Supreme leader of Iran

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Template:Politics of Iran The post of Supreme Leader (Persian: ولی فقیه or رهبر, Rahbar, literally "leader") was created in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the highest ranking political authority of the nation (see Guardianship of the jurists (doctrine)).

Another title is Valiye-Faqih (sometimes shortened to Faqih), meaning in Persian the Jurisprudent Guardian (see Guardianship of the jurists (doctrine)).

Contents 1 Mandate and status 2 Functions and duties of The Supreme Leader 3 Incumbents 4 See also 5 Sources and references

Mandate and status

He is elected by the Assembly of Experts and serves for life. However according to the constitution the assembly is in charge of overseeing the Leader to comply with his legal duties and has the power to dismiss and replace him at any time. Although the members of the Assembly of Experts are elected by public vote, the Guardian Council (which is appointed by the Supreme Leader) vets the candidates before the election. Many political analysts believe this creates an obvious closed loop of power and many prominent Iranian reformists have voiced their opposition to the current election laws (including Abdollah Noori) but have not been able to bring any changes to the law. See Politics of Iran for more details.

While the Supreme Leader is the generally considered as the ultimate head of the Iranian political establishment, the President of Iran, who is elected by direct public vote, is the executive president (head of state and head of government, directly in charge of the executive branch). The question of how to fit the Supreme Leader and the President in the theoretical definitions of head of state and head of government is a thorny one, as with the atypical products of various other revolutions, even long after the regimes were constitutionally stabilized, such as the Libyan Guide of the Revoluton or the party chiarmen in the Soviet model; however, de facto and de jure the Supreme Leader's ideological and politcal authority is, as the title implies, supreme.

Functions and duties of The Supreme Leader

1. Delineation of the general policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran after consultation with the Nation's Expediency Discernment Council.
2. Supervision over the proper execution of the general policies of the system.
3. Issuing decrees for national referenda.
4. Assuming supreme command of the armed forces.
5. Declaration of war and peace, and the mobilization of the armed forces.
6. Appointment, dismissal, and acceptance of resignation of:
   1. the fuqaha' on the Guardian Council.
   2. the supreme judicial authority of the country.
   3. the head of the radio and television network of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
   4. the chief of the joint staff.
   5. the chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
   6. the supreme commanders of the armed forces.
7. Resolving differences between the three wings of the armed forces and regulation of their relations.
8. Resolving the problems, which cannot be solved by conventional methods, through the Nation's Exigency Council.
9. Signing the decree formalizing the elections in Iran for the President of the Republic by the people.
10. Dismissal of the President of the Republic, with due regard for the interests of the country, after the Supreme Court holds him guilty of the violation of his constitutional duties, or after a vote of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (The Majlis of Iran) testifying to his incompetence on the basis of Article 89 of the Constitution.
11. Pardoning or reducing the sentences of convicts, within the framework of Islamic criteria, on a recommendation (to that effect) from the head of the Judiciary. The Leader may delegate part of his duties and powers to another person.

Incumbents

Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran has had two Supreme Leaders:

• Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, 1979–1989.

Acknowledged as the father of the Islamic Revolution, Khomeini retained a uniquely prominent position as Guide of the Revolution until his death. Article 107 of the constitution named him to the position for life, imposing election only after his death.

• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 1989–present.

See also

• Politics of Iran
• Ayatollah Khomeini
• Ayatollah Khamenei

Sources and references

• Official Web Site of the Office of the Supreme Leader
• Iranian constitution
• WorldStatesmen- Irande:Oberster Rechtsgelehrter

fr:Guide de la Révolution ja:イランの最高指導者 nl:Hoogste leider van Iran no:Øverste leder i Iran zh:伊朗精神领袖