Through Reza Shah, Iran experienced

developments in infrastructure, womens

education and increased role in society, and an
increase in Iranian nationalism; he also renamed
Persia to Iran in 1935.
Abadan Crisis: direct result of Irans decision
to nationalize oil resources in 1950; in response,
the former APOC and now Anglo-Iranian Oil
Company (AIOC) withdrew from Iran, and kept
Iran from refining its own oil since the company
controlled the major oil rigs in Abadan.
Operation Ajax: 1953 covert CIA operation
that toppled Iranian prime minister Mohammad
Mossadeq, who nationalized Iranian oil, and
reestablished Mohammad Reza Pahlavis power

IRAN
POLSCI 170: Comparative Politics
Reporters: Renz & Chas

T
L

O P I C
I N E S

FOUND AT THE END OF THIS HAND-OUT IS A LIST

OF CONCEPTS USED IN THE DISCUSSION ALONG
WITH THEIR DEFINITIONS. PLEASE ALSO REFER
TO THEM WHEN THE REPORTING HAS STARTED.

IRAN
was once called Persia
Arab invaders brought Islam to Persia and
Persians integrated it with their own culture and
practices
exploitation by the West during 1908 led to a
national consciousness
OIL
The British founded the Anglo-Persian Oil
Company (APOC) in Abadan on the Persian
Gulf, giving them exclusive rights to Persian oil.
Britain and Russia divided Iran into spheres of
influence, with Britain receiving the southern, oilrich parts.
During World War II, British and Russian
forces invaded Iran, exiling its leader Reza
Pahlavi, allowing his son, Mohammad Reza
Pahlavi, to succeed him.

EVENTS
White Revolution series of land reforms
instituted by the shah in 1963, aimed at
redistributing feudal land holdings among the
peasantry to gain favor.
- Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
o Denounced the shahs policies as antiIslamic.
o Criticized shahs rule including the Status
Forces Agreement and was set to exile
on April 1964.
January 16, 1979 shah had been ousted,
and Ayatollah Khomeini emerged from exile and
established a new leadership under a novel form
of Islamic government, Hookmat-e Islami.
After the overthrow, the revolutionary forces
disagreed on the composition of the new polity.
Nationalist and leftist forces weakened.
The Imposed War also known as The
Sacred Defense was an eight-year war against
Iraq. 1980, when Saddam Hussein invaded Iran
to gain port access to the Persian Gulf.
Khomeinis repressive tactics had two main
goals: to secure Iran outside aggression and to
consolidate Islamic governance, driven by a
theory of the justness of Islamic jurists
(Guardianship of the Jurist).

There were two distinct interpreters of

Khomeinis Islamic body: the hardliners and
reformists.
1989 when Khomeini died without leaving a
successor. Hardliners weakened the opposition
and used the states apparatus to enforce
morality codes.
1997 when Mohammad Khatami won the
presidential election with 70% of the votes.
Mohammad was a religious conservative.
Khatamis popularity threatened the
hardliners. However, the Revolutionary Guards
threatened to enforce regulations on the public
comportment.
INSTITUTIONS OF IRAN
Iran is an Islamic republic
Combines elements of republican governance
with Shii Islamic principles; are integrated into,
while also guiding matters unrelated to existing
laws.
______________________________________
REPUBLICAN INSTITUTIONS

characterized by direct representation

presidential and parliamentary candidates are
directly elected
consists of three branches: the executive, the
legislative, and the judiciary
notably, the Iranian constitution has parts
which specifically promise equal protection of
non-Shii Muslims and other recognizable
religious groups; each recognized religious
minority elects a representative to parliament
President
Heads the executive branch and is charged
with implementing the constitution
Not the commander-in-chief of the armed
forces
Qualifications for presidency include being a
member of the Shii faith
Parliament

Are charged with carrying out the laws of the

Islamic republic and representing the interests of
the mellat, or nation.
Judiciary
Although stated to be an independent branch,
it is actually housed within the office of the
supreme leader
The head of the judiciary is responsible for
drafting legislation and selecting judges
Must be a member of the ulama and must be
trained in Islamic jurisprudence and civil law and
procedure
Appointed by the supreme leader
______________________________________
ISLAMIC INSTITUTIONS

Supreme leader
Irans highest political and religious authority
more powerful than the president
Judges whether governmental operations are
in accordance with Islamic law
Has the final word in all foreign and domestic
policy, particularly those concerning these
policies conform to Islamic principles
Commander-in Chief of the armed forces,
appoints all senior military and police
commanders, in addition to having the power to
declare war and peace
Assembly of Experts
Composed of 86 senior Islamic scholars who
select, oversee, and can dismiss the supreme
leader
Supreme leader is theoretically accountable to
them
Council of Guardians

Composed of twelve senior scholars of

Islamic jurisprudence and civil law who
determine whether the laws and actions of
government officials conform with Islamic
principles

Organized Interests: the Iranian constitution

protects workers rights, the constitution also
states its fierce opposition to communism.

IDENTITIES OF IRAN
Ethnic Identities Iran is comprise of diverse
and mixed ethnicities. (Baluchis, Kurds, Arabs,
Jews, etc.)
Religious Identities official state relation of
Iran is Ithna Ashari or Twelver ShiI Islam, in
which the faithful follow the Prophet
Muhammads line of succession.
Social Classes landed elites were either
forced t leave the country or lost their resources
through government expropriation.
Post-Revolutionary Hybrid Identities
seemingly traditional communal Islamic values
and also individual identities of citizens endowed
with right were merged as a consequence of the
revolution.
Women in the Vanguard
Ayatollah Taghani declared that women in
Iran should voluntarily take up the
chador to show a revolution.

1. Sunni - largest denomination in Islam that asserts the

succession of the Prophet Mohammad through consensus
among the community of believers.
2. shah - title of an Iranian monarch.
3. Ulama Muslim legal scholars.
4. Hardliners believed that government should be
beholden to a strict interpretation of Islamic principle.
5. Reformist believes that government should consider
many possible forms of governance, including, but not
limited to Islamic principles.
6. Pasdaran military force formed after the revolution t
prevent dissent and preserve the aims of the revolution by
assisting in the enforcement of the post-revolutionary
governments morality laws.
7. Majlis - Iranian parliament.
8. spheres of influence division of control between
Russia and Great Britain over Iranian territory in early
twentieth century.
9. Figh Islamic jurisprudence derived from sacred
sources, such as the Quran.
10. Ummah for Muslims, the community of believers.
11. supreme leader Irans highest political and religious
authority.
12. Assembly of experts a group of 86 senior Islamic
scholars who select, oversee and can dismiss the supreme
leader.
13. Council of guardians group of 12 senior scholars of
Islamic jurisprudence and civil law who determine whether
the laws and actions of government officials are in
conformity with Islamic principles.
14. Chador long ten-like garment, usually black, that
covers a woman from head to toe leaving only the face and
hands exposed.
15. Tudeh Iranian Communist Party.

INTERESTS IN IRAN
Military Interests: Since the start of the IranIraq War in 1980, several groups have emerged
with great political and social leverage,
especially the Revolutionary Guards and the
basij.
Political Interests: Iran has a strong history of
both anti-government political mobilization and
repression of opposition groups.

C O N C E P T S
R E P O R T

I N

T H E

image from:
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs7/i/2005/263/2/c/Chador_by_microclima.jpg