Transcript Iran Overview 2

Iran
“American politicians are like
cowboys. Whenever they have legal
shortcomings, their hands go to
their guns.”
-- Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 2010
Iran
Iran
Vexillology
Center: stylized
script for Allah,
also reminiscent
of a red tulip
Script: “Allahu Akbar” (God is great), stylized version
of Kufic script used for Qur’an; appears 11 x 2 = 22
times – 22nd day of 11th month of Persian calendar, date
of Islamic Revolution over Pahlavi dynasty (February
11, 1979)
Old flag:
Iran
Why study Iran?
 It’s a theocratic republic, the only one we’ll study; religion plays a
major role in the goals & administration of the state
 It’s the only Shi’ite nation; other nations predominantly Sunni Islam
 It’s the second largest oil producer in the Gulf, & the fourth largest in
the world
 It’s been accused of being a state sponsor of terrorism, and of seeking
to develop nuclear weapons
Iran
Iran - a profile:
Official Name: Islamic Republic of Iran
Capital: Tehran
Area: 1,648,195 sq. km. (18th)
Languages: Persian (Farsi)/Persian dialects (58%); Turkic &
Turkic dialects (26%); Kurdish (9%); few others
Population: 80,840,714 (July 2014 est.; 19th)
Population Density: 116/sq. mile
Population Growth Rate: 1.22% (97th)
Iran - Political indicators:
System Type: Theocratic Republic
Constitution: 1979; revised in 1989 to
strengthen presidency, eliminate
prime minister
Administration: Unitary; Shari’a
Executive: President, elected by
popular vote for 4-year term (2 terms,
3rd non-consecutive); Supreme Leader,
Assembly of Experts, Expediency
Council, Guardian Council
Legislature: Unicameral Majles (290
members by popular vote, 4-yearterms
Iran
Judiciary: Supreme Court & High
Council of Judiciary; 2 types of law,
“judicial review” in accord w/ shari’a
Political Parties: Loose – 2nd Khordad
Front is a loose amalgamation of
reformist groups; United Front of
Principlists & Broad Popular Coalition of
Principlists are conservative
Head of State: Supreme Leader Ali
Hoseini-Khamenei (since June 1989)
Head of Government: Pres. Hasan
Ruhani (since Aug. 2013)
Suffrage: 18, universal (recently
increased from 15)
Iran
Iran - Economic indicators:
Iran - Social indicators:
GDP (PPP): $987 billion (19th)
Infant Mortality: 39/1000 births
GDP (PPP)/Capita: $12,800 (87th)
Debt (Ext.): 18.73 billion (103rd)
Life Expectancy: 71.14 (ave.); 69.32
(male); 72.53 (female); median age
28.3 – nearly ¼ is 15 or less
Arable Land: 9.78%
Literacy: 77%
Distribution of GDP: Agriculture
10.9%; Industry 45.2%; Services 45%
Religions: Muslim 98% (Shi’a 89%,
Sunni 9%); Other (Zoroastrian,
Jewish, Christian, Baha’i) 2%
Urban Population: 69%
Pop. Below Poverty Line: 19%
Military: Male 19 compulsory, 16
voluntary; 18 months (women
exempt)
Iran
Islam
 1 billion+ adherents (2nd largest)
 Means “submission to God”
 Five Pillars
• “There is only one God, & Muhammed is his prophet”
• Give to charity
• Pray every day facing Mecca
• Pilgrimage to Mecca
• Fast during Ramadan (when God revealed the Qur’an to
Muhammed
Iran
Sunni:
Shi’ite:
 Followers of tradition
 “Partisans of Ali”
 Majority of Muslims worldwide
 Less than 10% of Muslims
worldwide
 Sunnis recognized the early
dynasties that ruled the
Islamic empire after
Muhammed (d. 632)
Politics, more than
religion, caused the
schism
 Iran is the Shi’a “epicenter”
 Shi’a belief is that after the
Prophet died, his authority
should have passed to
Imam Ali
 In absence of messiah (Mahdi),
authority to interpret shari’a
should rest with senior
clerical scholars
Iran
Iran
15011722
Safavid rule; instill Shi’a by force; conquests fail to
capture Karbala & Narjaf (in modern Iraq), two holy
Shi’a sites
17941925
