Transcript SECTION 3
SECTION 3,4,& 5 GOVERNANCE & POLICY-MAKING REPRESENTATION & PARTICIPATION IRANIAN POLITICS IN TRANSITION Islamic Revolution of 1979 • Overthrew the Shah • Declared Shi’a Islam as Iran’s official religion • Set up a hybrid governmentIslamic theocracy and democracy • Ayatollah Khomeini named Supreme Leader • Constitution affirms faith in God, Divine Justice, the Qur’an, the Resurrection, the Prophet Muhammad, the 12 imams, the eventual return of the Hidden Imam (the Mahdi), and Khomeini’s doctrine of jurist’s guardianship. Ayatollah Khomeini Organization of the State The Supreme Leader • • • • • • • • • Constitution grants broad power Mediator between legislative, executive, and judicial branches Determines the interests of Islam Supervises implementation of general policy Sets political guidelines for the Islamic Republic Can eliminate any political candidate and dismiss any government official Commander in Chief of military with power to declare war and peace Can nominate and remove judges Authorized to fill bureaucratic posts Ayatollah Ali Khamenei The President Just Kidding!! The President • Highest official after the Supreme Leader • Chosen every 4 years through national election • Must be a pious Shi’a faithful to the principles of the Islamic Republic • May propose legislation • Directs economic and diplomatic matters • Appoints all vice-presidents, cabinet members, bureaucratic heads, ambassadors, and other senior officials Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran • Controlled by the clergy • 545,000 total forces • Army- 350,000 • Navy- 18,000 • Air Force- 52,000 • Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (Revolutionary Guard)- 125,000 • Basij (volunteer militia)90,000 full-time 300,000 reserves 11,000,000- can be mobilized Revolutionary Guard The Judiciary • • • • • • • Guardian Council comprised of 6 Judges and 6 Lawyers Acts as a constitutional court Head of Judiciary appointed by the Supreme Leader Judge acts as prosecutor, jury, and arbitrator Retribution Law- strict form of Shari’a Vast inequality- male v. female, Muslim v. non-Muslim Death penalty is applied in cases of homosexuality, adultery, treason, apostasy, murder, rape, and child molestation. Mahmoud Shahroudi Assembly of Experts • 86 Mullahs elected to 8-year terms • All members belong to the Shi’a clergy • Responsible for selecting the Supreme Leader and reviewing the actions of the Supreme Leader • To date, has never challenged a Supreme Leader Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani • Serves to resolve conflict which arise between the Majlis and Council of Guardians • Consultative council to the Supreme Leader • Consists of 13 Clerics and the President, Speaker of the Majiles, and 6 jurists of the Council of Guardians The Majlis • • • • • Parliament of Iran Unicameral legislature 290 Seats 4 Year Terms Cannot overturn vetoes Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel Political Culture, Citizenship, and Identity • Shi’a Islam is religion of both the state and the majority of the population • All citizens, regardless of race, color, language, or religion are promised the rights of free expression, worship and organization • Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians form 1 percent of population • Sunni and Baha’i Muslims are seemed defectors from Islam • Persian is spoken by 83% of the population Internal Problems since the Revolution • Over half the population of Iran born after the Revolution • Islamic Republic closed down newspapers, professional associations, labor unions, and political parties • Tortured and executed over 25,000 political prisoners with no due process of law • Modern middle class, educated women, and organized labor were exceptionally resented • Women forced by shari’a to wear a veil Political Challenges and Changing Agendas • • • • • Reversed some reforms of his predecessor President Khatami President Ahmadinejad’s repeated call for “wiping Israel off the map” Iran labelled as part of the “Axis of Evil” Iran accused of aiding terrorists in Iraq and Syria Iran allying itself with America’s enemies such as Venezuela Iran’s Main Worldwide Issue