AP Comp Gov Iran Review

Islamism/Islamic Fundamentalism

A view of religion as absolute that should be legally enforced by making faith the sovereign authority. Faith becomes ideology.

Ruhollah Khomeini

Iran's religious leader who overthrew the authoritarian secular monarchy in 1979. Associated with protests against the Shah- a symbol of the opposition. Expelled from the country, criticized Iran abroad in Iraq and France.

Theocracy

religion's elite dominate the regime. Law and politics expected to flow from Koran.

Koran

The main spiritual text of islam.

Farsi

The language spoken in Iran. Closer to English and other European languages than Arabic.

Shiism

A minority form of Islam practiced by 10-15% of the global muslim population that differs from the rest of Islam in its belief regarding the rightful heir of the prophet Mohammad. As a result, the Iranian government is sometimes viewed as heretical.

Mohammad

Prophet of Islam

Mohammad Mosaddeq/National Front

Advocated for nationalization post ww2. A party that favored reducing the power of the monarchy or eliminating it altogether. Nationalized oil industry, which angered Britain. Secular/republican.

Operation Ajax

US and UK moved to overthrow Mosadeqq with the Shah's support. (Angered by Soviet influence and nationalized oil). Several days of conflict culminated in a victory for the Shah. Most NF supporters were arrested/executed.

SAVAK

A powerful secret police built by Mohammad Reza Shah

White revolution

A policy of top-down modernization promoted by Reza Shah (continuation of his father's policies). Marginalized the Ulema.

velayat-e faqih

Clerical rule. Khomenei argued that Islamic government should be constructed around the idea of velayat-e faqih. Clergy served as regent in place of Mahdi. Secular forms overthrown.

Islamic Republic of Iran

Violent birth- government suppressed all opposition. Many executed in the name of revolutionary justice. US Embassy taken hostage.

Iran-Iraq War

Saddam Hussein saw revolution as a threat to Shiite Iraq. Iraq also saw Iran's chaos as an opportunity to extend power in region and seize land. Iraq invaded Iran in 1980, war ended 1988. Ended in Stalemate.

Geography, demography, and history of Iran

- Top 20 for both geographic size and population

- Young country: most don't remember the 1979 revolutoin

- Diverse, only 60% ethnically persian

- 4th largest oil reserves, world's largest reserve of natural gas (leads to stagnation in other parts of the economy)

- Achaemenid Empire

- Islam arrived in 7th century, Persia brought into fold of Umayyad Dynasty

- Before: Zoroastrianism, devastated by Mongols

- savafids adopted Shiism

- In early 1900s UK and Russia encroached nearby- Iran exploited by West

- 1/4 of population died in WW1; UK became dominant foreign power, occupied territory

- Reza Shah Pahlavi expanded rights for Western-educated, no hijabs

- Post WW2 fight of Iran lead to weaker state, more religious activity

Mohammad Katami

Ex-president elected in 1997. Spoke of an expansion of civil society and a "dialogue of civilizations" in place of international conflict. Powers limit by religious conservatives.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Elected 2005. Led to period of increased conservatism and confrontation abroad. Election results for his second term were likely falsified in response to public push for reform.

Hassan Rouhani

Cleric who won landslide victory in 2013. Promised to advance social reforms and improve relations with the West. Had difficulty challenging conservative institutions and Ali Khamenei. Current Prez, won in 2017.

Persia

The official name of Iran until 1935

Imams

(Under Shiism). The leaders of the faith from Mohammad's son-in-law Ali on down. Have been repeatedly deprived of power by other muslim leaders.

Ayatollahs

A higher clergy within Iran's religious leaders. Demonstrates now Shiism has long been connected to politics. A central institution in modern Iranian religious and politics.

Majlis

Iran's first constitutional and legislative body. Established by the constitutional revolution in 1906. Unicameral, reserves seats for minority religions. In tandem with Shia. Known for Pork Barrelling. In charge of the budget and approve cabinet members

Reza Shah Pahlavi

AKA Reza Khan. Military official who consolidated his rule in 1921. Seen by some as a plot instigated by the UK. Appointed PM in 1923. New made Shah in 1925. Pursued course of Westernization and state building. Fostered strong sense of National identity.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

son of Reza Shah Pahlavi. Became Shah, established SAVAK, marginalized PM and majlis. Worked with the UK to overthrow Mosadeqq in operation Ajax. Not very democratic but did westernize and modernize.

