Hassan Rouhani
A pragmatic cleric-president who championed diplomacy and the 2015 nuclear deal, navigating Iran's complex political system between reform and hardline forces.
Born 1948 (age 78)·President of Iran from 2013 to 2021·Birthday: November 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born in 1948 in Sorkheh, Hassan Rouhani was a cleric from a young age, studying in Qom's seminaries while also pursuing a law degree at the University of Tehran. His political life began in the crucible of the 1979 revolution, where he aligned with Ayatollah Khomeini. He served in parliament for two decades, rising to deputy speaker, and held the crucial, behind-the-scenes role of Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council for 16 years. In this post, he was Iran's chief nuclear negotiator in the early 2000s, advocating for dialogue with Europe. His 2013 presidential victory, as a self-described 'moderate,' hinged on promises to ease international sanctions and social restrictions. His signature achievement was the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which temporarily curtailed Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, his second term was marked by the US withdrawal from the deal, a worsening economy, and increasing pressure from conservative institutions, leaving his legacy as one of tempered hope and constrained reform.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Hassan was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hassan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Hassan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the seventh President of Iran from 2013 to 2021, elected on a platform of moderation and engagement with the West.
- As chief nuclear negotiator, he helped broker the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and world powers.
- Held the key security post of Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council for 16 years, from 1989 to 2005.
- Authored several books on Islamic law, politics, and Iranian foreign policy during his academic career.
Did You Know?
He holds a PhD in Constitutional Law from Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland.
His chosen surname, 'Rouhani,' means 'spiritual' in Persian, while his original family name was 'Fereydoun.'
He served as the commander of Iran's air defense during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.
He is a certified soccer referee and has expressed a lifelong passion for the sport.
“A constructive interaction with the world is our choice.”
