Iran Comparative government

Iranian Revolution (1979)

A. Causes of the Revolution

• Political:

  1. Middle class discontent.

  2. Calls for regime change from democratic and Marxist groups.

  3. Demands for a more open civil society.

• Economic:

  1. Drop in oil prices.

  2. Rise in consumer prices, contributing to a revolution characterized as "revolution of rising expectations."

• Religious Repression:

  1. Anti-Islam stance of the Pahlavi Dynasty, which alienated the lower classes who were very religious.

  2. Ayatollah Khomeini was exiled but continued to oppose the regime through smuggled sermons.

B. Events of the Revolution (1978-1979)

1. Peaceful uprising met with violent crackdown.

2. Shah forced into exile in January 1979.

3. Religious clerics, led by the returned Khomeini, took control of the country.

C. 1979 Constitution

• Established the Islamic Republic, confirmed by a referendum.

  1. Introduced democratic institutions such as the Majles (parliament) and political parties.

  2. Implemented a system of divinely guided clerics to supervise the government and enforce Shar'ia law.

  3. Introduced the concept of Velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the Islamic jurist) under Khomeini's rule.

D. Key Features of Khomeini's Rule

1. Anti-Americanism:

   • Embassy hostage crisis from 1979 to 1981.

2. Repression:

   • Creation of the Revolutionary Guards, jailing and execution of opponents.

3. Cultural Revolution:

   • Reformed education and society to align with Islamic values and revolutionary ideology.

   • Attacks on Western culture and reinforcement of a cult of personality.

4. Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988):

   • Devastating conflict that solidified Islamic rule and increased animosity towards America for supporting Iraq.

5. Economic Consequences:

   • The war led to a decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) and a drop in oil prices, further straining the economy.

   • Erratic economic policy and nationalization of industries leading to economic hardship (quote: "Economics is for donkeys").

Khamenei Rule

A. Ascendance of Ayatollah Khamenei

• Became Supreme Leader following Khomeini's death on June 3, 1989.

• Power shifted towards newly elected President Rafsanjani.

B. 1989 Constitutional Changes

• Eliminated the position of Prime Minister.

• Made minor adjustments that slightly reduced the cleric's rule.

C. Presidency of Khatami (1997-2005)

1. Reformist Agenda:

   • Promoted open civil society and encouraged political groups and parties.

   • Decreased levels of censorship.

   • Supported women's and minority rights.

   • Improved relationships with the US.

   • Achieved significant electoral victories: won 2/3 and then ¾ of the vote with reformists winning 2/3 of the Majles seats.

2. Conservative Resurgence:
   a) Khamenei and clerics barred 2500 moderate and reformist candidates from running in elections.
   b) Reformers lost 150 seats in the 2004 Majles.
   c) Presidency of Ahmadinejad (2005-2013):

   • Conservative but not a cleric.

   • Reinforced the authority of the Supreme Leader and adopted strong anti-American rhetoric.
     d) Green Movement:

   • Triggered by the perception of fraud in the 2009 election, leading to mass protests and violent crackdown.

D. Uncertain Future

• Hassan Rouhani, a cleric and perceived moderate, signed a nuclear deal to seek relief from sanctions.

Political Structure of Iran

A. Overview of the Government

• Iran's political system is a mix of democracy and religious governance.

• Institutions controlled by the Supreme Leader are counterbalanced by an elected president and parliament (Majles).

B. Structure of Governance

1. Supreme Leader:

   • Highest authority, overseeing significant national matters, including military and foreign policy.

   • Appoints key officials, including the head of judiciary and various government members.

   • Serves a life term; successor appointed by the Assembly of Experts.

2. Guardian Council:

   • Composed of 12 members, split between clerics appointed by the Supreme Leader and lawyers appointed by the head of judiciary and approved by the Majles.

   • Oversees elections, vets candidates based on religious and ideological criteria, and has the authority to veto laws via religious justification.

   • Can also remove the president with judicial assistance.

3. Military:

   • Includes the military forces as well as the Revolutionary Guard, which is aligned directly with the Supreme Leader.

   • The Basij militia is utilized to suppress internal dissent.

4. Judiciary:

   • Non-independent, with the Chief Justice nominating members of the Guardian Council.

   • Operates under Shari'a law, alongside Qanun (statutory law).

5. President:

   • Elected through a vetting process by the Guardian Council for a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms.

   • Serves as the head of government, managing the cabinet and bureaucracy but not acting as the head of state in military and foreign matters.

   • Holds limited legislative powers and can be removed by the Majles and Guardian Council.

C. The Majles (Parliament)

• Composition:

  • Unicameral system with no Senate, comprising 290 members who serve four-year terms.

  • Religious minorities are guaranteed representation with set-aside seats for Armenians, Assyrians, Jews, and Zoroastrians.

• Functions and Powers:

  • Responsible for enacting laws, approving treaties, and budget confirmations.

  • Can impeach the president and remove cabinet members.

  • Plays a limited role and is not merely a rubber-stamp institution.

D. Regional and Local Governance

• Organized into provinces; a unitary system exists with local elected councils established in 1999 to make municipal decisions, such as selecting mayors.

E. Assembly of Experts

• Comprises 88 directly elected clerics who serve eight-year terms, subject to exam approval by the Guardian Council.

• Tasks include appointing, supervising, and potentially removing the Supreme Leader; however, it lacks effective checks on his authority.