1. AP Comparative Politics
Iran

2. “This is the voice of Iran, the voice of the true Iran, the voice of the Islamic Revolution.” – February 11, 1979
See this as beginning of great conflict between West and Islamic civilizations that ended in 9/11
But society is complex – pull between theocracy and secularization
Only theocracy left in world; 2nd largest oil producer in Middle East and 4th largest in the world

3. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power – 1 of 2
Early On…
Traced to Achemenian Empire and Cyrus
Clashed with Greece – its greatest rival
Both conquered by Alexander the Great but he left Persian political structure in place
Iran’s sovereigns were hereditary military leaders supported by strong military and state-sponsored religion – Zoroastrianism
Shi’ism
Arabs brought Islam – even when conquered by Mongols kept religion survived
Shi’ism state religion 16th century – in place by Safavid Empire’s Ismail
Waiting for Hidden Imam to return
Modern State
Authoritarianism continued under Pahlavi shahs and then Ayatollah Khomeini
Revolution of 1979 anchored legitimacy of the state in Shi’ism
Constitution of 1979 – includes jurist’s guardianship
Idea of sovereignty of the people and divinely inspired clerical law have created crisis of legitimacy – reflected in clerics in Qom interpretation of law

4. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power – 2 of 2
Political Culture – separation of religion and politics happened under Qajars – culture characterized by:
Authoritarianism, but not totalitarianism
Union of political and religious authority
Shi’ism and sharia as central components – 90% are Shi’ites; sharia important source of legitimacy
Escape from European colonization
Geographic limitations
Influence of ancient Persia
Strong sense of Iranian Nationalism – Iranians 1st , then Muslims

5. Political and Economic Change – 1 of 3
The Safavids (1501 – 1722)
Converted people to Shi’ism
Had respect for “people of the book”
Had serious economic constraints: trade routes broken up, world trade shifted to Indian and Atlantic Oceans, capital Isfahan little access to sea-based trade, lack of arable land
Problems affected ability to rule and they had little money: had to rely on local rulers; clerics lived outside of their reach; monarchy became separated from society and lost power
The Qajars (1794 – 1925)
Moved capital to Tehran, retained Shi’ism, separation between government and religion widened
Lost land to Russia and Britain, borrowed from foreign banks, shah in debt, Iranians upset and led to Constitutional Revolution 1905 – 1909, shah pressed by British to concede
Provided for direct elections, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, Bill of Rights, created a Majles to balance executive power, created Guardian Council
WWII put Iran in political and economic disarray

6. Political and Economic Change – 2 of 3
The Pahlavis (1925 – 1979) – created highly centralized state
Colonel Reza Khan used Cossack Brigade to carry out coup d'état 1925 declared shah-in-shah
Majles lost power, authoritarianism reestablished
Turned power over to son Muhammad Reza Shah 1941
Faced opposition from Tudeh Party and National Front (led by Muhammad Mosaddeq) who wanted to nationalize oil from – Mosaddeq’s power grew and Shah fled 1953 but CIA overthrew Mosaddeq to keep pro-US presence in Middle East
Rentier state that began import substitution industrialization
Courts secularized and began White Revolution
Created Pahlavi Foundation – patronage system – and created Resurgence Party as only party
Islamic Revolution and the Republic (1979 – present)
Almost completely religious, created theocracy, happened because shah upset the people because he was perceived as being totalitarian, he secularized Iran too much, he had ties to the west

7. Political and Economic Change – 3 of 3
Almost completely religious, created theocracy, happened because shah upset the people because he was perceived as being totalitarian, he secularized Iran too much, he had ties to the west
Khomeini was charismatic, defended fundamentalism, created velayat-e-faqih (jurist’s guardianship) – gives clergy authority overall everyone in the Shi’i community
Two factors brought revolution: revolution of rising expectations and US put pressure on Shaw to loosen his restraints
April 1979 referendum held, voted out monarchy, constitution drawn up by Assembly of Religious Experts
November 1979 – Iranian hostage crisis began
Clerics cemented power under popular support until 1989 because oil prices, rose, Iraq invaded Iran, Khomeini was charismatic
1989 Ali Khamenei took over – not same personality or credentials, many questioned his authority, Iran-Iraq War ended, oil prices dropped – caused conflict
Khatami (1997 – 2005) was a reformist vs. Ahmadinejad (2005 – present) is a conservative – has had white coup of reformists

8. Citizens, Society, and the State – 1 of 2
Cleavages
Religion
Ethnicity
Social Class
Reformers vs. Conservatives
Pragmatic conservatives v. radical clerics
Civil Society
Source of unhappiness under Pahlavi was incursion into private lives, hasn’t ended and causes discontent among middle class especially
Khatami – faced “Tehran Spring” with cautious political liberalization
Ahmadinejad – ended liberalization policies, arrests, no protests, censorship
But it is still alive – especially among the young – who are attracted to western popular culture

