Untitled Flashcards Set

Guardian Council: Created in 1906, Made up of 12 men: 6 clerics and 6 judges, who are experts on Islamic law. They approve all legislation and election candidates. 

Two things– Vet and Veto

  • vet candidates for elections, majlis, presidency, and assembly of experts

  • veto laws that are not “Islamic” enough that were passed by the Majlis

  • Main job: is legislation constitutional and abides by Islamic law

  • Serve 6 year terms (fazed) 



Expediency Council: 32 memebers all of which are appointed by the Supreme Leader. They are usually prominent members in religion, politics, and society.

  • Can create their own legiestlation 

  • Used to be a refree between the Guardian Council and Majilis

    • Roles

      • Advise on policy 

      • Supervise three branches of goverment 

      • Advise the Supreme Leader on most important matters of state–forigen and state.

  • Some of the most powerful men in Iran because they have so much power

  • Usually 3 years per term



Khomeini: First Supereme Leader of Iran, he has Charistmatic authroity which gave him legitimacy. He hated the US and Isreal. He led the religious revolition that ended up establishing a theocracy. Bad ties with the west. Ayatollah Rhuollah Khomeini defended islamic fundamentalisim. 



White Revolution: White is associated with anit-coomunisim, meant to counter red communism.

  • Focused on land reform–goceremnt bough land from absentee owners and selling it to small farmers affordably.

  • Extended suffrage to women, restricted poygamy and allowed women to work outside of home. This further seculraized the nation as it was straying away from Islam 

  • Implemented by Shah

Assembly of experts: Composed of 88 men who are elected, 8 year tems with no term limits. Mostly mad eup os clerics, Islamic jurisitsm, and schoalrs. Represent the 30 provinces of Iran, candiates don’t need to reside in the province they represent. 

Main job is to watch over the supreme leader, when he dies, they pick a new one.

  • Determine whether supreme leader is physically and mentally capable of doing the job

  • Only meet for one week a couple times a year

  • There are many heard liners getting elected into the assembly.



Majles: Iran’s unicameral parliament, which consists of elected representatives who create legislation and oversee government actions. Theres 290 members, serve 4 year terms, with 5 seats reserved for minorites. They appoint 6 jurists to the guardian council. They are elected through a 2 round ballet, and create laws, that can be vetoed by the Gaurdian council. People from all sides of the spectrum can come together and discuss.

  • Only place where women are allowed ot havea political role. 

Charismatic Authority: Part of Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeni. Charisima was a source of legitimacy. Depicted the US and Isreal as Great Satan. A type of legitimacy for a leader, where legitimacy comes form the personal charisma of the leader.



Muhammad Mossadeq: Hed led the Tudeh Party and National Front against Rez Shah. He argued for the nationalization of oil. He was elected and then removed from power by the West who wanted control over Iran becuase of the adanvtage they gave them during the cold war. 



Reza Shah: He’s the son of Reza Khan who reestablished authoritarian rule and took back land from the British and the Russians. He was a puppet for the west, he westernized the government by removing religious aspects from the goverment.



Superme Leader: Position for live, Imam of the whole Shitte community. He’s the most powerful person in Iran. He serces as the mediator between all 3 goverment branches. He can interpret the Quran in any way they want.



Theocracy: A government type in which a religious leader is at the head of the goverment. Iran is a therocratic Muslim state. 



Sharia: Islamic laws that define the ideal life, derrived from the Quran. The laws are at the center of Iran. 



IRGC (Revolutionary guard): Estbalished to ensure loyalty after the Shah’s military was dismantled. They are important in the poltical landscape of Iran, they support concervative elemnts and further increase restriction on persnal freedoms such as protests. Theu help manage Iran’s economy. 



Rouhani: A moderate president after Ahmadinjad, which allowed for the sanctions to be listed off of Iran. There was a better relationship with the west.