Constitutional Revolution

1906. Religious leaders, intellectuals, and members of the merchant class protested in favor of limitations on the powers of the Qajar monarchy. Resulted in an elected assembly that drew up the country's first constitution and legislative body (majlis). The first attempt and constitutionalism and democracy lacked clear ideology. Did not live up to expectations.

Sharia

God's law. Reigns supreme over Iranian constitution and political institutions. All political acts expected to flow from the word of God.

Supreme leader

The dominant executive and senior cleric. Serves for life. Commander in chief of armed forces, wields control over guardian council, appoints chief justices, maintains control of state-owned economic assets. Head of state/traditional monarch. Ali Khamenei since 1989.

Assembly of experts

Chooses Supreme Leader (in theory). 88 members, all men and Islamic Scholars elected for 8 year terms. Can remove supreme leader. Candidates are vetted by Guardian council.

President

More akin to Head of government. Directly elected, can only serve 2 4-year terms. Drafts state budget, initiates legislation, selects cabinet. Cannot veto legislation or disable legislature and call for elections. Technically in charge of foreign policy (though Supreme Leader sets parameters)

Guardian Council

12 individuals (6 lawyers, 6 clerics) who serve 6 year terms. Has power to review all legislation made by the majlis. Expediency council mediates disagreements- final decision of expediency council cannot be overturned. Expediency council has 5 year terms.

Rafsanjani

Head of expediency council until his death in 2017. Long standing rival to Khamenei, was president from 1989-1997.

Chief Justice

A cleric- single figure whose qualifications include an understanding of Sharia law. Appointed by Supreme Leader for 5 year term. Role is to manage judicial institutions and oversee appointment and removal of judges.

Revolutionary guard

AKA pasdaran. Paramilitary force that emerged from 1979 revolution. Sprang from militia groups within revolution. Assigned immediate task of defending new regime and destroying rival groups like marxists and supporters of greater ethnic autonomy. Very involved in the economy, an obstacle to domestic reform.

Basij

Large people's volunteer militia. Poorly trained and ill equipt civil defense force formed shortly after the revolution. "Human wave", fought in Iraq war. No longer a significant military force - now economic and public morality force. Membership used to gain access to benefits.

Political regime of Iran

- velayat-e faqih

- tension between republicanism (from the public revolution) and theocracy

Branches of Government

- dual executive: supreme leader and president

- legislature: majlis. Unicameral, directly elected, 290 members, 4 year terms. Limited amount of authority. Role is to legislate in accordance with divine laws.

- judiciary: Supreme Court is highest court of appeals, high ranking clerics (all men) are judges. Judges have individual freedom, sometimes make contradictory statements. Revolutionary courts deal with cases of national security (Iran executes 2nd highest number of individuals)

electoral system

- Guardian council has power to oversee all elections and reject any candidates

- combination of SMD and multi-member districts

- 2 round runoff for presidency

Tudeh party

marxist party that worked with Nationalist Front Party to undermine powers of the monarchy

Iranian revolution

- Pahlavi regime weakened by declining economy, a reorganized National Front, and a Carter administration that was critical of Iran for human rights abuses. Vaelayat-e Faqih was being promoted by Khomeini, which undermined Pahlavi.

- The immediate causes of the revolution were active protests, backlash against SAVAK, those who died during martial law, and that the westernizing Shah was seen as "giving into the great satan"

- dissolution of provisional government, Khomeini replaces the shaw and oversaw the drafting of a new constitution

Iranian civil society

- most civic organizations absorb into the state or outlawed after 1979, but re-emerged after Khomeini's death

- invigoration of civil society as part of Khatami's 1990s campaign

- more educational opportunities for women, but life is still severely restricted

- press freedom is very low and NGOs are attacked

- electronic has persevered, social media important (though restricted by the state)

Iran's ethnic breakdown

- Persian is majority at 61%

- Azeri is 2nd largest ethnic group, centered around North

- Kurds have conducted both peaceful and violent activism

How has Iran's political economy changed over the past century?

- economic development didn't begin until 1920s- top down industrialization

- white revolution: economic development coincided with growing inflation, inequality, repression

- economy devastated by war with Iraq

- Strong presence of informal/unregulated economy (women play a role)

- brain drain because of unemployment for the educated

Describe Iran's foreign policy

- Sponsors Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine

- Being Shia means Sunni sometimes view Iran as heretical

- Also not ethnically arab: means revolution didn't spread

- oscillated between reconciliation and conflict with the West over last 20 years

- Supreme leader and many inside state opposed better relations

- nuclear technology increased hostility

- US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan made Iran worry they'd be next

- Hostile relations with Saudi Arabia because they're worried about Iranian hegemony