Iran Test Flashcards
Who is responsible for jurors guardianship?
The Supreme Leader, Guardian Council, and Assembly of Religious Experts
What is jurist guardianship?
Making sure democratic bodies adhere to Islamic beliefs and laws
How has the Supreme Lead r been changed since Khomeini died?
The Supreme Leader is now chosen for life
What is the primary job of the Supreme Leader?
He is the leading Islamic jurist and interpreter of sharia law
How does the supreme leader fit into the branches of government?
He links the 3 together and mediates between them
What power concerning elections does the supreme leader have?
He can eliminate candidates
What power concerning appointments does the Supreme Leader have?
Appoint/dismiss judges and administrators and nominate Guardian council members
What power concerning bureaucracy does the supreme leader have?
Appoints the heads of each bureaucracy
What power concerning military does the supreme leader have?
Command of the armed forces and declare war and peace
What power concerning policy does the supreme leader have?
Supervises policy according to sharia law
Is the supreme leader head of gov or head of state?
Head of state
How is the supreme leader different from the queen of England?
As head of state he has much more power than the Queen
Who is the head of gov?
The President
What is the role of the Iranian president?
Head of gov, represents democratic principles
What are the foreign responsibilities of the president?
Sign treaties, appoint ambassadors, budget, propose legislation
What are checks on the presidents power?
The SL can overturn decisions, dismiss the president and the the Majles can investigate complaints/ remove his cabinet heads
What are qualifications for being president?
Hold Islamic principles, shiite, and be vetted by the SL
Who is primarily responsible for writing all laws and developing the budget?
The presidents cabinet
The Iranian bureaucracy is dominated by what kind of people?
The clergy
What are the oldest cabinet post?
The intelligence interior, justice, cultural, and Islamic guidance
What role does the bureaucracy serve to control the people?
Sensor the media
What role does the bureaucracy play to ensure that all citizens, even borrow ones, adhere to Islam?
The way that the ministry is spread out in church that Islam is spread throughout the country
How does the bureaucracy reflects the Islamic principle of taking care of the poor?
They are supposed to be charities that are to help the people such as Banyads redistribute wealth
How is the Iranian legislature different from other countries we’ve studied?
It’s a single house and it also has to adhere to religious laws and beliefs
How does the Majles represent a democratic institution?
Members are directly elected by the people and pass statutes
When did the Majles first appear as an Iranian government institution?
The constitution of 1906 provide for them
Why can the majles be considered a body with some authority?
They can enacts in change laws, interpret legislation, appoint membersof the Guardian Council, investigate complaints against the president
Why can the Majles be considered a week body with limited authority?
Each power they have had some qualification attached to it, power is limited by the religious bodies
What kind of cytisine representation elects the members of the legislation?
Single-member districts are similar to the US and UK
How are religious minorities represented in the majles?
Five seats are reserved for a representation of minorities
What actions were taken to ensure that the reformers lost their majority?
They formed a coalition to gain 80% of the seats in the election of 2000; the Guardian Council band reformists from running
Who is the highest judicial authority and Iran?
The Chief Justice
How does one become the chief justice?
He is appointed by the supreme leader for a five-year turn
What is the highest Court of Appeals and Iran?
The Supreme Court
How is it insured that the judiciary will adhere to Islamic principles and sharia law?
All judges are high ranking clerics
How is the power of the judiciary checks?
The supreme leader, a simile of religious experts, and the Guardian Council check them
How does a Iranian judiciary different from the other judiciary studied in this class?
The ultimate authority lives in sharia law and not the Constitution
Ultimate authority in Iran lies where?
Sharia law and those who interpreted it
What was retribution law?
Loss of control social activities and have strict penalties
How is retribution law evident in the current legal system?
That definitely is a option for a range of activities
Is there judicial review and Iran?
Yes, but all authority ultimately lies with sharia law
How do you members of the Guardian Council get their positions?
Six are appointed by the supreme leader and six are nominated by the Chief Judge and approved by the Majles
How does the Guardian Council have control over elections?
They have the power to decide who can run; to disqualify candidates
What power does the Guardian Council have over the legislature?
Their review bills that are past due ensure that they agree with sharia law
What is the Guardian Council guarding?
Sharia law; making sure democratic bodies adhere to Islamic beliefs and laws
How are the 86 religious experts chosen?
They are directly elected by the people every four years
What qualifications are necessary to be a religious expert?
Now they just have to be vetted by the Guardian Council but before that used to have a seminary degree now non-clerics can join
What was the assembly of religious experts first important act in 1989?
It’s selected Khamenei as supreme leader
How does the assembly of religious experts hold power over the supreme leader?
They choose him and can dismiss him
Who was the current chairman of the assembly and 2007 and why was he significant?
President Rafsanjani; he was a reformist
Why is he still relevant today and the election of 2013?
He was eliminated as a president presidential candidate for being a reformist
Why was the expediency counsel created?
To be a referee between the Majles in the Guardian Council
The expediency counsel a legitimate institution?
Yes
How many are on the council and how did they get their jobs?
There are 32 members and their appointed by the supreme leader
Must be expediency counsel be clerics?
No, but most are
Does the expediency counselor have any other power than to just serve as a referee?
They can originate their own bills and create compromise bills
Is the expediency counsel powerful I just rubberstamp of the supreme leader in Guardian Council?
They are powerful
How does the Iranian military differ from the other states studied in this class?
They have two separate militaries
What is the Revolutionary guard?
It was set up by the Ayatollah in 1979
What is the purpose of the Revolutionary guard?
To prevent coup d’états from other militarized. Within Iran
Who is responsible for choosing the Revolutionary guard leadership?
Supreme leader
What is the Basij?
A loosely organized military that is formally part of the Revolutionary guards; it controls the masses it is basically a large police force
How does the regular military compare with the Revolutionary guard?
regular military is only responsible for protecting borders
Is the Iranian military really a threat to its neighbors and beyond?
Yes