9. Citizens, Society, and the State – 2 of 2
Political Participation
Due process has been ignored
But Republic’s actions against public demonstrations hasn’t curtailed them, especially on college campuses
Youth is force for change in Iran – ½ of population born since 1979
2009 protests for Mir-Hossein Mousavi – had to be squashed by tens of thousands of Revolutionary Guards and voluntary militiamen called Basij
Women and the Political System
Educated women harbor resentment toward the regime: education had led to them to expect better than they have been granted
Sharia narrowly interpreted to aid men
Follow “equality-with-difference”
Are not well represented in Majles

10. Political Institutions – 1 of 5
Theocracy – Supreme Leader, Guardian Council, Expediency Council
Democracy – president, Assembly of Religious Experts, Majles
Unitary and unicameral
Political Parties
Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran – Ahmadinejad's party; conservative coalition
Iranian Reform Movement – reformist parties; sometimes called Khordad Front – Khatami and Mir-Houssein Mousavi’s party
Etemad-e Melli Party – pragmatic reformists
Liberation Movement, National Front, Tudeh, Mojahedin, and Fedayin banned
Party system reflects factionalism
Elections
Majles and presidency is winner take all, no proportional representation
Two rounds so that one person gets majority

11. Political Institutions – 2 of 5
Elections – continued
Majles Elections of 2004 and 2008 – many reformists banned; low voting rates by reformists
Presidential election 2005 – 7 ran, came down to Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad – Ahmadinejad won overall
Presidential elections 2009 – charges of fraud, record numbers voted, Moussavi appealed to Guardian Council but Supreme Leader sided with Ahmadinejad, many were arrested and Moussavi portrayed as tool of secular foreigners
Interest Groups
Many are banned but work in exile
Worker’s House important interest group for factory workers
Few have formed for business because private business crowded out since 1979
Mass Media
Radio and TV are government run by IRIB but many newspapers and magazines are privately owned

12. Political Institutions – 3 of 5
Government Institutions
Jurist’s Guardianship – do not follow division of power: all have broad executive, legislative, and judicial powers that allow them to supersede all other positions and bodies and has a dual executive
Supreme Leader – top of government, head of state, imam of all, has many powers but first and foremost he is the faqih (leading Islamic jurist) to interpret the meaning of religious documents and sharia law; holds ultimate power
Guardian Council – 12 clerics, 6 appointed by Supreme Leader and 6 approved by Majles, reviews bills passed by Majles to ensure conformity with sharia law, decides who competes in elections
Assembly of Religious Experts – 86 man house, directly elected by people every 4 years – like the College of Cardinals
Expediency Council – referees disputes between Majles and Guardian Council – 32 members – most powerful men in Iran

13. Political Institutions – 4 of 5
Executive
President - Not like USA president, but is highest state official after Leader, directly elected every 4 years, limited to 2 terms, must be a Shi’ite
Cabinet – conducts day to day operations
Bureaucracy – doubled since 1979, clergy dominate it
Semipublic Institutions – called foundations, are tax exempt, have lots of money
Legislature
Majles has been weakened since 1989 Constitution but still has important powers
290 seats all directly elected through single member districts
Judiciary
Headed by chief justice and must be a cleric, appointed to 5 year term by Leader; beneath him is Supreme Court who are all clerics also
Have two types of law: sharia and qanun
Judicial review exists but ultimate authority lays in sharia and not the Constitution
Islamized judiciary code with strict interpretation, has lessened some

14. Political Institutions – 5 of 5
Military
Revolutioanry Guards created 1979 by Khomeini – elite military force
Surpeme Leader is commander in chief
Has Basij – loosely-organized military that is part of Revolutionary Guards – comes out from civilian volunteers and is basically a militia
Must of the military is secret; many former Guards sit in Majles and seem to have some of their own strength to act alone

15. Public Policy
Two most powerful policy making institutions in Iran are the Majles and the Guardian Council with Expediency Council refereeing disputes
Have two types of factions – these disputes have brought gridlock and instability
Conservative vs. reformists
Statists vs. free-marketers
Importance of Qom – legitimacy of modern Iranian theocracy has roots in Qom, a city of seminaries, some scholars there are NOT entirely comfortable with theocratic state
Economic Issues – oil has created vertical divide in society, main problem plaguing them is instability of oil prices
Population Policy – population post-1979 surged, have worked to lower fertility rate
Foreign affairs and Nuclear Energy – axis of evil , cold to west