This article lists theheads of state ofIran since the establishment of the modern Iraniannation-state[1] in1501AD.
The Expansive Realm of Iran (1501–1736)[edit] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Portrait | Birth–Death | Reign start | Reign end | Dynasty | |
| Shah of Persia | |||||||
| 1 | Shah Ismail I | 1487–1524 | July 1501[a] | 23 May 1524 | Safavid | ||
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| 2 | Shah Tahmasp I | 1514–1576 | 23 May 1524 | 14 May 1576 | Safavid | ||
Regency:
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| 3 | Shah Ismail II | 1537–1577 | 23 May 1576 | 24 November 1577 | Safavid | ||
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| 4 | Shah Mohammad Khodabanda | 1532–1595/96 | 11 February 1578 | 1 October 1588 | Safavid | ||
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| 5 | Shah Abbas I | 1571–1629 | 1 October 1588 | 19 January 1629 | Safavid | ||
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| 6 | Shah Safi | 1611–1642 | 28 January 1629 | 12 May 1642 | Safavid | ||
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| 7 | Shah Abbas II | 1632–1666 | 12 May 1642 | 25 September 1666 | Safavid | ||
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| 8 | Shah Suleiman I | 1648–1694 | 1 November 1666 | 29 July 1694 | Safavid | ||
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| 9 | Shah Sultan Husayn | 1668–1726 | 6 August 1694 | 23 October 1722 | Safavid | ||
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| 10 | Mahmud Shah | 1699–1725 | 23 October 1722 | 25 April 1725 | Hotak | ||
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| 11 | Ashraf Shah | 1700–1730 | 26 April 1725 | 13 November 1729 | Hotak | ||
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Safavid restoration[edit] | |||||||
| 12 | Shah Tahmasp II | 1704–1740 | 10 November 1722 | 2 September 1732 | Safavid | ||
He was crowned on 9 December 1729 afterliberation of the Safavid Capital. Reigned at exile:
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| 13 | Shah Abbas III | 1732–1740 | 2 September 1732 | 8 March 1736 | Safavid | ||
Realm of Iran (1736–1796)[edit] | |||||||
| 14 | Nader Shah | 1688–1747 | 8 March 1736 | 20 June 1747 | Afsharid | ||
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| 15 | Adil Shah | 1719–1749 | 6 July 1747 | 29 September 1748 | Afsharid | ||
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| 16 | Ebrahim Shah | 1724–1749 | 29 September 1748 | May 1749 | Afsharid | ||
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| 17 | Shahrokh Shah | 1734–1796 | May 1749 | 30 December 1749 | Afsharid | ||
| Proclaimed asShah at 30 September 1748 and one day later crowned atMashhad. | |||||||
Second Safavid restoration[edit] | |||||||
| 18 | Suleiman II | 1714–1763 | 13 January 1750 | 20 March 1750 | Safavid | ||
| Proclaimed after deposing and blinding ofShahrokh Shah and crowned at 14 January 1750. | |||||||
| 19 | Ismail III | 1733–1773 | 29 June 1750 | 1773 | Safavid | ||
He was aPuppet ruler who raised to the throne byAli Mardan Khan Bakhtiari andKarim Khan Zand as a front tolegitimize their rule.[7] Regency:
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Afsharid restoration[edit] | |||||||
| (17) | Shahrokh Shah | 1734–1796 | 9 May 1755 | 14 May 1796 | Afsharid | ||
| . | |||||||
| Wakil-al Raʿāyā | |||||||
| 20 | Karim Khan | 1705–1779 | 1773 | 1 March 1779 | Zand | ||
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| 21 | Abol-Fath Khan | 1755–1787 | 6 March 1779 | May/June 1779 | Zand | ||
| He and his younger brotherMohammad Ali Khan wereCo-rulers. | |||||||
| 22 | Mohammad Ali Khan | 1760–1779 | 6 March 1779 | 19 June 1779 | Zand | ||
