1. Iran
Wood Chapter 7

2. Geography – Climate 

3. Geography – Economy GDP $438 B $5,383 ($19, 000 PPP)
16% Agriculture
35% Industrial
48% Service
Gini coefficient is .44 
Top 10% have 30% of wealth 
18% under government poverty line 

4. Geography - Population
70% live in Urban settings
80 Million People
Tehran 12 M
Mashhad 2.7 M
Isfahan 1.7 M
Karaj 1.6 M

5. Geography – Population
Ethnic Groups
51% Persian
24% Azeri
7% Kurds
3% Arabi
Religion ~100% Muslim
90% Shia
10% Sunni 

6. Geography – Political 

7. History of Iran
How have historical events made major contributions to the creation of the Iranian nation-state, and where does the current government of Iran derive its legitimacy from?

8. History – up to 1501 Iranians are NOT Arabs, they are Persians
Long history of engagement with Europe (remember 300?)
Zoroastrianism was religion supported by King, but religious freedom
Islam spread from Iraq, however Persians follow Shiism
Main split in Islam is between Sunnis and Shiite
Shiite believe in “Hidden Imam”
Major cross road for world trade

9. History – 1501-1921 Safavid Empire rules from 1501-1722
Incorporates People of the Book protections into law
Trade shifts to waterways and soon Afghans sack capital at Isfahan 1722
Turkish group called the Qajars rules
With no religious basis for rule, separation of church and state began
Serious foreign debt led to the Constitutional Revolution of (bankers)
Creation of the Majles (legislature) and Guardian Council (theocratic veto)

10. History –
Colonel Reza Khan’s successful coup d'état in 1921 ends with him becoming the shah in 1925
Return Iran to authoritarian rule and passes monarchy to son in 1941
Muhammad Reza Shah loses power, but is put back in place by UK and US
Iran becomes rentier state ands Shah seen as puppet for Western Powers
White Revolution was anti-communist and pro-western (women’s suffrage?)
Pahlavi Foundation and Resurgence Party was last straw for the Iranians

11. History –
Due to lower oil revenue and higher prices, the people became angry
A “revolution of rising expectations” had been building for years
Pahlavi Foundation, Resurgence Party, and White Revolution
Jimmy Carter encouraging a more open democracy
Mass protests, as many as 2 Million people
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini condemns Shah’s relationship with “Great Satan” from exile
Shah flees the country February of 1979 leaving a power vacuum

12. History – 1979
April 1979 a national referendum official removed the shah and established he Islamic Republic of Iran with velayat-e-faqih (jurist's guardianship)
Assembly of Religious Experts (elected) create the Constitution
Constitution places Supreme Leader above all elected individuals and passed emphatically (99% of vote [Islamic Republic? yes or no] 75% of electorate voted)
Cultural Revolution (similar to China) begins
Purges within education and govt of dissidents
Suppression of civil society
Executions in the name of “revolutionary justice”

13. History
Iraq sensing the chaos in Iran, invades to increase their land holdings
Iran is unprepared for war as 12,000 officers were executed or retired
Initial advances by Iraq are pushed back by Iran leading to 8 years of stalemate
Over 500,000 people die with no change in borders to either country
Iran uses war to solidify support among people for new government

14. History – present
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini dies in 1989, but clerics had solidified power due to
Increased global price of oil funded social programs
“Rally round the flag” effect from Iraq War
Charisma of Khomeini inspired faith in government
Ali Khamenei replaces after letter of rec from Khomeini
Supreme Leader elected by Assembly of Experts

16. Government – Political institutions

17. Government Institutions – Jurist’s Guardianship
Iran does not exactly fit a three branch system of government
A “4th branch” dealing with the integration of Sharia Law is needed
Most of the “checks and balances” originate from one of these four entities
Supreme Leader
Guardian Council
Assembly of Religious Experts
Expediency Council

