollah Khomeini 1900–1989 4 February 1979 3 June 1989 Independent 38 Ali Khamenei 1939–2026 4 June 1989 28 February 2026 Combatant Clergy AssociationIndependent — Interim Leadership Council — 1 March 2026 8 March 2026Independent and Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom 39 Mojtaba Khamenei 1969– 8 March 2026 Incumbent Independent

Timeline

List of heads of state of Iran

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