| He and his elder brotherAbol-Fath Khan wereCo-rulers until May/June 1779. | |||||||
| (21) | Abol-Fath Khan | 1755–1787 | 19 June 1779 | 22 August 1779 | Zand | ||
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| 23 | Sadeq Khan | ?–1781 | 22 August 1779 | 14 March 1781 | Zand | ||
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| 24 | Ali-Morad Khan | c. 1720–1785 | 15 March 1781 | 11 February 1785 | Zand | ||
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| – | Bagher Shah | ?–1786 | 12 February 1785 | 17 February 1785 | — | ||
| After the death of Ali-Morad Khan,Bagher Khan Khorasgani Governor ofIsfahan proclaimed himself asShah and mentioned himself in theKhutbah andon coins. He was defeated from the corps of Jafar Khan.[9] | |||||||
| 25 | Jafar Khan | ?–1789 | 18 February 1785 | 23 January 1789 | Zand | ||
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| 26 | Seyd Morad Khan | ![]() | ?–1789 | 23 January 1789 | 10 May 1789 | Zand | |
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| 27 | Lotf Ali Khan | c. 1769–1794 | 10 May 1789 | 20 March 1794 | Zand | ||
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| Shah of Iran | |||||||
| (27) | Lotf Ali Shah | c. 1769–1794 | 21 March 1794 | 30 October 1794 | Zand | ||
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Sublime State of Persia (1796–1925)[edit] | |||||||
| 28 | Agha Mohammad Shah | 1742–1797 | 14 May 1796 | 17 June 1797 | Qajar | ||
| Agha Mohammad decided to move his capital to the small town ofTehran on 1786.[10] He was formally crowned asShah during spring 1796 at theMugan plain, on his return afterthe conquest of Tbilisi.[11][12] | |||||||
| 29 | Fath-Ali Shah | 1772–1834 | 17 June 1797 | 23 October 1834 | Qajar | ||
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| 30 | Mohammad Shah | 1808–1848 | 9 November 1834 | 5 September 1848 | Qajar | ||
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| 31 | Naser al-Din Shah | 1831–1896 | 13 September 1848 | 1 May 1896 | Qajar | ||
| Queen-mother Mahd-e Olia: 5 September 1848 – 1 October 1848. | |||||||
| 32 | Mozaffar ad-Din Shah | 1853–1907 | 2 May 1896 | 8 January 1907 | Qajar | ||
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| 33 | Mohammad Ali Shah | 1872–1925 | 8 January 1907 | 16 July 1909 | Qajar | ||
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| 34 | Ahmad Shah | 1898–1930 | 16 July 1909 | 15 December 1925 | Qajar | ||
Reigned in exile: from 2 December 1923 Regency:
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Imperial State of Iran (1925–1979)[edit] | |||||||
| No. | Name | Birth–Death | Took office | Left office | Political Affiliation | ||
| Provisional Head of State | |||||||
| 35 | Reza Khan | 1878–1944 | 31 October 1925 | 15 December 1925 | Military | ||
| . | |||||||
| No. | Name | Birth–Death | Took office | Left office | Dynasty | ||
| Shah of Iran | |||||||
| (35) | Reza Shah | 1878–1944 | 15 December 1925 | 16 September 1941 | Pahlavi | ||
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| 36 | Mohammad Reza Shah | 1919–1980 | 16 September 1941 | 11 February 1979 | Pahlavi | ||
| No. | Name | Birth–Death | Took office | Left office | Political Affiliation | ||
Islamic Republic of Iran (1979–present)[edit] | |||||||
| Leader of theRevolution | |||||||
| 37 | Ruhollah Khomeini | 1900-1989 | 5 February 1979 | 3 December 1979 | Independent | ||
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| Supreme Leader of Iran | |||||||
| (37) | Ruhollah Khomeini | 1900-1989 | 3 December 1979 | 3 June 1989 | Independent | ||
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| 38 | Ali Khamenei | 1939–present | 4 June 1989 | Incumbent | Independent[b] | ||
| . | |||||||
