The Principlists ( fa, اصولگرایان, Osul-Garāyān, ), also interchangeably known as the Iranian Conservatives
[ Open access material licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.] and formerly referred to as the Right or Right-wing,
are one of two main political
camp
Camp may refer to:
Outdoor accommodation and recreation
* Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site
* a temporary settlement for nomads
* Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
s inside post-
revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective, to refer to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.
...
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, the other being
Reformists
Reformism is a political doctrine advocating the reform of an existing system or institution instead of its abolition and replacement.
Within the socialist movement, reformism is the view that gradual changes through existing institutions can e ...
. The term ''
hardliners'' that some western sources use in the Iranian political context usually refers to the faction, although the principlist camp also includes more centrist tendencies.
The camp rejects the ''
status quo
is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, political, religious or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the current state of social structure and/or values. W ...
'' internationally,
but tends to preserve it domestically.
Within Iranian politics, a principlist refers to the conservative supporters of the
Supreme Leader of Iran
The Supreme Leader of Iran ( fa, رهبر ایران, rahbar-e irān) is the List of heads of state of Iran, head of state of the Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran. The Supreme Leader directs the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, executiv ...
and advocates for protecting the ideological 'principles' of the Islamic Revolution’s early days.
According to
Hossein Mousavian
Seyed Hossein Mousavian ( fa, سید حسین موسویان, born 1957 in Kashan) is an Iranian policymaker and scholar who served on Iran's nuclear diplomacy team in negotiations with the EU and International Atomic Energy Agency. He currently ...
, "The Principlists constitute the main right-wing/conservative political movement in Iran. They are more religiously oriented and more closely affiliated with the
Qom-based
clerical establishment than their moderate and
reformist
Reformism is a political doctrine advocating the reform of an existing system or institution instead of its abolition and replacement.
Within the socialist movement, reformism is the view that gradual changes through existing institutions can eve ...
rivals".
A declaration issued by
The Two Societies
The Two Societies ( fa, جامعتین, ''Jāme'atein'') is the nickname given to the coalition of two influential Iranian principlist clerical religious–political groups, Combatant Clergy Association of Tehran and Society of Seminary Teacher ...
, which serves as the Principlists "manifesto", focuses on loyalty to
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
and the
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
, obedience to the Supreme Leader of Iran, and devotion to the principle of ''
Vilayat Faqih''.
According to a poll conducted by the Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA) in April 2017, 15% of Iranians identify as leaning Principlist. In comparison, 28% identify as leaning
Reformist
Reformism is a political doctrine advocating the reform of an existing system or institution instead of its abolition and replacement.
Within the socialist movement, reformism is the view that gradual changes through existing institutions can eve ...
.
The Principlists currently dominate the
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts ( fa, مجلس خبرگان رهبری, majles-e khobregân-e rahbari), also translated as the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership or as the Council of Experts, is the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme ...
as well as non-elective institutions such as the
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council, (also called Council of Guardians or Constitutional Council, fa, شورای نگهبان, Shourā-ye Negahbān) is an appointed and constitutionally mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence i ...
,
Expediency Discernment Council
The Expediency Discernment Council of the System ( fa, مجمع تشخیص مصلحت نظام ''Majma'-e Taškhīs-e Maslahat-e Nezām'') is an administrative assembly appointed by the Supreme Leader and was created upon the revision to the Co ...
and the
Judiciary
The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
.
Factions
*Ultra conservatives—also known as neoconservatives—consists of laymen representing the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
(IRGC) collectively.
These conservatives support the Islamist government and are more aggressive and openly confrontational toward the West.
*Traditional conservatives are a political faction that helped form
the Revolutionary government and can point to personal ties with
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Khomeini, Imam Khomeini ( , ; ; 17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian political and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the founder of ...
.
These conservatives support the Islamist government and advocate for clerical rule.
Election results
Presidential elections
Parties and organizations
Alliances
*
The Two Societies
The Two Societies ( fa, جامعتین, ''Jāme'atein'') is the nickname given to the coalition of two influential Iranian principlist clerical religious–political groups, Combatant Clergy Association of Tehran and Society of Seminary Teacher ...
