AP Comparative Government: Iran Review

Islamic Republic

Iran's form of government, referring to its source of legitimacy in the Quran as well as its representative qualities like the Majlis

Theocracy

rule by religious leaders claiming to serve the will of God; manifested in the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council, among others

Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi

alienated most Iranians through his promotion of secularism and western values, as well has his repression of dissent through the SAVAK; r. 1941-1979

Mohammed Mosaddegh

advocated for nationalizing the Iranian oil industry and more democratization; removed from power in a 1953 coup

coup / coup d'etat

typically, a rapid seizure of power by the military or elites, resulting in a change of leadership, but not a change in government structures

revolution

typically, a rising up of the masses or a large group of people leading to fundamental change in government structures

1953 coup

a key source of distrust for Iranians in the United States and the West; organized and financed by the American CIA and the British Secret Service to protect their oil interests in Iran

secularism

the principle that religion should be separate from matters of governance and state; promoted under the Shah

The White Revolution

a series of reforms implemented under the Shah, with a focus on redistributing land to peasants; also included extending suffrage to women, promoting literacy, and investment in infrastructure; was not successful in garnering significant support for the Shah

Iran's middle class

a group more likely to support Western values and have suspicions of the Iranian regime today

SAVAK

the Shah's secret police, used to brutally repress dissent; contributed to his unpopularity

Iranian Hostage Crisis

in part caused by the U.S. allowing the Shah to seek refuge in the U.S.; 52 Americans were held at the American Embassy in Tehran, 1979-1981

The Islamic Revolution

led to the overthrow of the Shah and the implementation of the a new constitution and the current Iranian government; massively popular including support from the middle class

Ayatollah Khomeini

returned from exile to help lead the Islamic Revolution; became the first Supreme Leader

Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist

belief that the leadership in Iran (the Supreme Leader; the Assembly of Experts) is best equipped to interpret Islam and make decisions for the people

Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran

grants legitimacy to the government and leadership of Iran by outlining both theocratic and democratic elements, although democratic elements are limited; 1979

legitimacy

political authority granted to a government; traditionally achieved through free and fair elections, but can be achieved through alternative means like revolutionary history or constitutions

President of Iran

elected to 4 year terms for no more than 2 terms; head of government; must be elected by a simple majority, with a run-off if that is not achieved

two-round system

aka second ballot or runoff voting; requires a second vote if a candidate does earn a majority - Iranian President; Majlis; Russian President

Hassan Rouhani

moderate Iranian President; 2013-present

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

hardliner Iranian President; prompted the Green Movement when he was reelected in 2009; 2005-2013

moderate / reformist

Iranian political faction that supports a more pragmatic foreign policy and less government involvement in the economy

conservative / hardliner

Iranian political faction that supports a more agressive foreign policy with more antaganism toward the U.S. and more national control over industry

Cabinet / Council of Ministers

manage the bureaucracy in Iran; appointed by the President and confirmed by the Majlis; can be impeached by the Majlis

Majlis / Islamic Consultative Assembly

one of the primary policy-making bodies of Iran; unicameral; passes laws, conducts oversight of the bureaucracy, approves treaties; has real and open debate about policy

Unicameral

a legislature that has one body, such as the Iranian Majlis

Unitary System

a government system in which all power is held by the central government and none is explicitly reserved (in the constitution) for lower governments; Iran, China, the UK

2016 Majlis Elections

saw a shift in power toward the reformists/moderates, most of whom were elected form urban areas such as Tehran

Guardian Council

approves all candidates that run for the Majlis, Presidency, and Assembly of Experts; approves all laws passed by the Majlis; 12 seats - 6 appointed by the Supreme Leader and 6 appointed by the head of the judiciary

17

The number of women in the Majlis; the Guardian Council has never approved a woman to run for the presidency or the Assembly of Experts

