STUDENT NOTES 2 CH. 7 The Islamic Republic of Iran

Iran Hostage Crisis American embassy hostages held for 444 days from Believed that purpose could be to undercut PM Bazargan

Cultural Revolution Launched by Shia leaders after revolution Aimed to purify the country from the shah’s regime, secular values, and western influences Purged universities of liberals Suppressed all opposition

Iran-Iraq War: – The perfect thing for Ayatollah Khomeini – War = National Unity – Provoked by Saddam Hussein of Iraq – Allowed the regime to consolidate power by calling for national unity in the face of a foreign invader – The war became a means to suppress domestic discontent – US supported Saddam and Iraq with billions of dollars of military aide! Sovereignty, Authority, and Power

Iran-Iraq War ( ) Started when Iraq invaded Iran by land and air People rallied around the govt in response Ended in 1988 with a UN-brokered cease- fire

Sovereignty, Authority, and Power War with Iraq Khomeini dies; Khamenei succeeds him as Supreme Leader after a power struggle in the Assembly of Religious Experts Reformist Khatami elected president Reformist candidates win control of the Majlis Conservatives regain control of Majlis, after 2,500 reformist candidates disqualified Conservative Ahmadinejad elected president Ahmadinejad reelected

Tension : Between Islam and practical governance – Remember: You can’t ask God what He thinks! Two types of institutions coexist: – Appointed and Elected Dualism reflects the attempted synthesis between divine and popular sovereignty institutions Multiple Power Centers: – Institutions created by the revolutionaries to supplement the activities of the traditional state institutions, with which they share overlapping responsibilities – This further complicates the institutional structure of Iran INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT

“It’s all about the circles” I NSTITUTIONS OF THE R EVOLUTION (I SLAM ) 1979 I NSTITUTIONS OF THE S HAH (U NTIL 1979) Democratic Structures T HEOCRATIC

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT Political system fuses theocracy and democracy in a unitary state Theocratic Institutions:  Supreme Leader  Guardian Council  Expediency Council Democratic Institutions:  Assembly of Religious Experts  Majles  President

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT THEOCRACY Do not fit into 3 branch structure Powers to supersede all other bodies Supreme Leader – appointed for life, commander in chief, dismiss president, nomination/appointment – Ultimate power as head of state Guardian Council – 12 clerics, review bills of Majles, decide candidates Expediency Council – collectively powerful; referee for GC and M; now originate own law DEMOCRACY The president – Popularly elected; 4 years; 2 terms; chief executive; usually clergy Assembly of Religious Experts Majles (parliament) – Unicameral; lawmaking power, appointment/removal power

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT Supreme Leader – most powerful political figure – Chosen by Assembly of Religious Experts (only tested once, in 1989) – Appointed for life – Expected to act as a trustee of community by supervising politics and ensuring laws conform to Islam – Powers Eliminate presidential candidates Dismissal of the president Commander of the armed forces Declares war and peace Appoints many administrators and judges Nominates up to 6 members to Guardian Council Appoints heads of other agencies, like broadcasters – Head of State with real power

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Supreme Leader of Iran,

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Supreme Leader of Iran, 1989-Present

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT Guardian Council – 12 male clerics, serve 6 year terms 6 appointed by Supreme Leader 6 nominated by Chief Judge, approved by Majles – Review bills passed by Majles to ensure they comply with the sharia – Power to VETO any legislations passed by Majlis that is at odds with basic tenants of Islam – Vetting power - May disqualify candidates for election as part of their jurist guardianship (along with Supreme Leader)

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT Assembly of Religious Experts – 86 men elected by the people every 4 years – Use to only allow clerics, but requirement eliminated in 1998 Candidates may still be rejected by Guardian Council – With Supreme Leader and Guardian Council, in charge of constitutional interpretation – Choose a successor to the Supreme Leader, and may remove him as well – Chairman is currently Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT Expediency Council – Created by Khomeini to referee disputes between Guardian Council and Majles – Members appointed by Supreme Leader – Has gained the power to originate legislation – Collection of the most powerful men in Iran, including: High ranking clerics President Chief Judge Speaker of Majles Members of the Guardian Council – Headed by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT President and Cabinet – Head of government – Elected every 4 years by voters, may serve 2 terms Majority system Candidates approved by Guardian Council – Constitution requires him to be a “pious Shiite” – Powers Devise the budget “Supervise” economic matters Propose legislation to the Majles Executing the law/policies Signs treaties and laws Chairs the National Security Council Appoints cabinet and other provincial officials

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT – Iran does not have a presidential system, so the head of the executive does not have the same authority as presidents in countries that have a presidential system, such as the U.S., Mexico, and Nigeria. – However, the president does represent the highest official representing democratic principles in Iran, and he functions as the head of government, while the supreme leader serves as head of state.

