Majlis of Iran

Majlis of Iran
Name	Majlis of Iran
Native name	مجلس شورای اسلامی
Legislature	Islamic Consultative Assembly
Foundation	1906
House type	Unicameral
Members	290
Meeting place	Baharestan

Majlis of Iran is the unicameral legislative body established after the Persian Constitutional Revolution and institutionalized in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It enacts statutory instruments, oversees executive action, and ratifies international agreements within the framework set by the Guardian Council, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and constitutional institutions created after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Its membership, procedures, and powers have evolved through interactions with actors such as the Prime Minister of Iran (pre-1989), the President of Iran, and the Assembly of Experts.

History

The origins trace to the Persian Constitutional Revolution which produced the 1906 Persian Constitution of 1906 and the first National Consultative Assembly. The parliamentary tradition continued through the Qajar dynasty, the Pahlavi dynasty, and the 1953 Iranian coup d'état period when the National Consultative Assembly operated alongside the Senate of Iran. After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the body was reconstituted under the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran and renamed, reflecting theocratic provisions involving the Velayat-e Faqih doctrine articulated by Ruhollah Khomeini. Key historical episodes include the passage of land reform measures during the White Revolution, confrontations with the Savak security service, the role during the Iran–Iraq War in approving war budgets, and interactions with reform movements associated with figures like Mohammad Khatami and events such as the 1999 student protests in Iran.

Structure and Composition

The assembly is a single chamber of deputies elected from constituencies including Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, Tabriz, and provinces such as Fars Province and East Azerbaijan Province. It comprises representatives drawn from diverse parties and factions including conservatives such as the Combatant Clergy Association, reformists linked to the Islamic Iran Participation Front, and principlists associated with groups like the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran. Parliamentary leadership includes the Speaker, First Deputy, and Second Deputy, with organizational units such as specialized commissions modeled after practices in bodies like the United Kingdom House of Commons and the United States House of Representatives but adapted to Iranian institutions. The Guardian Council vets candidacies and legislation, while the Expediency Discernment Council mediates disputes between the assembly and the Guardian Council.

Powers and Functions

The assembly legislates laws, approves annual budgets submitted by the President of Iran, and ratifies treaties with states such as Russia and institutions like United Nations. It exercises oversight through question-and-interpellation procedures directed at ministers and officials including the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Iran), the Minister of Oil, and the Minister of Interior (Iran). It has the authority to summon cabinet members, propose inquiries, and, in certain cases, impeach ministers following constitutional mechanisms. The assembly’s legislative output operates under constitutional review by the Guardian Council and under the ultimate religious-political authority of the Supreme Leader of Iran.

Electoral System and Membership

Members are elected in multi-member and single-member constituencies by universal male and female suffrage established in reforms since the early 20th century and reaffirmed in post-1979 electoral law. Elections are organized by the Ministry of Interior (Iran) and supervised by the Guardian Council, which disqualifies candidates based on criteria deriving from constitutional clauses and endorsements tied to institutions like the Assembly of Experts. Notable electoral cycles occurred in years following presidential contests involving figures such as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hassan Rouhani, and Ebrahim Raisi. By-elections, runoff ballots, and reserved seats reflect demographic allocations for constituencies including Zagros areas and ethnic regions such as Kurdistan Province and Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Legislative Process

Legislation may be proposed by deputies, the Cabinet of Iran, or through popular petitions channeled into parliamentary commissions. Draft laws pass through first reading, specialized commission review, and plenary sessions before voting; approved laws are forwarded to the Guardian Council for conformity review with the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran and with Sharia as interpreted by jurists on the council. Disputes over text are referred to the Expediency Discernment Council for arbitration. The assembly also ratifies international agreements and approves budgetary appropriations necessary for ministries like the Ministry of Petroleum (Iran) and state-affiliated corporations including the National Iranian Oil Company.

Relationship with Other State Institutions

The assembly’s authority operates within a constitutional network including the President of Iran, the Judiciary of Iran, the Guardian Council, the Assembly of Experts, and the Supreme Leader of Iran. Legislative oversight of the cabinet can clash with the Guardian Council’s vetting power and the Expediency Discernment Council’s mediating role. Interactions with security and intelligence organs such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and agencies originating in the Post-revolutionary security apparatus affect oversight capacity. Internationally, the assembly engages with parliaments like the European Parliament and legislatures in states including China and Turkey through parliamentary diplomacy, interparliamentary unions, and bilateral delegations.

Category:Politics of Iran Category:Legislatures