(Unofficial)
*
(founded in the 1990s)
*
Coordination Council of Islamic Revolution Forces
The Coordination Council of Islamic Revolution Forces ( fa, شورای هماهنگی نیروهای انقلاب اسلامی, showrā-ye hamāhangi-e nirūhā-ye enǧelāb-e eslāmi) is an umbrella organization of Iranian Principlists, conservat ...
(founded 2000)
*
Front of Transformationalist Principlists (founded 2005)
*
Resistance Front of Islamic Iran
The Islamic Iran Resistance Front or Resistance Front of Islamic Iran ( fa, جبهه ایستادگی ایران اسلامی, Jebhe-ye Istâdegi-ye Irân-e Islâmi), or simply Resistance Front, also translated Endurance Front, is an Iranian prin ...
(founded 2011)
*
Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces
The Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces (PFIRF; fa, جبهه مردمی نیروهای انقلاب اسلامی, Jebhe-ye Mardomi-ye Niruhā-ye Enqelāb-e Eslāmī) is a political organization in Iran, founded in late 2016 by ten figures ...
(founded 2016)
;Electoral
*
Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran
, successor =
, headquarters = Tehran, Iran
, ideology =
, position = Right-wing
, religion = Islam
, national = Coordination Council of Islamic Revolution Forces
, seats1_title = 2003 local election (Tehran)
, seats1 =
, seats2_titl ...
(2003, 2004)
*
Coalition of Iran's Independent Volunteers (2004)
*
Coalition of the Pleasant Scent of Servitude
The Coalition of the Pleasant Scent of Servitude, the Sweet Scent of Servitude or the Joyful Essence of Obedience ( fa, ائتلاف رايحه خوش خدمت) was a conservative political group in Iran that supported Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his ...
(2006)
*
Principlists Pervasive Coalition
, founded = 2008
, split = Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran
, merged = United Front of Principlists ( Ghalibaf and Larijani faction)
, successor = Resistance Front ( Rezaee faction)
, ideology = Conservatism
, position = Right-wing
, ...
(2008)
*
United Front of Principlists
, national = Principlists
, blank1_title = 2008 Member Alliances
, blank1 =
, blank2_title = 2012 Member Alliances
, blank2 =
, headquarters = Tehran, Iran
, seats1_title = 8th Parliament
, seats1 =
, seats2_title = 9th Parliament
, ...
(2008, 2012)
*
Insight and Islamic Awakening Front
The Insight and Islamic Awakening Front ( fa, جبهه بصیرت و بیداری اسلامی) was a principlist electoral list for Iranian 2012 legislative election, led by Shahabodin Sadr. It ran on a platform advocating rapid reforms. The ...
(2012)
*
Principlists Grand Coalition
Principlists Grand Coalition ( fa, ائتلاف بزرگ اصولگرایان) is a principlist coalition and electoral list for the 2016 Iranian legislative election.
Member groups
The alliance is mainly made up by the members of the 'tr ...
(2016)
*
Service list (2017)
Media
*''
Kayhan''
*''
Resalat''
*''
Vatan-e-Emrooz''
*''
Abrar
''Abrar'' (''Samaritans'' in English) is a Persian-language daily newspaper published in Tehran, Iran.
History and profile
''Abrar'' was first published on 8 November 1988. The printing of the paper was done using the printing facility of a defu ...
''
*''
Yalasarat
''Yalasarat al-Hussein'' ( ar, یا لثارات الحسین "Those Who Want to Avenge the Blood of Hussein") simply known as Yalasarat, is a Persian language weekly newspaper and news website serving as the official media outlet of Ansar-e Hezbo ...
''
*''
Partow-e Sokhan''
*
Rajanews
Rajanews ( fa, رجانیوز) is an Iranian news site. The website is known to have ties with the Front of Islamic Revolution Stability
Front of Islamic Revolution Stability ( fa, جبههٔ پایداری انقلاب اسلامی, Jebha-ye p ...
See also
*
Islamic fundamentalism in Iran
References
External links
{{Conservatism
Politics of Iran
History of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Political factions in Iran
Political neologisms
Islamism in Iran
Right-wing politics in Asia
Conservatism in Iran
Theocrats
Euphemisms