AP Comparative Government - Iran

para-statals

(of an organization or industry) having some political authority and serving the state indirectly

Sunni Muslims

A branch of Islam whose members acknowledge the first four caliphs as the rightful successors of Muhammad

theocracy

A government controlled by religious leaders

Safavid Empire

A shi'ite muslim dynasty that ruled in Persia (Iran and parts of Iraq) from the 16th-18th centuries that had a mixed culture of the persians, ottomans and arabs

"Axis of evil"

An agressive statement by President Bush in 2002, created a stir of controversy regarding Iran's international relations with western countries.

import substitution industrialization

An economic system aimed at building a country's industry by restricting foreign trade

Zoroastrainism

Animist Religion that saw material existaence as battle between forces of good and evil; stressed the importance of moral choice; righteous lived on after death in "House of Song"; chief religion in Persian Empire

Mahles Election of 2008

Conservatives loyal to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were considered the victors of the election, at least in part because "all the most prominent" reformist candidates were disqualified from running.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

He was the president of Iran from 1981 to 1989 and succeeded Ayatollah Khomeini after his death in 1989 as the Supreme Leader of Iran.

Majles

Iran's parliament

Muhammad Mosaddeq

Iranian premier who nationalized British-owned oil fields in Iran, was arrested and replaced with the pro-American Pahlavi by the CIA

jurist's guardianship (velayat-e-faqih)

Khomeini's concept that the Iranian clergy should rule on the grounds that they are the divinely appointed guardians of both the law and the people. He developed this concept in the 1970s.

fundamentalism

Literal interpretation and strict adherence to basic principles of a religion (or a religious branch, denomination, or sect).

Presidential election of 2005

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad beat Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani; conservative victory

Presidential election of 2009

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad beat Mir-Hossein Mousavi; conservative victory; protest

bonyads

Parastatal foundations made in part form assets nationalized after the Iranian revolution The objectives of them were to help the disadvantaged, such as war veterans and the poor. Over time however, they have become major economic players and often monopolies, controlling substantial assets and industries while operating independently of government oversight or taxation.

Head of government

President

Akbar Hasemi Rafsanjani

President of Iran from 1989 to 1997; now he is Chairman of various councils, and tried in vain to gain a third Presidential term in 2005. Centrist, pragmatic conservative, free market; credited with much of Iran's reconstruction after the Iran-Iraq war.

Tudeh Party

Reformist organization known as the (Tudeh/ Masses) Party. Was marxist in origin, appealed to labor legislation, land reform, rights for women, and improved wages for lower level civil servants. Had a pro soviet stance, but was not communist and did not undercut the importance of religion. Challenged Palavi Shah

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

Spiritual leader of world's Shi'ite Muslims until 1989. Was exiled after ordering Iran to rise up against western modernization. He believed that the purpose of the government was to apply God.

Head of state

Supreme leader

Muhammad Khatami

Swept 1997 Iranian elections on a platform of reform and openness; appealed to a very young Iran, which began to revolt after 2 years of waiting for promised reform; still advocated greater tolerance and held more constructive diplomatic relations

Pahlavis

The dynasty was founded by Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1925, whose reign lasted until 1941 when he was forced to abdicate by the Allies after the Anglo-Soviet invasion

Revolutionary Guards

The militarized quasi-police force of the revolutionary government during the Iranian Revolution.

Constitutional Revolution 0f 1905-09

The revolution led to the establishment of a parliament in Persia (Iran) during the Qajar Dynasty.

Guardian Council

This is the most powerful theological body in Iran. It consists of 12 members 6 clerics appointed by the Supreme Leader and 6 judges appointed by the Majils. The importance of them is they have to approve all candidates and all legislation.

rentier state

a country that obtains a hefty income by exporting raw materials or leasing out natural resources to foreign companies

National Front

a group challenged the shah, led by Muhammad Mosaddeq

Basij

a loosely organized military that is formally part of the Revolutionary Guard, and it gained international attention in the aftermath of the disputed presidential election of 2009, when opposition candidate, Mir-Hussein Moussavi, accused the Basij of brutality as it contained the demonstrations and admissed dissidents; means "mass mobilization" in Persian, and it dates back to the Iran-Iraq War

Baha'i

a monotheistic religion which emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind

Pahlavi Foundation

a nonprofit group used by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to advance Iran's charitable interests in America

Islamic Society of Engineers

a political organization in Iran, and a former member of the conservative Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran

Iranian Millitant Clerics Society

a reformist Iranian political party. It was established on 16 March 1988

Islamic Iran Participation Front

a reformist political party in Iran. It is sometimes described as the most dominant member within the 2nd of Khordad Front.

