Politics of the Middle East Iran

People Iran is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical settlements 4000 BC Population 75 Million Half the population under 35 61% Persian, majority Shi’ite Muslim 89%

Economy 60 % centrally planned 10 % World oil reserves 15% gas Ranked 1 st in scientific growth agriculture (10%), oil (25%), industry (20%), services (45%) GDP per capita $7,207 (76th) Unemployment 11%

History During WWI occupied by British, Russian and Ottomans Following the Russian Revolution Britain attempted to establish a protectorate, Failed 1925 Pahlavi Dynasty, Nationalism, Secularism, Westernisation 1935 Riots ‘too fast, too superficial’ 1941 Anglo Soviet Invasion Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, until 1979

1946 Soviets withdraw, promises of oil concessions. Conditions revoked, and Soviet puppet states overthrown 1947 – 1951 Six different Prime Ministers 1951 Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq Abadan Crisis, Nationalize Oil Industry Operation Ajax Deposed Mussadeq Ruled as an Autocracy with US support from that time Oil profits split 50 – 50 White Revolution, Land Reform

1979 Islamic Revolution Khomeini returned on 1 February 1979 transformed from an absolute monarchy, to an Islamic republic Pahlavi left the country for exile in January 1979 was populist, nationalist and most of all Shi'a Islamic velayat-e faqih the idea advanced by that everyone requires "guardianship", in the form of rule or supervision by the leading Islamic jurist Hostage Crisis 1979 – 1981, 444 Days

Iran Iraq War Iraq made early advances in Khomeini sought to export his Islamic revolution westward into Iraq, especially on the majority Shi'a Arabs. War continued until 1988 Khomeini, "drank the cup of poison" and accepted the UN truce 100,000 Iranian victims chemical weapons Iranian casualties 500,000 and 1,000,000.

Government Theocratic Presidential Democracy Supreme Leader, Assembly of Experts, Guardian Council, President, Parliament, Expediency Council

President Elected for 4 Years by universal suffrage Appoints Ministers 21 and Vice Presidents 10 Drafts laws to be approved by Parliament Does not control the military Candidates Approved by Guardian Council 6000 applications for 2013 election

Parliament 290 members elected to 4 year terms. draft legislation, ratify treaties, approve national budget. candidates and all legislation from the assembly must be approved by the Guardian Council.

Assembly of Experts 86 ‘virtuous and learned’ clerics Elected to 8 year terms Candidates must pass a written examination administered by the Guardian Council Meet twice annually Appoint and remove the Supreme Leader

Expediency Council mediates disputes between Parliament and the Guardian Council heads of the three government branches, clerical members of the Guardian Council and other members appointed by the supreme leader for three-year terms

Guardian Council 12 jurists, 6 clerics appointed by Supreme Leader, 6 elected by the Parliament interprets the constitution, rejects bills incompatible with the constitution or Sharia approves candidates for national election

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei Appointed and Supervised by the Assembly of Experts Head of State with powers over defence and religious affairs Veto legislation Declare War and Peace with 2/3 approval of Parliament

Corps of the Guardians of the Islamic revolution protect the Revolution and assist the ruling clerics in the enforcement of the new government's Islamic codes and morality Preventing foreign intervention, military coupe, border security 125K guards 90K Basiji militia Quds Force, special forces unconventional warfare roles providing assistance and training to various organizations around the world

1989 On his deathbed Khomeini appointed a 25-man Constitutional Reform Council which named Ali Khamenei as the next Supreme Leader Rafsanjani served two 4 year terms focused efforts on rebuilding ran's economy, cut military spending and normalized relations with neighbors Neutral during Gulf War I 1997 Mohammad Khatami. His presidency was defined by tensions between the reform- government and a conservative active clergy. re-elected 2001 ‘Dialogue of Civilizations’

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Elected % of the vote American invasion of Iraq, overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime and empowerment of its Shi‘ite majority, all strengthened Iran's position in the region 2009 reelection was disputed Street Protests, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and his supporters alleged voting irregularities 1000 people had been arrested and 20 killed in street demonstrations foreign powers were blamed Hassan Rouhani3 August 2013

Nuclear Program

Atoms for Peace program 1950s clandestine nuclear weapons research program was disbanded by Khomeini who considered weapons forbidden under Muslim ethics Ali Khamenei fatwa forbidding the production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons Cited by IAEA non-compliance 2011 Iran's first nuclear power plant complete with assistance of Russia 2007 US intelligence concluded Iran was not conducting research on weapons capability 2012 was capable but pursuing weapons with 20% enriched uranium. Iran maintains it has the right to enrich for civilian purposes Israel remains staunchly opposed to enrichment.

Nuclear Negotiations P5 + 1 China, Russia, US, UK, France, Germany Points of contention – Stockpiling – Sanctions, – Enrichment – Resistance from US Congress

Framework Iran's enrichment capacity, enrichment level and stockpile no enrichment facilities other than Natanz. Fordo, the underground enrichment center,will be converted to a "nuclear, physics and technology centre". The Heavy Water facility in Arak will be redesigned and modernized with no weapon grade plutonium byproducts. The spent fuel will be exported, Sanctions When the IAEA verifies Iran's implementation of its key nuclear commitments: EU, US will lift sanctions. The UN Security Council will endorse this agreement and lift UN sanctions