If you’re looking for the name, it's Masoud Pezeshkian. He's still there. But honestly, just knowing the name of the guy sitting in the Sa'dabad Palace doesn't tell you much about who’s actually running the show in Tehran these days.
Iran is complicated. Really complicated.
You've probably seen the headlines about the "New Revolution" or the massive protests that kicked off late last year. As of January 2026, the dust hasn't exactly settled, even if the streets of Tehran and Tabriz feel a bit quieter this week. Pezeshkian, a 71-year-old heart surgeon who somehow survived the political meat grinder to become the ninth president, is caught in the middle of a literal storm.
On one side, you've got a population that is, frankly, exhausted by the economy and the "morality" crackdowns. On the other, you have the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 86 now and doesn't seem interested in budging an inch.
The President of Iran: Masoud Pezeshkian’s Impossible Job
Pezeshkian won the snap election in July 2024 after Ebrahim Raisi died in that helicopter crash. People called him a "reformist," but that’s a loaded term in Iran. It basically means he’s the "nice guy" who wants to talk to the West and fix the economy without actually overthrowing the theocratic system.
He’s an interesting character.
Heart surgeon.
Father who raised three kids alone after his wife died in a car wreck.
A guy who speaks Azeri, Kurdish, and Arabic.
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But does he have power? Not as much as you'd think. In the Iranian system, the President is more like a Chief Operating Officer. The CEO—and the Chairman of the Board—is the Supreme Leader.
What’s Happening Right Now (January 2026)
If you're reading this today, things are tense. Very tense. Just a few days ago, on January 16, Pezeshkian was on the phone with Vladimir Putin, trying to figure out how to "normalize" the situation. This comes after a brutal few weeks where the Iranian government basically tried to "break the back" of a massive protest movement.
It started around December 28, 2025. People were fed up with the Rial (Iran's currency) being worth less than the paper it's printed on. Prices for bread and gas went through the roof. Then it turned political.
Here is the current state of play:
- The "Sedition": Khamenei just gave a speech on January 17 saying they’ve "extinguished the sedition" (his word for protests). He blamed Donald Trump—who’s back in the White House—for inciting the whole thing.
- The Death Toll: It's grim. Some monitors like the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) are reporting that thousands might have been killed in the crackdown since late December.
- Trump vs. Pezeshkian: Trump recently called Khamenei a "sick man" and suggested it’s time for new leadership. Pezeshkian fired back on X (formerly Twitter), saying any attack on the Supreme Leader is a "declaration of war" against the whole nation.
It's a weird spot for Pezeshkian. He’s the guy who was supposed to be the "bridge" to the West, but now he’s forced to play the tough guy to keep his job and, potentially, his life.
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The Power Struggle: President vs. The IRGC
You can’t talk about the President of Iran without talking about the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps). They are a state within a state. They own factories, telecommunications, and a massive military.
There’s been this ongoing friction between Pezeshkian and the IRGC since he took office. After Ismail Haniyeh (the Hamas leader) was killed in Tehran back in 2024, the IRGC wanted to rain missiles on Tel Aviv. Reports at the time said Pezeshkian was the one saying, "Wait, let's not start World War III yet."
He’s tried to be the voice of reason. But as we see in 2026, the voice of reason is getting drowned out by the sound of tear gas canisters and regional proxy wars.
Is the Regime Actually Collapsing?
This is the big question every "expert" is arguing about on TV. Organizations like Brookings are saying a "new revolution" has begun. They point to the fact that even "loyalist" areas joined the latest protests.
But don't pack your bags for a new Iran just yet. The regime has:
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- Massive Surveillance: They’ve gotten really good at internet blackouts and tracking people via cameras.
- Zero Scruples: They’ve shown they are willing to kill thousands to stay in power.
- No Unified Opposition: While the son of the former Shah, Reza Pahlavi, is talking to Congress in D.C., there isn't one clear leader inside Iran that everyone is rallying behind.
Pezeshkian is basically trying to manage a house that’s on fire while the owner (Khamenei) refuses to let the firefighters in.
Why You Should Care
If Iran stays unstable, oil prices go nuts. If Iran collapses, the whole Middle East reshuffles. If Iran gets a nuclear weapon—which they are closer to than ever—everything changes.
Masoud Pezeshkian might be a "conformist" to some and a "reformist" to others, but right now, he's the guy holding the steering wheel while the brakes are failing.
Real-World Action Steps for Staying Informed
If you're trying to keep up with what's actually happening in Tehran without getting buried in propaganda, here's what you should do:
- Follow the "Iran Update" from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). They are incredibly detailed and use open-source intelligence to track troop movements and protest locations.
- Check the Iran Primer by USIP. It's great for deep dives into the biographies of people like Pezeshkian so you can understand their "why."
- Watch the Rial exchange rate. Honestly, the price of the dollar in the Tehran bazaar tells you more about the regime's stability than any government press release ever will.
- Look for "unverified" footage on Telegram. Since the state controls the media, the real story is usually on encrypted messaging apps, though you have to be careful with fake news there too.
Iran isn't just a country on a map; it's a powder keg. Whether Pezeshkian can keep the lid on it through 2026 is the biggest gamble in the Middle East right now.