Assembly of Experts

selects a new Supreme Leader; consists of experts in Islam; constitutionally, monitors the SL's performance and can remove him, although both don't happen

Supreme Leader

Must be an Islamic cleric; Iran's head of state; appoints: 6 members of the Guardian Council, the head of the judiciary, the heads of bonyads, military commanders; commander in chief of the military

Revolutionary Guard

Branch of Iran's military; constitutionally, tasked with defending Iran's Islamic system; has its own land, air, and naval forces, manages the Basij

Basij

volunteer group of security forces; suppress dissent but also conduct activities like organizing religious ceremonies; loyal to the Revolutionary Guard and the Supreme Leader

Head of the Judiciary

appoints 6 members of the Guardian Council; serves for 5 years; runs a legal system based on sharia law and civil law; not protected from political influence in practice (although the constitution requires judicial independence)

The Death Penalty

intended, in part, to discourage things like drug trafficking; Iran has the highest rate, per capita, in the world; even minors are not exempt

Expediency Council

created in 1988 to mediate disagreements on legislation between the Majlis and the Guardian council. It may overrule both. Today, its main role is to advise the Supreme Leader (appointed by the SL)

political parties in Iran

are more so "political currents"; much more fluid than in countries like the U.S. and U.K.; not tightly controlled and frequently make alliances of convenience

Bonyad

government-funded and legally classified as a charitable organization; have evolved to compete against interests in the private sector; receive tax exemptions and other benefits form the gov't; 20% of Iran's GDP

Parastatal

a corporation that is owned or partially owned and controlled by the government; e.g., The National Iranian Oil Company controls the entire Iranian oil and natural gas industries

Rentier State

a country that gets most of its revenue from having a highly valued natural resources and is often entirely dependent on that resource; e.g., Iran and oil, Nigeria and oil, Russia to a lesser degree

OPEC

an intergovernmental organization with 13 member nations, including Iran and Nigeria; purpose is to control the amount of oil available in the global economy and therefore the price of oil

Sanction

a penalty placed upon a country (or group or individual) in the form of trade barriers, tariffs, or restrictions on financial transactions; many placed on Iran by the U.S. and the U.N. since 1979; some lifted as part of the Iran Nuclear Deal

Iran Nuclear Deal Framework

2015 agreement between Iran and 5 other countries to reduce Iranian's supply of enriched uranium in exchange for sanction relief

Green Movement

characterized by urban protests throughout Iran and around the world; developed in reaction to irregularities in the counting of votes in the 2009 presidential election

Equality within Difference

the notion that women and men are fundamentally different, and Iran treats women equally by developing policy that acknowledges those differences; used to defend laws requiring that women cover in public or divorce laws that favor men

Shia Islam

a sect of Islam practiced by 95% of Iranians; often affects relations with other Sunni or Shia dominant nations in the Middle East

Ayatollah

the title of high-ranking Muslim clerics

Ayatollah Khamenei

a former president of Iran who became the second (and current) Supreme Leader in 1989

Constitutionally recognized religious minorities

guaranteed seats in the Majlis; Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians

Bahá'í Faith

persecuted in Iran through denial of civil rights and liberties, and lack of access to higher education and employment

Iranian Bureacracy

characterized by patronage, corruption, and mismanagement; filled with culturally conservative technocrats

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

President from 1989-1997 who supported free-market reforms, including privatization of state-owned industries; he also sought to avoid conflict with the U.S. and the Weat

Farsi

the dominant language spoken in Iran

sharia

body of Islamic law that includes interpretation of the Quran and applies Islamic principles to everyday life

1989 constitutional reforms

changed requirements for the Supreme Leader, allowing for the selection of lower-ranking clerics; eliminated the office of prime minister

"Axis of Evil"

phrase used in George W. Bush's 2002 State of the Union Address in which he implied that Iran, Iraq, and North Korea were working against U.S. interests; understood to have driven Iran toward conservatism (and the 2005 election of Ahmadinejad)