Iran Test

When was the Iranian revolution?

1979

what kind of regime is in Iran?

theocratic government with democratic elements

What is the dominant branch of Islam practiced in Iran

Shia

What kind of regime was in place before the revolution and who was the leader.

authoritarian dictatorship run by Shah Pahlavi

who led the revolution?

Ayatollah Komeini

Ayatollah Khomeini

charismatic, religious leader

gov't leader and leader of faith

wanted/formed gov't built around Shia Islamic Fundamentalism

Shia Islamic Fundamentalism

literal interpretation of Islamic texts

social conservatism

political traditionalism

Velayat-e faqih

literal: "Gaurdianship of the jurist"

best suited to make decisions because he is closest to God

Rational for theocracy

religious leader knows best, sot they have political power

often clashes with democracy

Supreme Leader

- theocratic leader

- head of state and most powerful position according to Constitution

- not elected by ppl

- chosen and monitored by Assembly of Religious Experts

- no terms (life appointment)

Key powers of Supreme Leader

- sets political agenda (anti-west doctrine)

- commander in chief

- appointments

which jobs is the Supreme Leader responsible for appointing?

- members of Expediency Council

- 6 members of Guardian Council

- justices to courts

Is the Guardian Council a theocratic position?

yes

Guardian Council

- 12 members (6 chosen by SL, 6 chosen by majlis)

- all male

- 6 year terms

Guardian Council key powers

- review bills passed by majlis to ensure they conform to Sharia Law

- vet candidates who can run for office

is Assembly of Religious Experts a theocratic body?

yes

Assembly of Religious Experts

- 86 members

- all male, average age 60, almost all Ayatollah title

- elected by ppl

- 8 year terms

- must be approved by Guardian Council

President

- head of gov't

- elected by ppl (majoritarian ballot)

- 4 year terms & can serve 2 consecutively

- chief executive (highest state official after SL)

- Constitution requires president to be Shiite and uphold

Islamic principles

- Guardian Council determines who can run for president

President duties

- conduct foreign policy

- oversee civil service

Cabinet

selected by president

Which institutions are popularly elected?

President, Majlis, Assembly of Religious Experts

decreased trust in election system =

low voter efficacy

Does Iran have elections?

yes

what kind of terms do majlis members have?

4 year terms

how many seats make up majlis?

290

Majlis duties

- enacting and changing laws

- appointing 6 of 12 Guardian Council members

- remove cabinet members

- approve budget appointments, loans, etc.

Legal system

- based on Sharia Law

- no judicial review

-judges appointed by Supreme Leader

Sharia

- Islamic law based on Quran

- above all other law

Why do Iranian leaders want people to vote?

to give them legitimacy

Expediency council

- appointed by Supreme Leader

- ultimate power over legislative disputes between the

Majlis and Guardian Council

Traditional Military

- over 500,000 active troops

- 8th largest military in world

- military is so large because "everyone is out to get them"

and they pick fights with lots of people

IRGC

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps:

What does IRGC do?

- upholds values of Revolution and Theocracy

- stops resistance against gov't

- sometimes used as special forces unit abroad to train

terrorists (ie. Haamas)

- fund sunni terrorsits as well bc they r anti-west (enemy of my enemy is my friend)

Green Movement (June 12, 2009)

political civil rights movement following the election where Ahmadinejad (unpopular) won with 63% of votes within hours of polls closing

Slogan of Green Movement

"where is my vote?"

Why were people chanting during Green Movement and why is this important?

"Allah Akbar" - "God is great"

same tactic was used in 1979 revolution

Who certified the results for the 2009 election?

Guardian Council certified and SL endorsed them in a sermon

Green Movement AP Comp themes

legitimacy

people demanded democratic rights, rule of law, and transparency

What is Iranian economy dependent on?

oil and natural gas

Why can Iran be classified as a rentier state?

- sell resources out of country

- $ isn't invested in local economy

- economy isn't diversified

rentier state

A country that obtains much of its revenue from the export of oil or other natural resources.

What percentage of world oil reserves are located Iran?

10%

OPEC

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries:

- cartel bc no rules about pricing and they change prices

to mess with other countries

- dictates oil market

- controls 80% of market

what was so special about 2015 Nuclear Deal?

1st major interaction between Iran and U.S. since 1979 Revolution

What did Iran agree to in Nuclear Deal?

- limit nuclear program

- permit heavy inspections

- all done in exchange for lifting economic sanctions

Who was 2015 Nuclear Deal a major accomplishment for?

President Rouhani

Was the Nuclear Deal a major accomplishment for U.S.?

- politically divisive

- mistrust between Iran and U.S.

Which U.S. president made 2015 Nuclear Deal?

Obama

Which president left the 2015 Nuclear Deal?

Trump in 2018

Iranian Civil Society

- Shia dominant

- ethnic Persian majority but ethnically diverse

Social Cleavages

- Religions: Shia v. Sunni, Persian Christians, Jews,

Zoroastrians

- Ethnic Pursians v. Kurds, Arabs, Azeris

Are other religions besides Shia allowed to practice in Iran?

yes because they aren't viewed as a threat to regime

Social Class

Elite vs. poor (who are most hurt by sanctions)

urban v. rural (Tehran is most favored by state compared to villages, so rural ppl dislike Tehran ppl)

Bonyards

"foundations" in Iran that act like NGOs

Kurds

want to be unified with Kurdistan

Azeri's

- some are loyal to Azerbaijan

- many are Shia but don't speak Farsi

- 16% of pop

- have prominent roles in gov't

5 Majlis seats reserved for religious minorities

- 3 for Christians (2 Armanis, 1 Assyrian)

- 1 persian Jew

- 1 zoroastrian (Freddy Mercury)

Why does Iran reserve government seats for religious minorities?

- To maintain legitimacy by giving them representation

- want to look modern and like they care about minorities

Sunnis

- 10% total in Iran

- Most abide by Velayat-e faqih

- Few Institutions treat Sunnis fairly

Do Sunnis believe in Velayat-e faqih

no:

- Shia thing that Sunni don't believe in/agree

- Supreme Leader is this (who is Shia)

Are women allowed to vote?

yes

Can women run for Majlis?

yes (currently 16)

Can women serve as cabinet members and in civil service positions?

yes

Do women have strong presence in workforce?

yes including physicians and gov't positions

Do women attend university?

yes - more women attend than men but some majors are

restricted

Can women serve in theocratic positions?

no

2017-2019 Hijab law and protests

- women publicly removed scarf to protest

- weakens legitimacy

Education

- students separated by gender

- strong university system

- high literacy rate

- "brain drain"

brain drain

the loss of highly educated and skilled workers to other countries because they look for better opportunities

Population

- 1980s youth pop very large

- Supreme Leader encouraged large fams

- pop grew too big and stretched gov't resources

- growth slowed with adoption and controversial family

planning program

Is contraception ok in Sharia Law?

yes

Media in Iran Takeaway

free press for legitimacy

until ...