Government of Iran

Government of Iran
Government name	Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Date	1 April 1979
State	Iran
Polity	Unitary theocratic presidential Islamic republic
Leader title	Supreme Leader
Leader name	Ali Khamenei
Main organ	Expediency Discernment Council
Ministries	19
Court	Supreme Court of Iran
Seat	Tehran

Contents

Constitution and legal framework
Supreme Leader and Guardian Council
Executive branch
Legislative branch
Judicial branch
Military and security apparatus
Local government and elections

Government of Iran. The political system of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a unique hybrid founded after the Iranian Revolution of 1979, blending elements of a modern republic with a comprehensive theocracy. Its foundational document is the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which vests ultimate authority in a clerical Supreme Leader while establishing elected institutions like the Presidency and the Parliament. This complex structure operates under the overarching principle of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), ensuring all governance aligns with Shi'a Islamic jurisprudence.

Constitution and legal framework

The current governing charter, the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was ratified by referendum in December 1979 and significantly amended in 1989 following the death of the revolution's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini. It explicitly establishes Iran as an Islamic republic where sovereignty is derived from God, and the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad are the supreme law. All legislation must be compatible with Islamic law as determined by the Guardian Council. The constitution outlines the powers of all state institutions, from the Supreme Leader to local Islamic councils, and enshrines the principle of Velayat-e Faqih as the cornerstone of the political system. The legal framework is a mixture of civil law and religious jurisprudence, with the Supreme Court of Iran and the Special Clerical Court operating as high judicial bodies.

Supreme Leader and Guardian Council

The highest political and religious authority is the Supreme Leader of Iran, a position held for life by a senior Shi'a Marja' or cleric, currently Ali Khamenei who succeeded Ruhollah Khomeini. The Leader is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, controls the state media, appoints key officials like the head of the judiciary and commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and sets the overarching policies of the state. A critical body supporting his authority is the Guardian Council, composed of six Islamic jurists appointed by the Supreme Leader and six jurists nominated by the head of the judiciary and approved by the Parliament. This council vets all candidates for the Presidency, the Parliament, and the Assembly of Experts, and has the power to veto any parliamentary legislation it deems un-Islamic or unconstitutional.

Executive branch

The head of the executive branch is the President of Iran, elected by popular vote for a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms, with current president Ebrahim Raisi serving since 2021. The president is responsible for implementing the constitution, domestic policy, and the state budget, but his power is subordinate to the Supreme Leader. The president appoints a cabinet of ministers, subject to approval by the Parliament. A key advisory body is the Expediency Discernment Council, appointed by the Supreme Leader to resolve disputes between the Parliament and the Guardian Council and to advise on major state policies. Other significant executive organizations include the Plan and Budget Organization of Iran and the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Legislative branch

The national legislature is the Islamic Consultative Assembly, a unicameral parliament with 290 members elected for four-year terms from constituencies across the country, including reserved seats for recognized religious minorities such as Armenians, Assyrians, and Jews. All legislation passed by the Majlis must be reviewed for compliance with Islamic law and the constitution by the Guardian Council. A separate, more powerful clerical assembly is the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body elected every eight years by the public from a list of vetted clerics; its sole constitutional duty is to appoint, supervise, and potentially dismiss the Supreme Leader. The City and Village Councils of Iran form a decentralized level of local legislative authority.

Judicial branch

The Judiciary of Iran is an independent branch headed by a single Chief Justice, a senior cleric appointed by the Supreme Leader for a five-year term. The judiciary is tasked with administering justice based on Islamic principles and includes a hierarchical system of public courts, revolutionary courts for specific political and security offenses, and the Special Clerical Court which tries clergy independently. The highest appellate body is the Supreme Court of Iran, which reviews lower court judgments. Key judicial officials include the Attorney-General of Iran and the President of the Supreme Court. The judiciary also oversees the prison system and the national police force.

Military and security apparatus

The military and security structure is divided between the conventional Islamic Republic of Iran Army and the parallel Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both ultimately under the command of the Supreme Leader. The IRGC was founded after the Iranian Revolution and is tasked with protecting the revolutionary system; it controls the Basij militia and has a vast economic and intelligence apparatus through its engineering wing. The Ministry of Intelligence is the main domestic and foreign intelligence service. Key security events shaping its role include the Iran–Iraq War and ongoing regional engagements in Syria and Iraq through networks like the Quds Force. The General Staff of the Armed Forces coordinates between the Artesh and the IRGC.

Local government and elections