Legal System of Iran

Iran is located in Middle East. It is geographically situated in middle east, bordering the gulf of oman, the persian gulf, and the caspian sea, between iraq and pakistan. The country achieved independence on 1 april 1979 (islamic republic of iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. 550 b.c. (achaemenid or persian empire established); a.d. 1501 (iran reunified under the safavid dynasty); 1794 (beginning of qajar dynasty); 12 december 1925 (modern iran established under the pahlavi dynasty). The capital is Tehran.

Government Overview

Government Type: theocratic republic Chief of State: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) Head of Government: President Masoud PEZESHKIAN (since 30 July 2024) Cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries Administrative Divisions: 31 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Alborz, Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi (West Azerbaijan), Azarbayjan-e Sharqi (East Azerbaijan), Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi (South Khorasan), Khorasan-e Razavi (Razavi Khorasan), Khorasan-e Shomali (North Khorasan), Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan National Holiday: Republic Day, 1 April (1979) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal System

The legal system of Iran is described as religious system based on secular and Islamic law International Law: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Constitutional Framework

The constitution has the following history: previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979 Amendment Process: proposed by the supreme leader – after consultation with the Exigency Council – and submitted as an edict to the “Council for Revision of the Constitution,” a body consisting of various executive, legislative, judicial, and academic leaders and members; passage requires absolute majority vote in a referendum and approval of the supreme leader; articles including Iran’s political system, its religious basis, and its form of government cannot be amended

Judicial Branch

Highest Court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and organized into 42 two-bench branches, each with a justice and a judge) Judge Selection: Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the High Judicial Council (HJC), a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief justice, the prosecutor general, and 3 clergy, in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a single, renewable 5-year term; other judges appointed by the HJC; judge tenure NA Subordinate Courts: Penal Courts I and II; Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Courts of Peace; Special Clerical Court (functions outside the judicial system and handles cases involving clerics); military courts

Legislative Branch

The legislative structure consists of unicameral Note: note: all candidates to the Majles must be approved by the Council of Guardians, a 12-member group of which 6 are appointed by the supreme leader and 6 are jurists nominated by the judiciary and elected by the Majles

Citizenship and Suffrage

Citizenship by Birth: no Citizenship by Descent: the father must be a citizen of Iran Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Historical Background

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces led by Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a religious scholar known as the Supreme Leader, who is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts -- an elected 88-member body of clerics.

This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Iran based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.