Editing Politics of Iran (section)

==Leading figures and institutions==

=== Current office holders ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|+ Main office holders
|-
! Office
! Name 
! Picture
! Since
|-
|[[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]]
|[[Ali Khamenei]]
|[[File:Portrait of Ali Khamenei, October 2016).jpg|100x100px]]
|{{Start date and age|1989|6|4|df=y}}
|-
|[[President of Iran|President]]
|[[Masoud Pezeshkian]]
|[[File:Masoud Pezeshkian 2024 (A) (cropped).jpg|108x108px]]
|{{Start date and age|2024|7|28|df=y}}
|-
|[[List of Speakers of the Parliament of Iran|Speaker of Parliament]]
|[[Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf]]
|[[File:Ghalibaf 1399032719532198420608744.jpg|101x101px]]
|{{Start date and age|2020|5|28|df=y}}
|-
|[[Chief Justice of Iran|Chief Justice]]
|[[Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i]]
|[[File:غلامحسین محسنی اژه‌ای4.jpg|103x103px]]
|{{Start date and age|2021|7|1|df=y}}
|}

===Supreme Leader===
{{Further|Supreme Leader of Iran}}
Two very powerful, unelected posts/institutions unique to the Islamic Republic are the Supreme Leader and Guardian Council.

The [[Supreme Leader of Iran]]<ref>Article 89-91, Iranian Constitution</ref> is the [[head of state]] and [[Supreme Leader of Iran|highest ranking political and religious authority]] (above the President). The [[Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran|armed forces]], [[Judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran|judicial system]], [[Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting|state television]], and other key governmental organizations such as the [[Guardian Council]] and [[Expediency Discernment Council]] are under the control of the Supreme Leader. According to article 110 of the constitution, the Supreme Leader delineates the general policies of the Islamic Republic. There have been only two Supreme Leaders since the founding of the Islamic Republic, and the current leader ([[Ali Khamenei]]), has been in power since 1989. His powers extend to issuing [[decrees]] and making final decisions on the [[economy of iran|economy]], environment, [[foreign relations of iran|foreign policy]], [[education in iran|education]], national planning of population growth,<ref name="Middle East Eye">{{cite web|url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/khamenei-lashes-out-rafsanjani-and-rouhani-rare-iran-public-spat-1261460510|title=Iran's Khamenei hits out at Rafsanjani in rare public rebuke|work=Middle East Eye|access-date=15 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404031405/http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/khamenei-lashes-out-rafsanjani-and-rouhani-rare-iran-public-spat-1261460510|archive-date=4 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="al-monitor.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/11/iran-green-climate-change-khamenei.html|title=Khamenei says Iran must go green - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East|work=Al-Monitor|access-date=15 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222135539/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/11/iran-green-climate-change-khamenei.html|archive-date=22 December 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Louis Charbonneau and Parisa Hafezi">{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-missiles-idUSBREA4E11V20140516|title=Exclusive: Iran pursues ballistic missile work, complicating nuclear talks|author=Louis Charbonneau and Parisa Hafezi|date=16 May 2014|website=Reuters.com|access-date=15 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731230530/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-missiles-idUSBREA4E11V20140516|archive-date=31 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="en.iranwire.com">{{cite web|url=https://en.iranwire.com/features/5272/|title=IranWire - Asking for a Miracle: Khamenei's Economic Plan|website=En.iranwire.com|access-date=15 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307035444/https://en.iranwire.com/features/5272/|archive-date=7 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/05/khamenei-plans-increase-iran-population.html |title=Khamenei outlines 14-point plan to increase population |access-date=15 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801000839/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/05/khamenei-plans-increase-iran-population.html |archive-date=1 August 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/06/jul/1055.html|title=Iran: Executive, legislative branch officials endorse privatization plan|website=Payvand.com|access-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105175931/http://www.payvand.com/news/06/jul/1055.html|archive-date=5 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/10259/Khamenei-slams-Rouhani-as-Iran-s-regime-adopted-UN-education-agenda|title=Khamenei slams Rouhani as Iran's regime adopted UN education agenda|date=8 May 2017|website=Thebaghdadpost.com|access-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531015311/http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/10259/Khamenei-slams-Rouhani-as-Iran-s-regime-adopted-UN-education-agenda|archive-date=31 May 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> 
