1. Islam and Political Accommodation in Sudan
Nairobi, Kenya
22–23 November 2014
Islam and governance in iran
Dr Farhang Morady
University of Westminster

2. contents General information State Institutions Elections and Parties
Policy-Making Factions

3. Theoretical Approaches
Orientalism / Essentialism: static nature of politics, economics and society
Compatibility of Islam, Democracy and Authoritarianism
Resources curse
Geopolitics, regional and global power

4. General Information
Middle East
Europe
Asia
Africa

5. General Information
Caspian
Sea
Persian Gulf

6. Religion 89% of Iranians are Shi’a Muslims 10% are Sunni Muslim
The constitution does not mention Sunnis and their legal status is therefore unrecognized.
1% are a combination of Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Baha’i
The constitution recognizes rights of religious minorities,
but many religious minorities have left the country since the
Islamic Revolution.
Baha’I’s are considered an unholy offshoot of Islam

7. Ethnicity 51% Persian (speak Farsi) 26% Azeri 8% Gilaki & Mazandarani
Live mostly in the northwest close to Azerbaijan,
Azeri’s do not speak Farsi, they are mostly Shi’ite
8% Gilaki & Mazandarani
7% Kurds
Predominantly Sunni
3% Arab
2% Baluchi
3% Others

8. Structure of Power

9. State Institutions Supreme Leader
Chosen by the Assembly of Religious Experts
The faqih – leading Islamic jurist to interpret religious documents and the sharia
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

10. State Institutions: Guardian Council
12 male clerics
6 appointed by the Supreme Leader
6 nominated by the Chief Judge, approved by Majles
Review bills passed by Majles to ensure they comply with the sharia law
May disqualify candidates for election as part of their jurist guardianship (along with Supreme Leader)

11. State Institutions: Assembly of Religious Experts
88 men elected by the citizens every 4 years
Candidates may still be rejected by the Guardian Council
The Supreme Leader and Guardian Council are in charge of constitutional interpretation
Choose a successor to the Supreme Leader, and can remove him as well

12. State Institutions: Expediency Council
Referee disputes between the Guardian Council and Parliament (Majles)
Started smaller, has grown to 38 members
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

13. State Institutions: President and Cabinet
Head of government
Elected every 4 years by voters, may serve 2 terms
Must 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

14. State Institutions: Bureaucracy
Expanded rapidly to include new ministries:
Culture and Islamic Guidance – censors the media and Internet
Intelligence – chief security organization
Heavy Industry – manages nationalized factories
Reconstruction – spreads Islam to the countryside
Dominated by clergy and their relatives

15. State Institutions: Foundations
“Autonomous” but run by appointees of the Supreme Leader
Charitable and religious foundations
Tax exemption
Own property confiscated from pre-1979 elite
Use wealth to do “charitable work” to build regime support

16. State Institutions: Parliament (Majles)
Legislature
290 seats directly elected by the citizens every 4 years
Powers
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 members
Approve the budget, cabinet, treaties, and loans

17. State Institutions: Parliament (Majles)

18. Elections and Parties Post-revolutionary parties
Islamic Republican Party
Factionalism
Ideological differences became the basis of factional politics

19. Factionalism / distribution of power
3 major factions:
Conservatives, Pragmatists and Reformists, Correlate to social classes:
Modern middle class, working class close to reformists and pragmatists
Lower working class, peasants and traditional middle class close to Conservative

20. Public Policy: Policy-Making Factions
Conservatives
Contradictory influences of theocracy & democracy
Uphold principles of the regime established in 1979
Against too much modernization
Anxious at western influence
Political & religious decisions should be synonymous
Support the right of clerics to run the political system
Pragmatists/Reformists / Green M
Political system needs reform
Degree of international involvement with western countries
Shi’ism is an important basis of Iranian society
Political leaders do not have to be clerics

21. Public Policy: Policy-Making Factions
Statists
Government should have active role in the economy
Not necessarily communists
Policy goals include:
Finance Social Welfare Programs for supporters
Price restrictions on consumer goods
Free-marketers
Market principles as in the US, but in a theocratic/democratic state
Liberal Economic Policies
Remove price controls
Lower business taxes
Encourage private enterprise
Balance the budget

22. Public Policy
Majority of policy differences among factions stem from the “theocratic vs. democratic” debate
Policy issues have recently led to a drain of the “best & brightest” from Iran due to frustration with government
Policy-making factional disagreements over relationship with US & economic issues
Economic and ideological interest

23. Political conflicts
Highly unstable party system, changes around personalities – coalitions form and break apart regularly - but in the last election:
Moderation and Development Party – Hassan Rouhani’s reformist party, won 50.8% in first round

24. Conclusion Dynamics Contestation Accommodation Very vibrant politics
from within and between Islamists - clerical and non- clerical
Accommodation
survival of the regime has been about accommodation to domestic, regional, and global situation