Iran Flashcards
Ali Khamenei
supreme leader 1989- now
Ali Khamenei
current supreme leader (1989)
Ashura
Shia religious holidays, commemorating the death of Hussein, grandson of Muhammad
Assembly of Experts
88 members (men Islamic scholars) elected for 8 years terms
main function is choosing the supreme leader
ayatollah
Shia title for scholars with highly advanced knowledge of Islamic law and religion
Basij (Peoples Militia)
formed after revolution as a grassrots civil defence forms
public morals police
bonyads
parastatal foundations made in part from assets nationalized after Iranian revolution
chief justice
head of judiciary, understanding of Sharia
appointed by supreme leader for 5years term
Expediency council
members appointed by supreme leader for 5years terms
mediates between the Majlis and the Guardian council legislature disputes
Farsi
language spoken in Iran (closer to european languages)
Guardian council
12 members for 6years terms:
6 lawyers nominated by chief of justice and approved by majlis
6 clerics specialized in religious law appointed by a supreme leader
power to review legislation from Majlis
vets candidates for office
Hassan Rouhani
president elected in 2013, reformist limited by conservative institutions
imams
descendants of prophet Muhammad considered by Shia to be true religious and political leaders of Islam
Iran-Iraq war
1980-1988, destructive and brutal war with use of chemical weapons, Khomeini died shortly after
started by Iraq
Islamic republic of Iran
violent birth, executions for revolutionary justice
postrevolutionary Iran
islamism (islamin fundamentalism)
transformation of faith into ideology
Koran
main spiritual text of Islam
Mahdi
Shia term for hidden imam, descendant of Muhammed who will return to earth
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
president elected in 2005 for 2 terms (2013), increased conservatism
Majlis
290 members over 30 years of age directly elected for 4 years terms
one seat for Zoroastrians, one seat for Jewish,
3 seats fro Christians
Mohammad Khatami
president elected in 1997-2005, but his power was limited by religious conservatives
Mohammad Mosaddeq
prime minister of Iran, deposed in 1953 by operation Ajax
moharebeh
rebellion against god
Muhammad
main prophet of Islam
ostan
30 provinces
Persia
name of Iran before 1935
president
directly elected for 4years terms
control over state budget, cabinet of ministers, foreign policy
the head of government
quietist
vision that wordly political power cannot be reunited with Islam until return of the Mahdi
rejecting of theocracy and direct role of religio n in state
Ruhollah Khomenei
religious leader in Iranian revolution 1979
first supreme leader
Second Khordad Front
reform party which won 189 majlis seats in 2000
Shah Reza Pahlavi
monarch of iran, 1925-1941
Sharia
religious law of Islam
Shiism
minority form of Islam (10%), changes in its belief regarding the rightful heir of the prophet Muhammad
Supreme court
clerics, men familiar with religious law
supreme leader
most powerful office elected for life representing charismatic power and political ideology
control over arm forces, Guardian council, judical system, economic assets
appointed or removed by assembly of experts
The revolutionary guard (Pasdaran)
paramilitary force from 1979 charged with defending the regime from domestic anf internal enemies
independent and direct player
theocracy
religious elite dominates the regime
ummah
community whose members were expected to act as unified group that embodied and served the revolution
refer to Islamic communities everywhere
velayat-e faqih
clerical rule, system of government by a clergy trained in Islamic jurisprudence
White revolution
1963-1979 by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Shah), reforms for modernization, led to riots and protests
White revolution
policy of reforms enacted by Shah Reza to modernize and westernize Iran in 1963
