SAEDNEWS: A rare photograph of former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as a child—cradled in his father’s arms with a freshly shaved head—has resurfaced online, offering a tender look at the early years of one of Iran’s most prominent political figures.
According to Saed News, a newly circulated childhood photo of Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s former president, has drawn widespread attention across Persian-language media platforms. The image captures a young Rouhani, his head closely shaven, resting in the arms of his father, exuding a strikingly different aura from the statesman Iranians came to know decades later.
Born on December 30, 1948, in the city of Sorkheh in Semnan Province, Rouhani rose to political prominence as the head of the Moderation and Development Party and served two consecutive terms as President of the Islamic Republic during the eleventh and twelfth administrations. He is married to Sahebeh Arabi and is the father of three sons and two daughters.
Rouhani studied law and theology at institutions including the University of Tehran and later at Glasgow Caledonian University in the United Kingdom. His father, Asadollah Fereydoun, was a known figure in their hometown, while his mother, Sakineh Peyvandi, and his brother, Hossein Fereydoun, have both been noted in Iran’s political and public discourse.
The photo, which emerged from a family archive, has sparked nostalgic commentary online, with observers reflecting on the personal histories behind Iran’s modern leaders. Far from the diplomatic corridors and political debates, the image captures a fleeting, human moment—of a child embraced by his father, long before the weight of statehood came to define him.
