AP Comparative Government Iran Vocabulary

Ali Rafsanjani

Iranian religious and political leader who served as president from 1989 to 1997. A founding member of the Islamic Republican Party, he sought to improve Iran's economy and its relations with the West.

Bonyads

Islamic charities in Iran, many of which are controlled by the government

Sharia

Islamic law derived mostly from the Quran and the examples set by the Prophet Muhammad.

Farsi

Language of Iran

Hezbollah

Literally "partisans of God." In Iran, the term is used to descirbe religious vigilantes. In Lebanon, it is used to describe the Shi'i militia.

Constitution of 1979

MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT, legitimizes the state, amendments of 1989, written during the last months of Ayatollah's life, complex mixture of theocracy and democracy, preamble reflects importance of religion, etc.

Mosque

Muslim place of worship, equivalent to a church, temple, or synagogue.

Imam

Muslim prayer leader

OPEC

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Founded in 1960 by Iran, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia, it now includes most oil-exporting states with the notable exceptions of Mexico and former members of the Soviet Union. It tries to regulate prices by regulating production.

Supreme Leader

The country's most powerful political figure, who has the authority to overrule or dismiss the president, appoints members of the Guardian Council, and has personal representatives in the army, universities, etc.

Pahlevi Dynasty

The father and son who ruled Iran for most of the twentieth century, until the revolution of 1979.

National Front

Political party in Iran following World War II, which opposed the monarchy and favored greater Iranian control over natural resources. Outlawed after Operation Ajax

Mohammed Khatami

Reformer who served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005. Recently withdrew as candidate for upcoming presidential election....granted religious elites power-in turn got money for running for office

basji

Semi-legal vigilantes in Iran

Ruhollah Khomeini

Shi'ite philosopher and cleric who led the overthrow of the shah of Iran in 1979 and created an Islamic republic.

civil society

Since the revolution, Iran has been slow to develop a functioning civil society. Government insistence that all activities in Iran are in accordance with Islamic teachings is largely responsible for this fact.

Sunni

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

chador

A large cloth worn as a combination head covering, veil, and shawl usually by Muslim women especially in Iran

Quran

The Muslim Holy Book

dual society

A society and economy that are sharply divided into a traditional, usually poorer, and a modern, usually richer, sector.

Persian Empire

A vast empire of southwest Asia founded by Cyrus II after 546 bc and brought to the height of its power and glory by Darius I and his son Xerxes. Eventually the empire extended from the Indus River valley in present-day Pakistan to the Mediterranean Sea before Alexander the Great conquered it between 333 and 331 bc.

Leader

Ali Khamenei

expediency council

Appointed body that mediates between the Majlis and the Guardian Council over legislative disputes.

Majles

Arabic term for "assembly"; used in Iran to describe the parliament.

Maslahat

Arabic term for expediency, prudence, or advisability; now used in Iran to refer to reasons of state or what is best for the Islamic Republic

Reza Shah

Army officer, toppled the Qajar Dynasty, Became Shah of Iran, as shah he reorganized the military government and finances of Iran, Ruled for 16 years, introduced modern education, was forced to abdicate to his son durning WWII

"Economics is for the donkeys"

Ayatollah Khomeini stated this, disdaining the importance of economics for policymakers and affirming the superiority of religious, rather than secular leaders

Jurist's Guardianship

Developed by Ayatollah Khomeini, supports the notion that senior clerics have the best capacity to rule in a Muslim society

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

He was elected as Iran's President in 2005. He was a religious conservative who supported the system of ruling clerics. Main ideas were stamping out corruption and providing aid to the poor. He also strongly defended Iran's right to a nuclear program.

Assembly of Religious Experts

Informal Body in Iran that has de facto veto power over all major political decisions.

Mohammed Reza Shah

Iranian Revolution--was the monarch of Iran from 16 September 1941, until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979. He was the second and last monarch of the House of Pahlavi of the Iranian monarchy.

Mohammad Khomeini

Iranian Shiite leader and head of state (1979-1989). Arrested (1963) and exiled (1964) for his opposition to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's regime, he returned to Iran after the shah's downfall (1979). His reign was marked by a return to strict observance of the Islamic code.

Qajar Empire

Turkish group, moved the capital to Tehran, returned Shiism as state religion, DIDNT CLAIM TIES TO TWELVE IMAMS, separation between government and religion widened, power suffered due to imperialism, etc., lost oil, etc. dynasty that followed, did not claim the imam's mantle, separation between religion and politics

bazaars

Urban marketplaces where shops, workshops, small businesses, and export-importers are located.

