1980 Iranian presidential election

Presidential elections were held for the first time in Iran on 25 January 1980, one year after the Iranian Revolution when the Council of the Islamic Revolution was in power. Abolhassan Banisadr was elected president with 76% of the vote.

Candidates

The number of the candidates registered to run for the presidency was 124, but only 96 of them were allowed to run. There were only 8 candidates with ballot access and the rest of candidates were write-in.

Candidates with ballot access

Party nominees

Non-partisan candidates

Abolhassan Banisadr
Ahmad Madani (National Front member)
Sadeq Tabatabaei (Freedom Movement member)
Sadegh Ghotbzadeh (Freedom Movement member)
Mohammad Mokri (National Front member)

Withdrew

Hassan Ayat (Independent; Islamic Republican Party member), endorsed Jalaleddin Farsi
Jalaleddin Farsi (Islamic Republican Party nominee), ineligible to run for the office due to his Afghan origin
Sadegh Khalkhali (Independent), endorsed Abolhassan Banisadr
Massoud Rajavi (People's Mujahedin of Iran nominee), forced to withdraw for opposing the Islamic Republic constitution

Declined to run

Ruhollah Khomeini, incumbent Supreme Leader of Iran
Mohammad Beheshti, incumbent Chief Justice of Iran
Mehdi Bazargan, former Prime Minister of Iran

Endorsements

Election results

Abolhassan Banisadr was elected as president.