18. Government Institutions – Jurist’s Guardianship
The Supreme Leader is the paramount leader of Iran
Only Khomeini and Khamenei have ever held the position and both were given the position for life
Supreme Leader is the faqih or leading Islamic jurists
Has final say in interpretation of Sharia Law
Links the three branches together and at times mediates between them

19. Government Institution – Jurist’s Guardianship
Constitutional Powers of the Supreme Leader include, but are not limited to
Elimination of presidential candidates
Dismissal of the President
Command of the armed forces
Declaration of war and peace
Appointment/removal of major administrators and judges
Appointment of six members of the Guardian Council
Appointment of many other influential directors eg. National TV and Radio

20. Government Institution – Jurist’s Guardianship
The Guardian Council - along with Supereme Leader, they exercise Jurist’s Guardianship
12 member body: six selected by Supreme Leader, six nominated by the chief judge confirmed by the Majles
Review all bills passed by the Majles to ensure compliance with Sharia Law
Screening of candidates for Majles and for President
Thousands of people removed from elections

21. Government Institution – Jurist’s Guardianship
The Assembly of Religious Experts
86 members elected to 4 year terms
Elect a new Supreme Leader when position becomes vacant
May remove Supreme Leader
Candidates must be approved by the Guardian Council
Master’s degree in seminary was required initially, but now just approval by GC
Seem to be more of a ceremonial position today
If members draw criticism from Supreme Leader, they may be removed

22. Government Institution – Jurist’s Guardianship
The Expediency Council
Created by Khomeini to referee disputes between the Majles and Guardian Council
32 members appointed by the Supreme Leader who serve 5 year terms
Initially created to only create compromise bills, but today can create own bills
Appears to have vast powers of all branches of government and may be as powerful as the Supreme Leader collectively

23. Government Institutions - Executive
The President
Directly elected to a four year team (two term limit)
Selects Vice President and Cabinet
Proposed legislation to the Majles
Create budget
Appoints governors, mayors, and ambassadors
Although dual executive with Supreme Leader, clearly subordinate in power
Firing and rehire of Moslehi shows Supreme Leader is in charge

24. Government Institutions – Legislative
Technically unicameral, however the Majles have shared power with the Assembly of Religious Experts and the Expediency Council
290 member house elected by qualified FPTP (25%) SMD
Enact or change law (Guardian Council veto)
Interpret legislation (cleric veto)
Selecting six members of Guardian Council (from chief judge list)
Remove Cabinet (Supreme Leader veto)
Approve Budget

25. Government Institutions – Judicial
Two types of law in Iran
Sharia – Islam Law based on the Quran and a tradition of legal scholars
Supreme Leader appoints the chief judge who manages the judiciary
Supreme Court is filled with high-ranking clerics who are familiar with sharia
Sharia Law is superior to all other forms of law and rules
Qanun – Code law passed by the Majles
Must not contradict sharia law
All laws reviewed by the Guardian Council for compliance with Sharia

26. Government Institutions – Military
Supreme Leader is the commander in chief of the military
Regular military is responsible for defending borders of Iran (540k troops, 8th largest)
Formal chain of command is appointed by the Supreme Leader
Revolutionary Guards – established by Khomeini to protect the revolution
Officially part of the Military along with Army, Navy, and Air Force
Basij – part of Revolutionary Guards; created as a youth para military in Iran-Iraq War
Today are used to ensure domestic stability; questions of brutality to protestors

27. Political Institutions – Elections
Universal suffrage for citizens over 18
Electorate votes directly for Majles, President, and Assembly of Religious Experts
Selection, not Election due to screening effect of Guardian Council
Two round system used so that President receives a majority of votes, has not been used do to all Presidents gaining 50% + in every election so far

28. Political Institutions – Political Parties
Parties allowed by the Constitution, but none formed until 1997
Tend to be focused on factions based on personalities, not ideology
Parties may come together to form alliances or coalitions
Islamic Society of Engineers – party of Ahmadinejad, kind of…
Front of Islamic Revolution Stability – Conservative coalition
Moderation and Development Party – moderate
Combatant Clergy Association – Reformist coalition; Rouhani current president
Islamic Coalition Party – pre-revolution party that supports conservative ideals

