What it means
رئیسجمهور (ra’is-e jomhur) is the title for the elected head of a republic. Both components are Arabic in origin: رئیس (ra’is) means chief or head, and جمهور (jomhur) means the public or the people, giving a literal sense of “head of the people.” In Iran, the رئیسجمهور is the second-highest official in the state after the Supreme Leader. A common synonym in formal writing is رییسجمهور (the same word with a slightly different spelling in some style guides).
How to use it
- رئیسجمهور ایران در تهران سخنرانی کرد. (ra’is-e jomhur-e irân dar tehrân sokhanrâni kard.) “The president of Iran gave a speech in Tehran.”
- رئیسجمهور جدید انتخاب شد. (ra’is-e jomhur-e jadid entekhâb shod.) “A new president was elected.”
- دفتر رئیسجمهور اعلام کرد که قانون امضا شد. (daftar-e ra’is-e jomhur e’lâm kard ke qânun emzâ shod.) “The president’s office announced that the law was signed.”
- رئیسجمهور با وزرا جلسه داشت. (ra’is-e jomhur bâ vozarâ jalase dâsht.) “The president held a meeting with the ministers.”
Cultural note
In the Islamic Republic of Iran, the رئیسجمهور is elected by direct popular vote every four years. The office holds significant executive power over economic and domestic policy, but the Supreme Leader (رهبر) has constitutional authority over matters of state including the military, judiciary, and foreign policy. Presidential elections in Iran regularly attract high public interest and debate, making رئیسجمهور one of the most frequently heard political terms in Persian media.