Prime Minister of Iran

former political post in Iran

The Prime Minister of Iran was a political job in Iran (Persia) that had existed many times between the Qajar era until the end of the Pahlavi dynasty. It also was active from 1979 to 1989 following the Iranian Revolution, but was abolished in 1989.

Prime Minister of Iran
نخست‌وزیر ایران
Official standard
(1979–1989)
TypeHead of Government
StatusOffice abolished
Member ofCabinet of Iran
Supreme National Security Council
ResidenceMarble Palace
AppointerThe Parliament
PrecursorGrand Vizier of Persia
Formation1 August 1906
First holderMirza Nasrullah Khan
Final holderMir-Hossein Mousavi
Abolished3 August 1989
SuccessionPresident of Iran
Vice President of Iran
Political party key
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Head of State
(Reign / Term)
Took office Left office Time in office
 Sublime State of Persia (1907–1925) •  
1   Nasrullah Moshir al-Dowleh
(1840–1907)
Grand Vizier
1 August 1906 7 March 1907 218 days Independent Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar
 
(1896–1907)
Moshir al-Dowleh held the office at the time of death of Mozaffar al-Din Shah and accession of Mohammad Ali Shah, on 3 January 1907. Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar
 
(1907–1909)
2   Soltan-Ali Vazir-e Afkham
(1862–1914)
Interior Minister and Head of Cabinet
17 March 1907 29 April 1907 43 days Independent
3   Ali-Asghar Khan Atabak
(1858–1907)
4 May 1907 31 August 1907
(assassinated)
119 days Independent
4   Ahmad Moshir al-Saltaneh
(1844–1918)
16 September 1907 27 October 1907 41 days Independent
5   Abolqasem Naser al-Molk
(1856–1927)
27 October 1907 21 December 1907 55 days Independent
6   Hossein-Qoli Nezam al-Saltaneh Mafi
(1832–1908)
21 December 1907 21 May 1908 152 days Independent
(4)   Ahmad Moshir al-Saltaneh
(1844–1918)
7 June 1908 29 April 1909 326 days Independent
7   Kamran Mirza Nayeb al-Saltaneh
(1856–1929)
29 April 1909 2 May 1909 3 days Independent
8   Javad Sa'd al-Dowleh
(1856–1930)
8 May 1909 13 July 1909
(deposed)
66 days Independent
Interim Cabinet without Prime Minister
کابینه موقت بدون نخست وزیر
(Appointed by Supreme Council of Politicians and Clergymen)
17 July 1909 30 September 1909 75 days Ahmad Shah Qajar
 
(1909–1925)
9   Mohammad-Vali Khan Tonekaboni
(1848–1926)
30 September 1909 25 July 1910 298 days Moderate Socialists
10   Hassan Mostowfi al-Mamalek
(1875–1932)
25 July 1910 12 March 1911 230 days Democrats
(9)   Mohammad-Vali Khan Tonekaboni
(1848–1926)
12 March 1911 26 July 1911 136 days Moderate Socialists
11   Najaf-Qoli Samsam al-Saltaneh
(1846–1930)
26 July 1911 1913 c. 2 years Moderate Socialists
12   Mohammad-Ali Ala al-Saltaneh
(1829–1918)
18 January 1913 16 August 1913 210 days Independent
(10)   Hassan Mostowfi al-Mamalek
(1875–1932)
17 August 1913 14 March 1915 1 year, 209 days Democrats
13   Hassan Pirnia
(1871–1935)
14 March 1915 1 May 1915 48 days Moderate Socialists
14   Abdol Majid Mirza
(1845–1927)
1 May 1915 18 August 1915 109 days Independent
(10)   Hassan Mostowfi al-Mamalek
(1875–1932)
18 August 1915 24 December 1915 128 days Democrats
15   Abdol-Hossein Mirza Farmanfarma
(1857–1939)
24 December 1915 29 February 1916 67 days Moderate Socialists
(9)   Mohammad-Vali Khan Tonekaboni
(1848–1926)
5 March 1916 29 August 1916 177 days Moderate Socialists
16   Hassan Vosugh al-Dowleh
(1873–1950)
29 August 1916 5 June 1917 280 days Democrats
(12)   Mohammad-Ali Ala al-Saltaneh
(1829–1918)
5 June 1917 21 November 1917 169 days Independent
(14)   Abdol Majid Mirza
(1845–1927)
21 November 1917 16 January 1918 56 days Independent
(10)   Hassan Mostowfi al-Mamalek
(1875–1932)
16 January 1918 1 May 1918 105 days Democrats
(11)   Najaf-Qoli Samsam al-Saltaneh
(1846–1930)
1 May 1918 8 August 1918 99 days Moderate Socialists
(16)   Hassan Vosugh al-Dowleh
(1845–1927)
8 August 1918 3 July 1920 1 year, 330 days Democrats
(until 1919)
Independent
(13)   Hassan Pirnia
(1871–1935)
3 July 1920 27 October 1920 116 days Independent
17   Fathollah Khan Akbar
(1878–1967)
27 October 1920 22 February 1921
(deposed)
118 days Independent
18   Zia'eddin Tabatabaee
(1889–1969)
24 February 1921 4 June 1921 100 days Independent
19   Qavām os-Saltaneh
(1873–1955)
4 June 1921 21 January 1922 231 days Reformers' Party
(13)   Hassan Pirnia
(1871–1935)
21 January 1922 22 June 1922 152 days Independent
(19)   Qavām os-Saltaneh
(1873–1955)
22 June 1922 15 February 1923 238 days Reformers' Party
(10)   Hassan Mostowfi al-Mamalek
(1875–1932)
15 February 1923 15 June 1923 120 days Revival Party
(13)   Hassan Pirnia
(1871–1935)
15 June 1923 26 October 1923 133 days Independent
20   Reza Khan Sardar Sepah
(1878–1944)
26 October 1923 12 December 1925
(became Shah)
2 years, 47 days Military
 Imperial State of Iran (1925–1979) •  
  Mohammad-Ali Foroughi
(1875–1942)
Acting Prime Minister
12 December 1925 13 June 1926 183 days Revival Party Reza Shah Pahlavi
 