Muhammad Khatami President of Iran,

President Mohammad Khatami ( ) – Reformist and surprise winner – Easier to organize political groups – Less censorship of press – Tried to improve relations with US and other Western countries – Reformist Khatami was left isolated by conservative resurgence – Hard line conservatives disqualified moderates from 2004 parliamentary elections Sovereignty, Authority, and Power

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad President of Iran,

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( ) – Tehran's ultra-conservative mayor – Won a run-off vote in presidential elections in June 2005, defeating his rival, the former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani – First non-cleric president in 24 years Sovereignty, Authority, and Power

Council of Guardians rejected candidacies of popular reformers Several major reformist newspapers closed Journalists and civil society activists arrested Jailed internet users who spread information “aimed at disturbing the public mind” Morality police and vigilantes to enforce Islamic dress codes & prevent public mingling of men and women Increasing reports of arrest, torture, and executions Sharia more strictly enforce Called for destruction of Israel Questioned reality of Holocaust Increased nuclear fuel research President Ahmadinejad ( )

Hassan Rouhani President of Iran, Present

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT Legislature – The Majles – NOT RUBBER STAMP Pass laws with approval of Guardian Council Interpret legislation, without contradiction of judiciary Approve 6 members to Guardian Council nominated by Chief Judge Investigate misconduct of bureaucracy and judiciary Remove cabinet officials (not the president) Approve the budget, cabinet, treaties, and loans

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT 290 deputies, 4 year terms – Five guaranteed seats for recognized religious minorities : Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians – Nonrecognized religious minorities (e.g., Baha’is) cannot run Direct Elections – Elections held on a nonpartisan basis (ballots do not have party identification or philosophy) – 28 multimember districts (based on population size)

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT Judiciary – not independent Supreme leader appoints head of judiciary who appoints senior judges – Types of law in Iran Sharia – Islamic law, supersedes all other laws, chiefly interpreted by Supreme Leader Qanun – No sacred basis, just statutes made by legislative bodies (Majles, for example) – Must not contradict sharia – No judicial review – legal authority is not in the constitution, but in interpretation of sharia – Appeals system is in place, but Khomeini argued spirit of sharia was for local judges to make final decisions in most cases – Sharia dictates harsh punishments (death) for a wide variety of “crimes”, but Islamic Republic has softened the use of these over the years

INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERMENT Military – Revolutionary Guard – created by Khomeini to counter the Shah’s existing regular army, navy, and air force Strong political influence, increasingly independent – Army defends the borders, Revolutionary Guard protects the Islamic Republic – All commanded by Supreme Leader, who appoints top commanders – No fear of coup: Military respects orderly transfer of power Khomeini legacy: military should stay out of politics Loyal to supreme leader

Theocratic & Democratic Elements of Iran’s Government Structure Structure Supreme Leader Supreme Leader Theocratic Characteristics Jurist guardianship; ultimate interpreter of shari’a; appointed for life Jurist guardianship; ultimate interpreter of shari’a; appointed for life Democratic Characteristics Guardian Council Guardian Council Jurist guardianship; interpreter of shari’a; six members selected by the Supreme Leader Jurist guardianship; interpreter of shari’a; six members selected by the Supreme Leader Six members selected by the Majlis; which is popularly elected, indirect democratic tie Six members selected by the Majlis; which is popularly elected, indirect democratic tie Assembly of Religious Experts Assembly of Religious Experts Jurist guardianship; interpreter of shari’a Jurist guardianship; interpreter of shari’a Directly elected by the people Directly elected by the people

Theocratic & Democratic Elements of Iran’s Government Structure Structure Expediency Council Expediency Council Theocratic Characteristics Appointed by the Supreme Leader; most members are clerics Appointed by the Supreme Leader; most members are clerics Democratic Characteristics Some members are not clerics Some members are not clerics Majlis Majlis Responsibility to uphold shari’a Responsibility to uphold shari’a Directly elected by the people; pass qanun (statutes) Directly elected by the people; pass qanun (statutes) Judiciary Judiciary Courts held to shari’a law; subject to the judicial judgments of the Supreme Leader, Guardian Council Courts held to shari’a law; subject to the judicial judgments of the Supreme Leader, Guardian Council Court structure similar to those in democracies; “modern” penalties, such as fines and imprisonment Court structure similar to those in democracies; “modern” penalties, such as fines and imprisonment