Iran

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

An Iranian politician, cleric and the figurehead of the conservative establishment in Iran, has been the Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989 and was president of Iran from 1981 to 1989

velayat-e-faqih

Belief that the state should be overseen by those familiar with Islamic theory and law- is the upper Shia elite

cultural revolution

Campaign in China ordered by Mao Zedong to purge the Communist Party of his opponents and instill revolutionary values in the younger generation.

"axis of evil"

Created in 2002 by George W. Bush to show the "bad guys" which include: Iran, Iraq, and N. Korea

Majles

Iran's unicameral parliament, consisting of 290 elected representatives (used to describe the parliament)

hidden imam

Last in a series of twelve descendants of Muhammad's son-in-law Ali, whom Shi'ites consider divinely appointed leaders of the Muslim community. In occlusion since ca. 873, he is expected to return as a messiah at the end of time.

Fundamentalism

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

Head of government of Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Bonyads

Parastatal foundations made in part from assets nationalized after the Iranian revolution

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.

Islamic Iran Participation Front

Reforms Front; one of the parties in the Iranian Reformist Movement; formed an alliance with the Iranian Militant Clerics Society and is called the Khordad Front in the presidential election of 2000, wining the reelection for reformer Muhammad Khatami

Iranian Militant Clerics Society

Reforms Front; one of the parties in the Iranian Reformist Movement; formed an alliance with the Islamic Iran Participation Front and is called the Khordad Front in the presidential election of 2000, wining the reelection for reformer Muhammad Khatami

Reza Shah

Ruler of Iran . He worked for modernization and education. He worked on social legislation, ousted by British during WWII

Akbar Hasemi Rafsanjani

Second president of Iran after the 1979 Revolution. 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.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

Shi'ite philosopher and cleric who led the overthrow of the shah of Iran in 1979 and created an Islamic republic. (p. 859)

Baha'i

Started in Iran in 1800s. Bahai is based on two people. Bahai doesn't take the Qur'an literally. They don't believe in angels or devils. heaven or hell are not places they are condition of the soul. All religions come from the same source.

Constitutional Revolution of 1905-09

The Persian Constitutional opened the way for cataclysmic change in Persia, heralding the modern era. The revolution created new opportunities and opened up seemingly boundless possibilities for Persia's future.

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.

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.

Bazaaris

Traditional merchants. They assisted the clergy in revolution and are part of the black market. After the revolution, they were granted some political access and power.

Sunni Muslims

Two major branches of Islam; Sunnis, the largest branch, are known as the orthodox branch supporting only descendants of Muhammad whereas Shiites support descendants of Ali as religious leaders

Revolutionary Guards

a branch of Iran's military founded after the revolution; the regular military (artesh) defends Iran's borders and maintains internal order while the Revolutionary Guard (pasdaran) is intended to protect the country's Islamic system

Rentier State

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

OPEC

an organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the production and sale of petroleum

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"

Revolution of 1979

events involving overthrow of Iran's monarchy and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution

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

Hezbollahis

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

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

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

Revolution of rising expectations

political discontent is generally fueled if the crisis is preceded by a period of relative improvement in the standard of living.

Muhammad Mosaddeq

sought to nationalize the Iranian oil industry. In 1953, a CIA and British coup overthrew his government.

Imams

spiritual leaders of Shi'ah Islam, said to be direct descendents of Muhammad

Head of state of Iran

supreme leader ayatollah Khamenei

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

Theocracy

the belief in government by divine guidance

Shiism

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

Shari'ah law

the code of law derived from the Koran and from the teachings and example of Mohammad

Muhammad Khatami

theocratic and democratic values played themselves out during his presidency (1997-2005); reformist who aimed to end the freeze in relations between Iran and the West, particularly the United States; believed in a "dialogue among civilizations" that fostered positive relationships with other countries, not just a cessation of hostilities; reformers became a strong presence in the Majles and the executive branch; "Tehran spring" - a period of cautious political liberalization, with a loosening of freedom of speech and press, a more open economy, and a friendlier stance towards the outside world

Assembly of Religious Experts

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

shah

title for the former hereditary monarch of Iran

Shah Reza Muhammud

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Faqih

an expert in Islamic Law

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

- is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He became president on 6 August 2005 after winning the 2005 presidential election by popular vote.[3] Before becoming president, he was the Mayor of Tehran. He is the highest directly elected official in the country, but, according to Article 113 of Constitution of Iran, he has less total power than the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Iran and has the final word in all aspects of foreign and domestic policies.