Evolution of Iran’s political system during the presidency of Hassan Rouhani

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the constitutional position of the President of Iran in the context of the dominant role of the Supreme Leader and to assess the functioning of Hassan Rouhani’s presidency (2013-2021) within a political system characterized by a strongly hierarchical power structure. The first part discusses the constitutional and institutional constraints on the President, resulting from the concentration of key prerogatives in the hands of the Supreme Leader who exercises control, in particular, over the armed forces, the security services, and the judiciary. Within this model, the President performs a role of limited systemic significance, which in turn determines the restricted scope of his influence on the reform process. The second part of the article analyzes the presidency of Hassan Rouhani, focusing on his reformist declarations and the actual possibilities for their implementation. Despite ambitious promises regarding political liberalization, the improvement of women’s status, the strengthening of minority rights, and economic modernization, the achievements of his administration were moderate. The article points, inter alia, to a partial increase in women’s labour force participation, the introduction of minority language education programmes, and the adoption of legislation on the rights of persons with disabilities. The analysis demonstrates that over time Rouhani increasingly aligned his decisions with the expectations of the Supreme Leader, a process driven both by institutional realities and by political calculation.