Faran Tahir (born February 16, 1964) is a Pakistani-American film and television actor. Tahir is best known for his role as Raza, the leader of the terrorist organization "The Ten Rings" in Iron Man.
Tahir was born into an acting Muslim family in Los Angeles, California, where his Pakistani parents had been studying acting and directing at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His father Naeem Tahir is a scholar, researcher, public speaker, columnist, teacher, trainer and dramatist, younger brother Ali & Ali's wife Wajeeah Tahir are also famous PTV personalities. Tahir's father has also acted in the famous Shoaib Mansoor film Khuda Kay Liye along with notable Indian star Naseeruddin Shah.
Growing up in Pakistan, Tahir returned to Los Angeles in 1980.
In 1985, he appeared as Bolshintsov in U.C. Berkeley's production of A Month in the Country. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a BA in Theatre before acquiring a graduate degree from the American Repertory Theater's (A.R.T.) Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University.