Qajar rule: shahs (kings) did not have links to 12
Imams of Shi’ism; clerics claim right to interpret Islam
19051911
Constitutional Revolution
• Protest Qajar rule
• Shah forced to dismiss P.M., create Majlis, accept
Constitution
1906
New Constitution
• Characteristics of western constitutions
• Centered power in Majlis (eliminated in 1911)
• Guaranteed seats to religious minorities
• Starts debate: are Islam & democracy compatible
Growing influence by foreign nations, especially Great
Britain & Russia  nationalist reaction
Iran
19251979
Pahlavi rule: “Saviors on a horseback”
• Coup d’etat in 1921
• Focus on modernization, angers Muslims; changes
name from Persia to Iran
 Women can no longer wear veils
 Men forced to shave beards
 Religious schools closed in favor of modern
public schools
 Shah Reza Khan forced into exile when Brits &
Soviets occupy, fearing Nazi control of oil
PostWWII
Son Mohammad Reza Shah returns
• Challenged by PM Mossadeq, leader of Nationalist
Front
 Sought to nationalize oil fields
 Majles gave broad powers in 19 Articles (Art. 19
was “et cetera”)
• Mossadeq forced out w/ loss of cleric support
(dissolved upper house, martial law), w/
U.S. assistance, in 1953 – Shah as “puppet”?
 Lays groundwork for anti-U.S. sentiment
PostWWII
Iran
Reza Shah transforms Iran into absolute monarchy
• Iran is a Rentier State – economy supported by govt
expenditures supported by “rents” from
leasing oil fields (mostly British); effort at
import substitution policy failed
• White Revolution: in theory, to counter communist
(“Red”) influence
 Declares one-party state, w/ self as head of
Resurgence Party
 “Modernization”
 Religious Corps to teach “true Islam”
 Land given to peasants (from clerics), fails
as peasants can’t care for it
 Expands women’s rights
 Strengthens military
 SAVAK: secret police
 Exiles Ayatollah Khomeini (whose tapes
are smuggled into the country)
Iran
1979
Islamic Revolution
• Khomeini returns as Supreme Leader; Shah flees to
U.S., further anti-U.S. sentiment
• New Constitution (this & Supreme Leader key
sources of legitimacy)
• U.S. Embassy occupied for 444 days
• Establishes Revolutionary Guard
19801988
War w/ Iraq; accomplishes nothing
1989
Khomeini dies, replaced as Supreme Leader by Ali
Khamenei
• Ayatollah Rafsanjani elected President (more
“authority” than Khamenei; focus on
economic reform, no political)
1997
Mohammad Khatami (moderate reformist cleric) Pres.
• Rights for women, religious minorities; less
censorship, allow interest groups
• In 2003, Khamenei & conservatives push back
Iran
Political Culture & Participation
 Very nationalistic, yet heterogenous
• Conservative vs. Moderate Islam
• Large number of secular, well-educated, affluent individuals
 Very free electoral system, but not really democratic
• Popular vote for President, Majles
• Numerous small political parties, but elections are non-partisan
(individual based)
• Actual election process only about one week long (esp. Majles); most
advertising is prohibited
• Candidates must submit names to Guardian Council, which must
approve (used to eliminate Reformist candidates in ’04)
• Two-round election process
o Candidates w/ at least 25% of votes are winners
o 2nd round for undecided seats; only top two candidates
Iran
Primary Cleavages
 Religion
• Nearly 90% Shi’a, w/ nearly 10% Sunni
• Constitution guarantees basic rights (not specifically to Sunnis)
o Guarantees minimal representation in Majles
 Ethnicity
• Primarily Persian, but significant Kurdish, Arab minorities
 Social Class
• Peasants & lower middle class primarily source of support for
regime
• Middle & upper middle class more secularized, more critical of
government
 Reformers vs. Conservatives