1. STUDENT NOTES - 1

2. recognizes principles of popular sovereignty and separation of powers
Islamic Republic of Iran
created by Revolution of 1979
(1) first religious revolution in modern history
(2) culminated in rapid downfall of a powerful, long-standing autocratic regime
(3) used religion as the primary agency of political mobilization
(4) establishment of a theocracy in late 20th century, infused with strong democratic elements
Blending of theocratic and democratic features in Iran’s constitution
split legitimacy
recognizes principles of popular sovereignty and separation of powers
but, legitimacy also rests on conformity to a revealed body of religious law

3. Overview: The Big Picture
System of Government: Mixed Theocratic-Presidential System
Distribution of Power: Unitary System
Electoral System: SMDP
Constitution: Constitution of 1979
Legislature: Unicameral—Majles
Current Head of State: Ayatollah Ali Khanenei, Supreme Leader
Head of Government: Hassan Rouhani
Major Political Parties: “conservatives”, “pragmatists”, and “radicals”

4. Country Bio: Iran 76 million 636,296 sq. miles 550 B.C.
Population:
76 million
Territory:
636,296 sq. miles
Year of Independence:
550 B.C.
Year of Current Constitution:
1979, amended in 1989
Language:
Persian, regional languages
Religion:
Twelver Shiite Muslim 90%, Sunni Muslim 10%, non-Muslims less than 1%

5. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Constitutional Revolution ( )
Constitution of 1906
Direct elections
Separation of powers
Laws made by elected legislature
Very strong – controlled cabinet members
Popular sovereignty
Bill of Rights
Retained Shiism as official religion
Created Guardian Council of clerics
veto power

6. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Reza Shah carried out coup d’etat
4 years later named himself “shah-in-shah” (king of kings)
Ruled with iron fist; Majles lost its power
Changed name from Persia to Iran
1941 son, Muhammad Reza Shah took power in 1941
formed SAVAK: secret police
authoritarian regim
Rise of the National Front (opposition)
Led by Muhammad Mosaddeq
Drew support from middle class
Emphasized Iranian nationalism

7. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Mosaddeq advocated nationalizing the British owned-company that monopolized Iran’s oil business
Also wanted to take armed forces out from under shah’s control
Elected Prime Minister in 1951
Power grew & forced shah to flee country in 1953
British and U.S. orchestrated overthrow of Mosaddeq & restored shah to power…Why?

8. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
The Shah’s Downfall:
Became more distant from people over the years
Became very wealthy
Ignored civil liberties
Stifled newspapers, political parties, and professional associations
Alienated clergy, intelligentsia, and urbanites
Overstepped bounds of political culture:
Perceived as being totalitarian
Secularized too fast
Offended nationalists and clergy with ties to west (particularly U.S.)
Opposition to the Shah also became opposition to the U.S.

9. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
1979 REVOLUTION
Causes
Shah perceived as being totalitarian
Iran too secular, too tied to West
Struggling economy
Effects
Theocracy established
Sharia law
Fundamental Islam
Charismatic leader – Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
Shah fled country in Feb 1979

10. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Who and Why? Iranian Revolutions
Who? Middle Class Urban Revolution!
Coalition of intellectuals, university and high school students and teachers, bazaar merchants, politically active clerics and seminarians, industrial workers, and finally, state employees and white-collared workers
Why? Anti-Shah, Anti-USA
Despotism, corruption, and the alliances with the United States and Israel united such diverse ideological factions as liberal adherents to 1906 constitution, Marxist-Leninist leftists and Islamists

11. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Islamic Revolution 1979
Motivated by religion: traditionalists v. modernists
Leader: Ayatollah Khomeini
Islamic fundamentalism
Jurist’s guardianship – shia term granting supreme authority to clergy
Supporters: labor, merchants, students, middle class
April 1979 national referendum was held – voted out monarchy established Islamic Republic
Established a new constitution
Ayatollah Khomeini (Supreme Leader)

12. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Constitutional Revolution
Oil discovered
Reza Khan overthrows Qajar Dynasty
Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi becomes shah
1950’s --- Mossadeq nationalizes oil industry; US coup d'état restores shah
1960s-70s --- White Revolution/Khomeini in exile
Islamic Revolution

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

14. 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

15. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
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!

16. Iran-Iraq War (1980-88) 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

17. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Khomeini died in 1989
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Change in constitution

18. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
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

19. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
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
Ahmadinejad:

20. President Ahmadinejad (2005-2013)
Council of Guardians rejected candidacies of popular reformers
Further restrict public freedom
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 Israe
Questioned reality of Holocaust
Increased nuclear fuel research
Ahmadinejad:

21. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
President Rouhani (Elected 2013)
Moderate cleric

22. 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