بیدار
Group
Group

Axis of Power

محور قدرت

The institutions and centres of power in the Islamic Republic — the Supreme Leadership, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and appointed and elected bodies — that shape its governance.

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At a glance

Apex
Supreme Leader
Key institutions
IRGC, Guardian Council, judiciary

Detail

This section addresses the network of institutions, figures, and mechanisms at the core of power in the Islamic Republic of Iran. At its apex stands the office of the Supreme Leader, around which institutions such as the IRGC, the Guardian Council, the Expediency Council, the judiciary, and the economic foundations (bonyads) are arrayed, together forming the central nucleus of decision-making and control. Understanding this axis is essential to grasping the real workings of power in Iran.

Related entities

Islamic Republic of IranAli KhameneiVelayat-e FaqihIranian Opposition

Also appears in

Patterns of Power

Sources

  • W. Buchta, 'Who Rules Iran?'
  • Encyclopaedia Iranica — 'Constitution of the Islamic Republic'
  • Britannica — 'Iran: Government and society'