Back مجلس صيانة الدستور Arabic Konstitusiyanın Müdafiəsi Şurası Azerbaijani Рада старажоў шарыяту BE-X-OLD Konseho sa mga Magbalantay CEB ئەنجومەنی پارێزەران CKB Vogternes Råd Danish Wächterrat German Consejo de Guardianes Spanish شورای نگهبان Persian Conseil des gardiens de la Constitution French
Guardian Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Secretary | Ahmad Jannati since 17 July 1992 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 12 |
 | |
Political groups | Dominated by Principlists:[1] |
| Meeting place | |
| Tehran, Iran | |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
 |
|---|
| Government of Islamic Republic of Iran |
The Guardian Council (also called Council of Guardians or Constitutional Council, Persian: شورای نگهبان, romanized: Shourā-ye Negahbān)[2][3] is an appointed and constitutionally mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The constitution of the Islamic Republic gives the council three mandates:
- a) veto power over legislation passed by the parliament (Majlis);[4][5][6]
- b) supervision of elections;[7][4] and
- c) approving or disqualifying candidates seeking to run in local, parliamentary, presidential, or Assembly of Experts elections.[7][4][8]
The Iranian constitution calls for the council to be composed of six Islamic faqihs (experts in Islamic Law), "conscious of the present needs and the issues of the day" to be selected by the Supreme Leader of Iran, and six jurists, "specializing in different areas of law, to be elected by the Majlis (the Iranian Parliament) from among the Muslim jurists nominated by the Chief Justice"[9] (who, in turn, is also appointed by the Supreme Leader).[10]
The Council has played a central role in controlling the interpretation of Islamic values in Iranian law in the following ways:
- As part of its vetting of potential candidates to determine who can and cannot run for national office,[8] it has disqualified reform-minded candidates—including the most well-known candidates—from running for office;[11]
- Vetoes laws passed by the popularly elected Majlis.[12][13]
- Has increased the influence that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (an ideological fighting force separate from the Iranian army) has on the economic and cultural life of the country.[14][15]
When the 2009 presidential election was announced, popular former president Mohammad Khatami would not discuss his plans to run against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for the Council might have disqualified Khatami as it had other reformists' candidatures, on the grounds that they were not dedicated enough to Islamic values.[16][17]
There have also been instances where the Constitutional Council reversed its ban on particular people after being ordered to do so by Khamenei.[18]
- ^ Shaul, Bakhash (12 September 2011). "Iran's Conservatives: The Headstrong New Bloc". Frontline. PBS. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ Sandhu, Deep; Schirazi, Asghar (2003). "GUARDIAN COUNCIL". In Sandhu, Deep (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. XI. New York, NY: Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation. pp. 379–382. ISBN 0933273711.
- ^ "Council of Guardians | Definition, Role, Selection, & History". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
- ^ a b c "THE GUARDIAN COUNCIL". Iran Data Portal. Political Institutions. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ^ Article 98 of the constitution
- ^ Articles 96 and 94 of the constitution.
- ^ a b Article 99 of the constitution
- ^ a b The Guardian Council Expands Power: Election Monitoring Boards, Arseh Sevom, Arseh Sevom, Feb 18, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "Iranian Government Constitution, English Text". Manou & Associates, Inc. Archived from the original on 2011-06-17.
- ^ "خانه ملت". mellat.majlis.ir. Archived from the original on 5 July 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/factbox-irans-2020-parliamentary-elections/, Arash Azizi, Atlantic Council, February 14, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ Whose Iran?, Laura Secor, The New York Times, January 28, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ Iran: Voices Struggling To Be Heard, U.S. Department of State Fact Sheet, April 9, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "The Revolutionary Guards' Role in Iranian Politics". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- ^ "Iran Guards wield electoral power behind scenes". Reuters. 2013-06-04. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- ^ Khatami reluctant to discuss candidacy Archived 2009-04-27 at the Wayback Machine, Maryam Sinaiee, The National, September 21, 2008.
- ^ Split hard-liners hold Iran parliament, AP via USA Today, March 16, 2008.
- ^ Staff; agencies (24 May 2005). "Iran reverses ban on reformist candidates". The Guardian.
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