the amount of transparency in [[elections in Iran]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/407304/Leader-outlines-elections-guidelines-calls-for-transparency|title=Leader outlines elections guidelines, calls for transparency|date=15 October 2016|website=Tehrantimes.com|access-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801002925/http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/407304/Leader-outlines-elections-guidelines-calls-for-transparency|archive-date=1 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and who is to be fired and reinstated in the [[Cabinet of Iran|Presidential cabinet]].<ref name="stalbertgazette.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/GB/20110420/CP01/304209937/-1/sag0806/iranian-lawmakers-warn-ahmadinejad-to-back-intelligence-chief-as&template=cpArt|title=St. Albert Gazette|website=St. Albert Gazette|access-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217073724/http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/GB/20110420/CP01/304209937/-1/sag0806/iranian-lawmakers-warn-ahmadinejad-to-back-intelligence-chief-as%26template%3DcpArt|archive-date=17 December 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="news.bbc.co.uk">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8168202.stm|title=BBC NEWS - Middle East - Iranian vice-president 'sacked'|website=News.bbc.co.uk|date=25 July 2009|access-date=15 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725100558/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8168202.stm|archive-date=25 July 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:جوان پیشرو، دلیل امید.jpg|thumb|500px|[[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]] [[Ali Khamenei]] at the head of Iran, an Iranian poster]]
The Supreme Leader is appointed by the [[Assembly of Experts]]. All candidates to the Assembly of Experts, the President and the Majlis (Parliament), are selected by the [[Guardian Council]], half of whose members are selected by the Supreme Leader of Iran.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/14/rafsanjani-breaks-taboo-over-selection-of-irans-next-supreme-leader|title=Rafsanjani breaks taboo over selection of Iran's next supreme leader|date=14 December 2015|website=Theguardian.com|access-date=1 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218132154/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/14/rafsanjani-breaks-taboo-over-selection-of-irans-next-supreme-leader|archive-date=18 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> All directly elected members after the vetting process by the Guardian Council still have to be approved by the Supreme Leader.<ref>(see Article 108 of the constitution)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/ir00000_.html|title=ICL - Iran - Constitution|website=Servat.unibe.ch|access-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821093931/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/ir00000_.html|archive-date=21 August 2018|url-status=live}} {{cite web|url=http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/02/09-iran-election-assembly-of-experts-explainer-borden|title=Everything you need to know about Iran's Assembly of Experts election|website=Brookings.edu|date=30 November 2001 |access-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>

===Guardian Council===
{{Further|Guardian Council}}
The Guardian Council is an appointed and constitutionally mandated 12-member council with considerable power. It approves or vetoes legislative bills from the [[Islamic Consultative Assembly]] (the Iranian Parliament), supervises elections, and approves or forbids candidates seeking office to the [[Assembly of Experts]], the [[President of Iran|Presidency]] and the parliament.<ref>Article 99 of the constitution</ref> Six of its twelve members are Islamic faqihs (expert in Islamic Law) selected by the [[Supreme Leader of Iran]]. The other six are jurists nominated by the Head of the [[Judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran|Judicial system]] (who is also appointed by the Supreme Leader),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mellat.majlis.ir/CONSTITUTION/ENGLISH.HTM |title=خانه ملت |access-date=15 August 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090618054925/http://mellat.majlis.ir/CONSTITUTION/ENGLISH.HTM |archive-date=18 June 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and approved by the Iranian Parliament.<ref name=constitution-iranonline>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/constitution-6-2.html |title=Iranian Government Constitution, English Text |website=Iranonline.com|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617152445/http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/government/constitution-6-2.html |archive-date=17 June 2011 }}</ref>