{{Refimprove, date=July 2007
The first Shia theocracy in the 20th century was established in
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 ...
following 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 ...
that led to the fall of the
Shah of Iran. The constitutional name of Iran was established as the Islamic Republic of Iran ( fa, جمهوری اسلامی ايران
transliteration
Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...
: ''Jomhuri-ye Eslāmi-ye Irān'').
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 ...
is the state religion of the country.
Under the post-revolution Iranian constitution of 1979, Iran is government first and foremost by the
Supreme Leader of Iran, who is responsible for the
delineation and supervision of "the general policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran". The Supreme Leader is ''Commander-in-Chief'' of the armed forces, controls the military intelligence and security operations; and has sole power to declare war. The heads of the judiciary, state radio and television networks, the commanders of the police and military forces and six of the twelve members of the
Council of Guardians
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 ...
are appointed by the Supreme Leader. The
Assembly of Experts elects and dismisses the Supreme Leader on the basis of qualifications and popular esteem
The Assembly of Experts is responsible for supervising the Supreme Leader in the performance of legal duties.
The Islamic government of Iran attempted to export its radical form of Shi`ite Islam to other Middle Eastern countries such as Lebanon which led to the creation of
Hezbollah
Hezbollah (; ar, حزب الله ', , also transliterated Hizbullah or Hizballah, among others) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group, led by its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah since 1992. Hezbollah's parami ...
.
The current Shi`ite controlled government in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
has been criticized for lacking a separation of religion and state. The current Shi`ite led government has also been criticized for being influenced by the Shi`ite clergy such as Grand
Ayatollah Ali Sistani.
The
Sunni dominated government of
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein ( ; ar, صدام حسين, Ṣaddām Ḥusayn; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolution ...
heavily suppressed the Shi`ite majority who was persecuted under his regime.
Critics have pointed out that some elements of the Shi`ite controlled government such as the current Iraqi Interior Ministry have actively persecuted Iraqi Sunni's much like Saddam Hussein's security forces did to the Shi`ite government. This Shi`ite vendetta has created an environment which has led to the growth of the Sunni insurgency leading to many civilian deaths.
Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Iranian Revolution
Islamic states
Islamism
Theocracies
Theocracies