President of Iran
The President of Iran is the second-highest official in the Islamic Republic, serving as the head of government under the Supreme Leader. As of June 2026, President Masoud Pezeshkian has entered a historic diplomatic phase, signing a memorandum of understanding with U.S. President Donald Trump to end regional hostilities.
The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran is elected by popular vote but remains subordinate to the Supreme Leader, who holds ultimate authority over security and foreign policy. Since the death of Ali Khamenei in early 2026 and the rise of Mojtaba Khamenei as acting supreme leader, the presidency has played a critical role in navigating Iran's direct kinetic confrontation with the United States and Israel. The current incumbent, Masoud Pezeshkian, has emerged as a pivotal figure in the 'Islamabad Agreement' framework, a diplomatic initiative mediated by Pakistan and Qatar.
In mid-June 2026, the presidency shifted from a war footing to a high-stakes diplomatic track. Pezeshkian signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) with U.S. President Donald Trump, an agreement aimed at ending the conflict that escalated in February 2026. While Trump signed the document at the G7 summit in Versailles, Pezeshkian completed the signing electronically from Tehran. This MoU mandates the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, while initiating a 60-day window for treaty negotiations.
Despite the presidency's executive role, Pezeshkian remains constrained by the clerical establishment. Reports indicate he had to personally persuade Mojtaba Khamenei to approve the deal, highlighting the presidency's function as a bridge between the regime's ideological core and international diplomacy. For Israel, the Iranian presidency represents the face of a regime that continues to fund proxies like Hezbollah while simultaneously seeking massive reconstruction funds and the removal of military pressure through direct engagement with the West.