Iran

Assembly of experts

• made up of men who are islamic scholars

• elected for 8-year terms

• can remove supreme leader according to constitution

• Choose supreme leader

• candidates vetted by guardian council, limiting peoples choice and ensures membership is dominated by those who support status quo

• directly elected

• SMD

Ayatollahs

religious leaders that play a big role in modern Iranian religion and politics

constitutional revolution

• resulted in the first consitution and legislative body, the majlis

• Secularists came into conflict with ayatollahs over the future of the regime \

• The conflict allowed Russia and Britain to create spheres of influence

Majlis

• Legislative body

• directly elected

• serve 4 year terms

• Can initiate and pass legislation, oversee budget, approve members of cabinet

• can remove said members through vote of no confidence, but not pres or supreme leader

• seats are set aside for Zoroastians, Jews, and Christians

• legislation must align with divine law

• SMD and multi member

Reza Shah Pahlavi

• Consolidated power in Iran

• Limited British and russian interference

• Westernized the country

• instituted an education system, road and rail systems, and state-owned businesses in domestic and export markets

• greater but still limited control of the oil industry

• Allowed women to get uni education, banned hijabs in school

• The press and majlis were limited

• religious and political opponents were jailed, exiled, or killed.

Mohammad Mosaddeq

• Prime minister

• wanted to nationalize oil, and was secular

• alienated British and religious

• relied on Marxist supporters which scared US

• Overthrown by Shah with US and UK support

White revolution

• Land reforms and women’s enfranchisment were opposed by religious leaders

• Rapid inflation, uneven development, and suppressed civil institutions

• Khomeni promoted a country ruled by Islam

• became popular, given failures of democratization

Islamic republic of Iran

• suppressed all opposition, political groups, ethnic minorities, and members of other faiths

• Khomeini filled the supreme leader position until death

Supreme leader

• dominant executive

• held by senior cleric

• serves for life

• commands armed forces, the Gaurdian council, appoints chief justices, and oversees state-owned economic assets

• head of state

• acts like trad monarch

President

• directly elected

• Serves 2 4-year terms

• Drafts state budget, initiates legislation, selects cabinet

• cannot veto legislation or dissolve the legislature and call for elections

• technically in charge of foreign policy, but not in charge if the military, limiting the decisions one can make

• primarily held by clerics

• head of gov

• needs Absolute majority of votes

• If no candidate wins 50%+ runoff

  a week later between the top two candidates

Guardian council

• 6 are lawyers nominated by the chief justice and approved by the majlis

• 6 are clerics appointed by supreme leader

• serve 6-year terms

• Make sure legislation from the Majlis is compatible with Islam

• can send legislation back

• If the majlis cannot revise legislation to the council’s satisfaction, the expediency council mediates

• determines who can run in elections

Expediency Council

• appointed by supreme leader for 5-year terms

• Final decision of council cannot be overturned

Chief Justice

• Appointed by supreme leader for 5-year terms

• Must be cleric

• manages judicial institutions and oversees appointment and removal of judges

Revolutionary guard

• Military force independent of the armed forces

• It plays a significant role in domestic and international affairs, providing training and troops to conflict in Iraq and Syria, associated with acts of terrorism

• Has sig economic assets and involved in national development such as constuction and banking

• Highly factionalized, leaders fight for economic power and support from the supreme leader

Basij

• Volunteer militia

• acts os morality police

• prevent public displays of affection and illegal satellite dishes

• Membership is an opportunity to gain benefits such as higher education

Quietist

the idea that worldly politcal power cannot be reunited with Islam until the return of the Mahdi

Followed by reformists

Velayat-e Faqih

think faith should be a central institution in gov
followed by conseratives(principalists)

Bonyads

• parastatal foundations

• created to help the poor

• have become monopolies that operate independently of the gov

• control many industries such as food, housing, and construction

• have become corrupt

History

• used to be the Persian empire, and it is an identity that still resonates with Iranians today

• converted to Islam

• Most Iranians are Shia, a minority sect

• believe Ali’s descendants should lead and will someday come back to rule, making an Islamic republic a contradiction for many Shia

Constitution

• the current regime is defined as a revolt against the American conspiracy of the white revolution

• Islamic Republic does not serve people but leads them toward god

• all political acts should come from the word of god

• Has some republican/Democratic elements due to rev being primarily led by the people

Khamenei

• lesser cleric

• cuurent supreme leader

• chosen in hopes of lessening supreme leaders’ power

• has been cosildating power through allies in the ulema and military

Politcal conflict and competition

• lacks institutionalized parties

• clientelist, with elites competing within the authoritarian regime

• presidency of Khatami was a reform period that saw improved foreign relations, democratization, and women's rights. reformers controlled Majlis

• In the next election, the Guardian Council banned many reformers from running

• overall conservatives dominate

Local gov

• local gov has been very limited

• reforsm have been passed to create village, city, and provincial local councils to manage local politics

Civil society

• civil society was stifled after the creation of the Islamic Republic.

• Khatami invorgiarted civil society, and many orgs emerged.

• Khamenei closed many media outlets and NGO’s. Social media has been used to spread info but heavily restricted

Society

• Many ethnic minorities, such as Azeris and Kurds

• reformists want a reduced role of Islam in gov and greater democratization, supported by many clerics

• Principalists want status quo, support of revolutionary guard

• Some want economic liberliztion while others are skeptical, especially if it requires improved relations with the US

• Iranians are very nationalistic and believe religion is an important part of their lives, but many support greater separation between church and state

• many young people are less religious

Political economy

• Top down mercantlist development modernized the country

• Oil revenue was siphoned off instead of put towards development

• Revenue means gov doesn’t rely on taxes from citizens so can safely ignore their demands and repres them

• Weak private sector

• Many bonyads became monopolies

• Conservatives emphasize an economy indy of the international economy

• high unemployment for the young, women, and highly educucated, resulting in many working in the informal economy, being brain drained, or delaying marriage and children

• better International relationships could improve economy, but conservatives are concerned it could bring back neo colonial relationship

foreign relations

• many Sunnis veiw shism as heretical view

• Iran has had reconciliation and conflict with west for the past 20 years

• supreme leader is opposed to better relations with the US

• Their pursuit of nuclear technology also adds to the strain

• While isolated from the global economy, influence Lebanon and Syria, which scares Saudi Arabia

Current Issues

• The international community placed sanctions to try and halt nuclear development

• Iran agreed to halt development in exchange for relaxed sanctions, but investments have been deterred by remaining ones

• Lack of significant development could cause Iran to pull out of the agreement

• Drug and alcohol use has harsh penalties but has continued and grown

• Iran has more than a million drug dependent users, which is party of the reason wh y the death penalty rate is so high

• kill drug dealers