Mullah

a Muslim learned in Islamic theology and sacred law.

Shi'ism

a branch of Islam. It literally means the followers or partisans of Ali. The other branch is known as Sunni, or the followers of tradition.

Foundation of the Oppressed

a clerically controlled foundation in Iran set up after the revolution there.

Guardian Council

a committee created in the Iranian constitution to oversee the Majlis (the parliament).

rentier state

a country that obtains much of its revenue from the export of oil or other natural resources.

Social Democrats

a political movement that uses principles of democracy to change a capitalist country to a socialist one

Fatwa

a pronouncement made by a high-ranking Islamic cleric.

Baha'is

a religion emphasizing the unity of all religions and peoples, teaching that all founders of the world's religions have been God's divine messengers, or prophets. Founded by Mirza Husayn in 1863

Constitutional Revolution

a significant change in the constitution that may be accomplished through amendments or shifts in the Supreme Court's interpretation. Began in 1906, as the first attempt to bring anything such as democracy to Iran.

theocracy

a state dominated by the clergy, who rule on the grounds that are the only interpreters of God's will and law.

coup d e'tat

a sudden attempt by a small group of people to take over the government usually through violence

fundamentalism

a term recently popularized to describe radical religious movements throughout the world.

Resurgence Party

declared by Muhammad Reza Shah, declared Iran to be a one-party state, 1975

Revolutionary Guards

established by Ayatollah Khomeini, an elite military force whose commanders are appointed by the supreme leader, shah had built the regular army, navy, and air forces, created as a parallel force with own budgets, supreme leader is commander-in-chief, PROTECTS THE REPUBLIC

qanun

has no sacred basis, instead is a body of statutes made by legislative bodies, passed by Males, have no sacred meaning, law made by PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVES, cannot contradict sharia

Hojjat Al-Islam

is an honorific title meaning "authority on Islam" or "proof of Islam"

Supreme National Security Council

is the national security council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the current secretary of which is Ali Shamkhani. This institution was founded during the 1989 revision of the constitution.

cultural revolution

launched by Shia leaders, similar to Mao's goals in China, aimed to purify from secular values and behaviors, liberals cleared away from universities

Jihad

literally "struggle." Although often used to mean armed struggle against unbelieviers, it can also mean spiritual struggle for self-improvement.

Ayotollah

literally, "sign of God." High-ranking clerics in Iran. The most senior ones-often no more than half a dozen-are known as grand ayatollahs.

Safavid Empire

modern Iran, began in the 16th century, 90% to Shiism, tolerated Sunnis, as well as Jews, etc., shared regard for People of the Book, respected other religions, serious ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS, trade routes on Silk Road had broken up, little contact with Atlantic, affected ability to rule, had to rely on local rulers, separated from society and lost power in 1722

People of the Book

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

Mir-Hussein Maoussavi

opposition to Ahmadinejad in election of 2009, received 34% of the votes

Tudah party

party that challenged the shah, gained most support from working class trade unions

"Equality with difference"

policy toward women, meaning divorce and custody laws follow Islamic standards that favor males, women must wear scarves and long coats in public, cannot leave country without consent of male relatives, stoning for adultery, allowed education and entrance to occupations

Imam Jum'ehs

prayer leaders in Iran's main three mosques. Appointed by the Supreme Leader, they have considerable authority in the provinces.

revolution of rising expectations

revolutions are more likely to occur when people are doing better than they once were, but a set-back happens

Zoroastrianism

system of religion founded in Persia in the 6th century BC by Zoroaster

governance

the action or manner of governing

secularization

the belief that religion and government should be separated.

reformers v. conservatives

the debate about the merits of theocracy v. democracy, conservatives want to keep regime under sharia law, reformers want secularization and democracy, most reformers do not want to do away with basic principles of Islamic state

Laissez-faire

the term taken from the French, which means, "to let do," in other words, to allow to act freely. In political economy, it refers to the pattern in which state management is limited to such matters as enforcing contracts and protecting property rights, while private market forces are free to operate with only minimal state regulations.

shah

title for the former hereditary monarch of Iran

savak

The secret police, domestic security and intelligence service established by Iran's Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi by recommendation of the UK government and with the help of the US' Central Intelligence Agency and Israel's Mossad. It was one of the main reasons that the government after the fall of the Shah so greatly opposed the US and held the embassy hostage for over a year

White Revolution

The term used by the shah to describe reforms in Iran between the end of World War II and the downfall of his regime in 1979