(1925–1941)
(10)   Mostowfi ol-Mamalek
(1875–1932)
13 June 1926 2 June 1927 354 days Revival Party
21   Mehdi Hedayat
(1864–1955)
2 June 1927 18 September 1933 6 years, 108 days Revival Party
Independent
22   Mohammad-Ali Foroughi
(1875–1942)
18 September 1933 3 December 1935 2 years, 76 days Independent
23   Mahmoud Jam
(1880–1969)
3 December 1935 26 October 1939 3 years, 327 days Independent
24   Ahmad Matin-Daftari
(1897–1971)
26 October 1939 26 June 1940 244 days Independent
25   Ali Mansur
(1886–1974)
26 June 1940 27 August 1941
(resigned)
1 year, 62 days Independent
(22)   Mohammad-Ali Foroughi
(1875–1942)
27 August 1941 9 March 1942 194 days Independent Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
 
(1941–1979)
26   Ali Soheili
(1896–1958)
9 March 1942 9 August 1942 153 days Independent
(19)   Ahmad Qavam
(1873–1955)
9 August 1942 15 February 1943 190 days Independent
(26)   Ali Soheili
(1896–1958)
15 February 1943 6 April 1944 1 year, 51 days Independent
27   Mohammad Sa'ed
(1881–1973)
6 April 1944 25 November 1944 233 days Independent
28   Morteza-Qoli Bayat
(1890–1958)
25 November 1944 13 May 1945 169 days Independent
29   Ebrahim Hakimi
(1871–1959)
13 May 1945 6 June 1945 24 days Independent
30   Mohsen Sadr
(1871–1962)
6 June 1945 30 October 1945 146 days Independent
(29)   Ebrahim Hakimi
(1871–1959)
30 October 1945 28 January 1946 90 days Independent
(19)   Ahmad Qavam
(1873–1955)
28 January 1946 18 December 1947 1 year, 324 days Independent
Democrat Party of Iran
(from 29 June 1946)
31   Mohammad-Reza Hekmat
(1891–1978)
18 December 1947 29 December 1947 11 days Democrat Party of Iran
(29)   Ebrahim Hakimi
(1871–1959)
29 December 1947 13 June 1948 167 days Independent
32   Abdolhossein Hazhir
(1902–1949)
13 June 1948 9 November 1948 149 days Independent
(27)   Mohammad Sa'ed
(1881–1973)
9 November 1948 23 March 1950 1 year, 134 days Independent
(25)   Ali Mansur
(1886–1974)
23 March 1950 26 June 1950 95 days Independent
33   Ali Razmara
(1901–1951)
26 June 1950 7 March 1951
(assassinated)
254 days Military
  Khalil Fahimi
(1876–1953)
Acting Prime Minister
7 March 1951 12 March 1951 5 days Independent
34   Hossein Ala'
(1882–1964)
12 March 1951 27 April 1951 46 days Independent
35   Mohammad Mosaddegh
(1882–1967)
28 April 1951 17 July 1952 1 year, 80 days National Front
(19)   Ahmad Qavam
(1873–1955)
17 July 1952 22 July 1952 5 days Independent
(35)   Mohammad Mosaddegh
(1882–1967)
22 July 1952 19 August 1953
(deposed)
1 year, 28 days National Front
36   Fazlollah Zahedi
(1897–1963)
19 August 1953 7 April 1955 1 year, 231 days Military
(34)   Hossein Ala'
(1882–1964)
7 April 1955 3 April 1957 1 year, 361 days Independent
37   Manouchehr Eghbal
(1909–1977)
