Iran and Nigeria Political Notes

These flashcards cover key political concepts, historical events, and important organizations related to Iran and Nigeria, facilitating study and review.

Assembly of Experts

An 88 member body of Islamic clerics elected by popular vote, responsible for selecting, supervising, and removing the Supreme Leader.

Baha’i

A religious minority in Iran that faces persecution and discrimination.

Basij

A paramilitary volunteer militia operating under IRGC, used to suppress domestic dissent and enforce Islamic social and moral codes.

Bazar

Merchant class in Iran’s bazaars that withdrew economic support from the Shah during the 1979 Revolution.

Bonyad

Quasi-government religious foundations that control Iran’s economy, functioning as charities.

Chief Justice

The head of Iran’s judiciary, appointed by the Supreme Leader for a term of five years to enforce Islamic law.

Constitutional Revolution of 1906

The first democratic movement in Iran that established a parliament (Majlis) and a constitution limiting the power of the monarchy.

Coup

The 1953 CIA/British backed overthrow of Prime Minister Mossadegh, restoring the Shah to power.

Green Movement

A mass protest in 2009 challenging the re-election of President Ahmadinejad, which was violently suppressed.

Iran-Iraq War

A conflict from 1980 to 1988 initiated by Iraq's invasion of Iran.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

The military branch created after the 1979 Revolution to defend the Islamic Republic, controlling economic assets and overseeing the Basij.

Majlis

The 290 seat unicameral parliament in Iran that passes legislation.

Supreme Leader

The highest political and religious authority in Iran, controlling the military, judiciary, IRGC, state media, and foreign policy.

Theocracy

A system of government in which religious leaders hold political authority.

Velayat-e faqih

Khomeini’s doctrine of 'Guardianship of Islamic Jurist' which posits that a supreme religious scholar should act as the political ruler.

All Progressives Congress (APC)

One of Nigeria’s two dominant political parties, formed in 2013 through the merger of opposition parties.

Boko Haram

An Islamist militant insurgency in Nigeria seeking to establish an Islamic state and responsible for mass violence.

Civil war

The Nigerian Civil War (Biafran War) fought from 1967 to 1970, where the Igbo south declared independence but lost.

Corruption

An issue deep-rooted in Nigeria, affecting governance and political stability.

ECOWAS

The Economic Community of West African States, an intergovernmental organization of 15 West African nations promoting stability.

Federal capital territory

Abuja, created in 1991 to serve as Nigeria's capital.

Fourth Republic

The current democratic period in Nigeria that began in 1999.

Indigenous People of Biafra Movement (IPOB)

An Igbo separatist organization seeking an independent Biafran state, declared a terrorist organization by the Nigerian government.

Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)

An Igbo separatist group pursuing Biafran independence through nonviolent civil disobedience.

Multinational corporations (MNCs)

International companies operating across borders, which exert significant political and economic influence.