Famous Iranian Leaders

Birthdate: August 25, 1934

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Bahreman, Iran

Died: January 8, 2017

Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani had also been the speaker of the Majles, or the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and the commander-in-chief during the Iran-Iraq War. Though generally dictatorial, his governance was known for its tolerance of criticism and cultural openness, and earned him the nickname Akbar Shah.