3 April 1957 31 August 1960 3 years, 150 days Nationalists’ Party
38   Jafar Sharif-Emami
(1910–1998)
31 August 1960 5 May 1961 247 days Nationalists’ Party
39   Ali Amini
(1905–1992)
5 May 1961 19 July 1962 1 year, 75 days Independent
40   Asadollah Alam
(1919–1978)
19 July 1962 7 March 1964 1 year, 232 days People's Party
41   Hassan-Ali Mansur
(1923–1965)
7 March 1964 26 January 1965
(assassinated)
325 days New Iran Party
42   Amir-Abbas Hoveyda
(1919–1979)
26 January 1965 7 August 1977 12 years, 193 days New Iran Party
(until 1975)
Rastakhiz Party
43   Jamshid Amouzegar
(1923–2016)
7 August 1977 27 August 1978 1 year, 20 days Rastakhiz Party
(38)   Jafar Sharif-Emami
(1910–1998)
27 August 1978 6 November 1978 71 days Rastakhiz Party
(until 1 November)
Independent
44   Gholam Reza Azhari
(1912–2001)
6 November 1978 4 January 1979 59 days Military
45   Shapour Bakhtiar
(1914–1991)
4 January 1979 11 February 1979
(deposed)
38 days Independent
 Islamic Republic of Iran (1979–present) •  
46   Mehdi Bazargan
مهدی بازرگان
(1907–1995)
4 February 1979 6 November 1979
(resigned)
275 days Freedom Movement of Iran Ruhollah Khomeini
 
(1979–1989)
Council of the Islamic Revolution
شورای انقلاب اسلامی
(Leader: Abolhassan Banisadr)
6 November 1979 12 August 1980 280 days
47   Mohammad-Ali Rajai
محمدعلی رجائی
(1933–1981)
12 August 1980 4 August 1981 357 days Islamic Republican Party
48   Mohammad-Javad Bahonar
محمدجواد باهنر
(1933–1981)
4 August 1981 30 August 1981
(assassinated)
26 days Islamic Republican Party
  Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani
محمدرضا مهدوی کنی
(1931–2014)
Acting Prime Minister
2 September 1981 31 October 1981 59 days Combatant Clergy Association
49   Mir-Hossein Mousavi
میرحسین موسوی خامنه
(born 1942)
31 October 1981 14 August 1989 7 years, 287 days Islamic Republican Party
(until 1987)
Independent Ali Khamenei
 
(1989present)
Post abolished (14 August 1989 – present)

Living former prime ministers

change
Name Picture Term Date of birth
Mir-Hossein Mousavi   1981–1989 (1942-03-02) 2 March 1942 (age 82)

More readings

change
  • For a full list of Viziers of Iran 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 Library collection DS 271 F34 1995
  • Mohammad Taghi Bahar, Taarikh-e Mokhtasar-e Ahzaab-e Siaasi-e Iraan (A Short History of Political Parties of Iran), Amirkabir, 1978.
  • Encyclopædia Iranica's entries on "Ala-al-Saltana, Mohammad-Ali" and "Akbar Sepahdar-e Azam, Fathallah"
  • various articles in The Persian Encyclopedia
  • 'Alí Rizā Awsatí (عليرضا اوسطى), Iran in the Past Three Centuries (Irān dar Se Qarn-e Goz̲ashteh - ايران در سه قرن گذشته), Volumes 1 and 2 (Paktāb Publishing - انتشارات پاکتاب, Tehran, Iran, 2003). ISBN 964-93406-6-1 (Vol. 1), ISBN 964-93406-5-3 (Vol. 2).