29. Political Institutions – Interest Groups
Formal interest groups may register with the government
Due to factionalism, interest groups and political parties shared a blurred line
Workers House (Islamic Labor Party) uses demonstrations and a newspaper to spread their ideas
Businesses tend to be para-statal, so no formal interest group would be needed (government control 65-80% of the economy)

30. Political Institutions – Media
Ranked 169 out of 180 in world for Press Freedom
Radio and TV are government run
1981 law makes it criminal to publish anti-government stories
1986 media law allows government to ensure coverage doesn’t endanger the Islamic Republic offend the Supreme Leader
Under Pres. Khatami “Tehran Spring” loosened freedom of press and speech
Pres. Ahmadinejad closed down newspapers and began censoring books and webistes

31. Civil Society – Cleavages
Religion – As nearly 100% of Iran is Muslim, Sunni vs Shia is only real religious issue. Baha’i have been persecuted in the past
Ethnicity – Small majority (51%) of Persians with Azeri (Shia) 24%, and Kurds (Sunni) 7% being the only real concern. Khomeini is Azeri, so little worry of independence while he is Supreme Leader
Social Class – Lower classes are more religious and support the regime mostly due to government programs; middle and upper class tend to be more secular and are concerned about the economic progress of Iran

32. Civil Society – Cleavages
Reformers vs Conservative – Most important cleavage in Iran; conservatives want to keep the country under strict sharia law, reformers do not want to do away with the Islamic state, but allow for more freedoms and opinions on how to blend theocracy with democracy and the secular state
Pragmatic conservatives vs. radical clerics – within the Conservative clergy a sub-cleavage
Pragmatics favor free market, foreign trade, and foreign investment
Radical clerics favor state sponsored welfare programs to enhance social justice

33. Civil Society – Protests
Ummmm 1979, duh
From it appeared that protests, as long as they were peaceful were toletarted
With elections of Ahmadinejad, security forces and the Basij
2009 protests to election were part of “Green Movement”
Hundreds arrested, at least 20 killed (probably many more)
2011 Mousavi (lost pres. election in 2009) encouraged Iranians to support protesters in Egypt – tear gas and violence ensued with a few deaths

34. Civil Society – Voting Candidates must have 50% of vote to be elected
Majles is SMD; President is from list of candidates
Universal suffrage for over 18, including women
Parties tend to come and go as they focus on personalities rather than principles
Election of was between personal factions
United Front of Principles Khameni (won 35% of seats)
Resistance Front Ahmadinejad (won 17% of seats)
Democratic Coalition of Reformists (won 14%)

35. Civil Society – Voting Presidential election of 2013
Many reformist candidates were disqualified by Guardian Council
Ahmadinejad's had picked successor was as well
Rouhani wins in an upset vs candidates supported by Supreme Leader
Endorsed by Khatami and Rafsanjani (former reformist presidents)
Removal of so many candidates by GC led to solidified support for Rouhani
Won with 50.7% of vote; next highest was 16.6% (turn out was over 70%)

36. Policies and Issues – The Economy
Weary of foreign investment, laws limit how much foreigners can own
“Economics is for Donkey” was Khomeini’s disdain for economists
Economic policy is major disagreement between reformists and conservatives
Price controls were deferential to the economy; most removed in 2010
Cash transfers are given to families to offset increased prices after 2010
Pres. Rouhani is hopeful he can work with other countries to correct economy

37. Policies and Issues – Foreign Policy
Historically in conflict with the United States since 1979
Situation appeared to be getting better, then “Axis of Evil” speech
Election of Ahmadinejad turned perception of Iran worse for most countries
Rouhani sees US as in permanent conflict with Iran, but desires more integration with WTO
OPEC membership is most significant supranational organization
Desire for Nuclear Energy (maybe weapons) has created much conflict with West