Nature of Government - The Revolution

"For this reason, the expansion of relations with all countries is on the agenda of the Islamic Republic of Iran. I mean balanced relationships, based on mutual respect and observation of each other's rights." - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad


The establishment of a republic in Iran was only possible after the issuing of the 1979 Constitution, which marked the success of the Iranian Revolution that finally overthrew the country hereditary ruler, the Shah. Therefore, the state has benefited from the theocratic republic given that this form of government allowed for the independence of Iran in April 1^st, 1979; this transformation did away with the country’s former tradition of dictatorship, and opened doors to a system that offers elections by universal suffrage. However, the Iranian Revolution also led to the Iranian takeover of the American embassy, taking 52 American as hostages for 444 days. This episode embittered Iran-US diplomatic relations, which were soon broken. Overtime, this embitterment caused Iran to provoke the Western Hemisphere, raising the bar when it comes to nuclear power, terrorism endorsement, and human rights violations. “Numerous sanctions have been imposed on Iran by the United States and the international community to compel Iran to engage seriously in discussions with the international community and address concerns over its nuclear program. Iran still has not recognized Israel’s right to exist and has hindered the Middle East peace process by arming militants, including Hamas, Hizballah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad” (“US Relations with Iran”, US Department of State). 

P.S.: If you want to know more about the hostage crisis, the Oscar-winner movie Argo is a must-watch. You can find the trailer here below:

Sources:

"Iran: Government." GlobalEDGE. Michigan State University, Web. 30 Dec. 2012. <http://globaledge.msu.edu/Countries/Iran/Government>.

"The World Factbook." Central Intelligence Agency. United States Government, 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 30 Dec. 2012. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html>.

"U.S. Relations With Iran." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, 22 Aug. 2012. Web. 01 Jan. 2013. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5314.htm>.

Nature of Government - Political Structure

"Justice must reign supreme in the Organization, and in accordance with its Charter, all Member-States must have equal rights. Greater power or wealth should not accord expanded rights to any member."

    I personally find Iran's nature of government a little hard to understand. So Ahmadinejad is the dictator... But then who is Hosseini-Kamenei? What are their political responsibilities? And why are there so many Assemblies, anyways?

     Don't worry, I will try to clarify here how this country really works politically.

     The Islamic Republic of Iran is governed based on the 1979 Constitution. Above all the other factions of political power, there is the chief of state, a supreme leader who holds perpetual power unless removed by the Assembly of Experts. It is the chief of state’s duty to establish a supervise all domestic, foreign, and security policies for the country in concession with other political bodies such as the National Security Council, the National Assembly, and the Expediency Council. The chief of state has the final say in all affairs. Currently, Ali Hoseini-Khamenei holds the position of the country’s supreme leader. Apart from him, Iran also counts on the head of government, who is elected by universal suffrage to a 4-year term. President Mahmud Ahmadinejad currently holds the position as head of government. Once appointed, the head of government is in charge of supervising executive affairs as well as the Council of Ministers, coordinating government decisions, and selecting government policies to be established before the Majles—the National Assembly.

Ahmadinejad, head of government

The supreme leader, Khamenei

     Judging from these characteristics, one could categorize Iran as a theocratic republic. This means that the leader of the state is regarded as divine, ruling in the name of a god. This leader, in turn, is elected by the people of the state. Khamenei, according to policy analyst Karim Sadjadpour, was appointed supreme leader, after a “landslide election” (Sadjadpour, 2); thus making Iran a republic.
     Stay tuned for more information regarding the Iranian History including the Revolution and the Shah.

Sources:

"Iran: Government." GlobalEDGE. Michigan State University, Web. 5 March. 2013. <http://globaledge.msu.edu/Countries/Iran/Government>.

Sadjadpour, Karim. Reading Khamenei: The World View of Iran's Most Powerful Leader. Washington D.C.: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2008. Print.