Majles Election of 2004

a victory for Islamic conservatives over the reformist parties. Assisting the conservative victory was the disqualification of about 2500 reformist candidates earlier in January.

Expediency Council

administrative assembly appointed by the Supreme Leader. It's supposed to resolve conflicts between the Majlis and the Council of Guardians. It's also a consultative council to the Supreme Leader

Persian Empire

any of a series of imperial dynasties centered in Persia (now Iran), established by Cyrus The Great in 550 BC

white coup

bloodless coup, Ahmadinejad assured theocratic values and appealed to the Iranian nationalism to solidify the coup to the reformists

sharia

body of Islamic law that includes interpretation of the Quran and applies Islamic principles to everyday life

Khordad Front

coalition of reformist parties; the alliance of the Iranian Militant Clerics Society and the Islamic Iran Participation Front (reformist parties) that won the presidential election of 2000; the Second Khordad Front did not survive the Guardian Council's banning of many reformist candidates for the Majles election of 2004

Resurgence Party

created by Muhammud Reza Shah in 1975; declared Iran to be a one-party state with him as the head; replaced the Islamic calendar with a new one and gave himself a new title; created Religious Corps, whose duty was to teach Iranian peasants "true Islam"

"economics is for donkeys"

disdains the importance of economics for policymakers and affirming the superiority of religious, rather than secular leaders

The Executives of Construction Party

founded by several members of the cabinet of the then President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

statists v. free-marketers

government should take an active role in controlling the economy v. remove price controls, lower taxes and privatization

faqih

highest figure in interpreting Islamic Law, the Supreme Leader

White Revolution

in 1962, the Shah's attempt to quiet the people from rebelling for economic and and political reform: creates land reform, profit, sharing, literacy corp instead of army and women's right to vote

Worker's House

interest group for factory workers that has a newspaper - support the Islamic Labor Party

Mir-Hossein Mousavi

last prime minister of Iran; reformist president candidate in 2009 and his loss/the fraudulent election caused large protests; aka leader of the green movement

Revolution of 1979

led by Ayatollah Khomeini, transformed the legitimacy of the state, anchoring it once again in principles of Shiism

People of the Book

monotheistic people who subjected their lives to holy books similar to the Qur'an

Constitution of 1979

most important document that legitimizes the state today; written during the last months of Ayatollah Khomeini's life; forty amendments; highly complex mixture of theocracy and democracy; preamble reflects the importance of religion for the legitimacy of the state, affirming faith in God, Divine Justice, the Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammud, the Twelve Imams, and the eventual return of the Hidden Imam

Qanun

no sacred basis; body of statutes made by legislative bodies; passed by the Majles; law made by the people's elected representatives

reformers v. conservatives

people who work for change v. people uphold principles of the sharia law with minimum modernization

equality with difference

policy towards women; divorce and custody laws now follow Islamic standards that favor males; women must wear scarves and long coats in public, and they cannot leave the country without the consent of male relatives; stoning of women; women are allowed education and entrance into some occupations

Hidden Imam

prayer leaders in Iran's main urban mosques; appointed by Supreme Leader, they have considerable authority in the provinces

Cultural Revolution

purged of Western and non-Islamic influences to bring it in line with Shia Islam

revolution of rising expectations

revolutions are most likely to occur when people are doing better than they once were, but some type of setback happens

Qom

shia capital

secularization

the activity of changing something (art or education or society or morality etc.) so it is no longer under the control or influence of religion

Shiism

the branch of Islam that regards Ali as the legitimate successor to Mohammed and rejects the first three caliphs

Hassan Rouhani

the current president, assume office in 2013, a former member of Assembly of Experts

Qajar Empire

the dynasty that ruled present-day iran from the late 1700s until 1925

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

the last president of Iran

Supreme Leader

the top of Iranian government structure, seen as the imam of the community, power if faqih, to dissolve the president, to command the war

imams

the true heirs of Islam, descendants of Ali, claimed by the shiite

Assembly of Religious Experts

this organization is a menifestation of the hold that Islam has on Iran. It is chaired by clerics with the equivalent of a masters degree in religion; this organization reserves the right to dismiss a leader if he is incapable of filling his duties which are implied to be religious in context

Reza Shah

was the Shah of the Iran (Persia) from 15 December 1925 until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on 16 September 1941

Muhammad Reza Shah

was the king of Iran (Shah of Iran) from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Islamic Revolution on 11 February 1979