This article lists Tehran's Friday Prayer Imams that were appointed before and after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. It contains both the official and ephemeral Tehran's Friday prayer Imams. The most recent Imam was the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, whose term lasted from his appointment by Ruhollah Khomeini in 1980 until his assassination in the 2026 Iran war.
The appointer of both the official and ephemeral Friday Prayer Imams is the Supreme Leader of Iran, who is currently Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Ali Khamenei. Before the revolution, it was the Shah of Iran who appointed the Friday Prayer Imams. The current Ephemeral Friday Prayer Imams are Ahmad Khatami, Ali Movahedi-Kermani, Mohammad-Hassan Aboutorabi Fard and Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari.
Imams
Before the Iranian Revolution (before 1979) Portrait Imam Date Appointed by Notes1 Sayyid AbolqasemUnknown – 1908UnknownDismissed from the position by the Constitutionalists2 Mohammad Emami1908–1947UnknownDied in office3 Hassan Emami2 February 1946 – 16 January 1979 Mohammad Reza ShahLeft office due to Iranian RevolutionVacant
Islamic Republic of Iran (from 1979) Portrait Imam Date Appointed by NotesVacant 1 Mahmoud Taleghani27 July 1979 – 9 September 1979 Ruhollah KhomeiniDied in office2 Hussein-Ali Montazeri12 September 1979 – 14 January 1980 Ruhollah KhomeiniResigned3 Ali Khamenei 14 January 1980 – 28 February 2026 Ruhollah Khomeini Assassinated during officeVacant
Ephemeral Imams Portrait Imam Date Appointed by Notes1 Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardebili13 February 1981 – 24 December 1993 Ruhollah KhomeiniImamate unofficially ended2 Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani3 July 1981 – 17 July 2009 Ruhollah KhomeiniImamate unofficially ended3Mohammed Emami-Kashani30 October 1981 – 2 March 2024 Ruhollah KhomeiniDied in office4 Mohammad Mahdi Rabbani Amlashi11 December 1981 – ? Ruhollah KhomeiniHe was Imam for 3 times5 Mohammad Yazdi1982 – late 1990s Ruhollah KhomeiniResigned 6 Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani11 March 1983 – 19 June 2009 Ruhollah KhomeiniHe was Imam for 100 times7Ahmad Jannati3 April 1992 – 11 March 2018 Ali KhameneiResigned 8 Hassan Taheri Khorramabadi? Ali Khamenei He was Imam for 8 times9 Ahmad Khatami18 December 2005 – present Ali Khamenei10Kazem Seddiqi1 August 2009 – 3 August 2025 Ali KhameneiResigned11Ali Movahedi-Kermani2 December 2012 – present Ali Khamenei12Mohammad-Hassan Aboutorabi Fard14 February 2018 – present Ali Khamenei13Mohammad-Javad Haj Ali Akbari31 December 2018 – present Ali Khamenei
See also Friday prayer in Shia Islam List of provincial representatives appointed by Supreme Leader of Iran
References