Transcript Iran Key institutions

Legacy of Authoritarianism
• Shi’ism was not recognized until 6th
century as official “state religion”
– Declared in 1501
– Separated them from the Sunni’s
• Safavifs managed to create: the First
modern Iranian nation-state
• 1722 overthrown by Afghans
• Rise and fall of number of dynasty’s
• Pahlavi dynasty: Shah
A Theocracy
• 1979 introduced
Islamic Republic of
Iran
– New constitution
– Head of State:
religious figure
– Head of Government:
president
• Theocracy and
dysfunctional political
system
A Theocracy
• Rare and tends not to last
• Khomeini devised the system called:
velayat-e faqih: principle of political power
– Faqih: serves for life
– Jurist means a legal scholar steeped in
Islamic religious law.
– The Faqih: “Spiritual Guide”
• Uses Qu’ran and Islamic Commentaries to decide
all issues
• Everything is connected to religion
A Theocracy
• First Faqih. Khomeini dies in 1989
– Nearly “all powerful”
– Successor (“the Leader”) is chosen by the
Assembly of Experts
•
•
•
•
86 Muslim clerics
Elected every 8years
Among the purest and most learned Islamic Jurist
Islam permits no women religious leader
Branches of Government:
Executive
• President
– Elected by receiving
an absolute majority of
the votes
– Two 4 years terms
– Term limit of eight
years
– “The holder of the
highest official power
next to the office of the
faqih”
– He is second in power
Executive
• Chooses members of the Cabinet
• Introduces legislation to parliament
• Entrusted with the task to uphold the
constitution
• Coordinates government decisions
• Powers are “cut off”
• Executive power is caught between
president and supreme leader
Supreme Leader
• Most powerful political leader
• Has authority to
– overrule the president
– dismiss the president
– Appoint the head of judiciary
– Appoints half the members of the Guardian
Council
– Appoints the top of the echelons in the military
• All in the name of the Islamic State
Supreme Leader
• Process was changed
after 1989
• Qualifications changed
from highest ranking
Shi’ite cleric to whomever
was an est. member of
the clergy
• Lead to a smooth
transition of power
• Current Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei
– Lacks charisma but is very
powerful
Council of Guardians
• 12 member council
• Veto power of the legislation process
• Operated like the Upper house of
parliament
• Right to determine who can run for office
– Local
– Presidential
– Parliamentary
– Assembly of Religious Experts elections
Council of Guardians
• 6 clerical members
– Appointed by Supreme Leader
– Considered the conformity of legislation to
Islamic principles
• 6 members (lawyers)
– Recommended by head of Judiciary
– Approved by parliament
– Voted on constitutionality of legislation
• Each member serves 6 year terms
Assembly Of Religious Experts:
Majles-e Khebregan
• 86 male members
• Drafted the 1979 revolution
• Charged with evaluating the performance
of the Supreme Leader
• Popularly elected
– Consist mainly of clerics
– Must pass examination on religious
knowledge to be eligible
Parliament:
Islamic Consultative Assembly
(Majles)
• Unicameral
• Elected by voters
• Serve two 4 years
terms
Executive
• President Muhammad
Khatami