Hassan Rouhani

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Lore & Background

Hassan Rouhani was born Hassan Fereydoun on 12 November 1948 in Sorkheh, near Semnan, in a religious Persian family. His father, Haj Asadollah Fereydoun, had a spice shop and was politically active against Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, arrested first in 1962 and then more than 20 times before the 1979 revolution. Rouhani started religious studies in 1960 at Semnan Seminary before moving to Qom Seminary in 1961, attending classes taught by prominent scholars including Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad, Morteza Haeri Yazdi, Mohammad-Reza Golpaygani, and Mohammad Shahabadi. He earned a BA in Judicial Law from the University of Tehran in 1972, served in the military in Nishapur in 1973, and later earned an MPhil in Law in 1995 and a PhD in Constitutional Law in 1999 from Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland. His PhD thesis was titled 'The Flexibility of Shariah (Islamic Law) with reference to the Iranian experience.' Allegations of plagiarism were raised in 2013 and again during the 2017 presidential election, with claims that chapters one through four of his thesis had been plagiarized at rates of 39%, 43%, 40%, and 82% respectively; Glasgow Caledonian University argued the sentences were cited properly, and the case was investigated by the Iranian Parliament's Education and Research Commission. Rouhani's political activities began as a young cleric following Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. In 1965, he began traveling throughout Iran making speeches against the government of the Shah, was arrested many times, and was banned from delivering public speeches. In November 1977, at a ceremony at Tehran's Ark Mosque, Rouhani used the title 'Imam' for Khomeini for the first time. After the revolution, he served as deputy speaker of the fourth and fifth terms of the Parliament of Iran, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 1989 to 2005, and was Iran's top negotiator with the UK, France, and Germany on nuclear technology. He registered for the 2013 presidential election on 7 May 2013, campaigned on promises to restore the economy, improve rocky relations with Western nations, and prepare a 'civil rights charter,' and was elected on 15 June 2013, defeating Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and four other candidates; he took office on 3 August 2013. He won re-election in the 2017 election with 23,636,652 votes (57.1%), becoming the third Iranian president to win as an incumbent with an increased electoral mandate. Rouhani married his cousin, Sahebeh Erabi, who was 14 years old, when he was around 20; they have four children (one son and three daughters). The Guardian and the Financial Times reported a fifth child, a son who died in unknown circumstances, with some sources claiming he committed suicide 'in protest of his father's close connection with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,' including an alleged suicide note. Rouhani's relationship with Khamenei soured during his second term as Khamenei criticized Rouhani for being too soft in negotiations over the Iran nuclear agreement. After his second term, Rouhani was not appointed to any senior role by Khamenei. According to The New York Times, Rouhani was one of the potential and likely candidates in the 2026 supreme leader election following Khamenei's assassination, but Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was elected his father's successor.

Reader's Guide

Hassan Rouhani's significance lies in his dual role as a cleric and a reformist politician who sought to moderate Iran's domestic and foreign policies. As president from 2013 to 2021, he prioritized economic recovery, improved diplomatic relations with Western nations, and advocated for a 'civil rights charter,' including rights for ethnic and religious minorities. His tenure as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and lead nuclear negotiator with the EU three positioned him as a key figure in Iran's nuclear diplomacy. Domestically, he encouraged personal freedom, free access to information, and improved women's rights by appointing female foreign ministry spokespeople. He also improved Iran's diplomatic relations with other countries by exchanging conciliatory letters. However, his legacy is complicated by allegations of plagiarism in his doctoral thesis, a strained relationship with Supreme Leader Khamenei, and the reported death of a son in unknown circumstances. His centrist approach faced criticism from hardliners, and after his second term he was sidelined from senior roles. Rouhani's presidency represents a period of cautious opening in Iran, balancing reformist aspirations with the constraints of the Islamic Republic's political structure.

Did You Know?

• Rouhani was born Hassan Fereydoun and later changed his last name to Rouhani, which means 'spiritual' or 'cleric'.
• He earned an MPhil in Law in 1995 and a PhD in Constitutional Law in 1999 from Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland.
• In November 1977, Rouhani used the title 'Imam' for Ayatollah Khomeini for the first time at a public ceremony.
• Rouhani's father, Haj Asadollah Fereydoun, was arrested more than 20 times before the Iranian Revolution for political activity against the Shah.
• According to The New York Times, Rouhani was a potential candidate in the 2026 supreme leader election following Khamenei's assassination, but Mojtaba Khamenei was elected instead.