15.5 Iran:
Islamic Republic and Sharia

Iran provides an example of a system where religion is not only connected to government, but formally built into its structure.

It is an Islamic theocratic republic, which means it combines elements of democracy, such as elections, with a system of religious oversight.

Unlike Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by a monarchy, Iran has both elected officials and unelected religious authorities who share power.

A series of events called the 1979 Revolution (also called the Islamic Revolution) overthrew the 2,500-year-old Iranian monarchy and replaced it with the current system described below.

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Iran’s government system is complex and so we will not discuss every part in this post. For now, we will look at a high-level simplified overview with the main goal being to compare the implementation of Sharia in Iran with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Iran can be thought of as a 2-layer system:

— Layer 1 — Elections (visible layer) —

1. President (elected)
2. Parliament (elected)
3. Assembly of Experts (elected)
4. People vote

— Layer 2 — Religious control (real power) —

1. Supreme Leader = highest authority
2. Guardian Council = filters laws + candidates

Layer 2 can:

1. Block laws
2. Decide who can run in elections
3. Override elected officials

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At the top of Iran’s system is the Supreme Leader.

The Supreme Leader is the highest authority in the country and has final control over major areas such as the military, judiciary, and overall direction of the state. This position is religious in nature and is meant to ensure that the government remains aligned with Islamic principles.

The leader is chosen by a body called the Assembly of Experts. This is a group of Islamic scholars (clerics).

Below the Supreme Leader is the President, who is elected by the public and serves as the head of government. The President oversees the day-to-day administration of the country but operates within the limits set by the broader system.

Iran also has an elected Parliament (called the Majles), which proposes and passes laws.

However, these laws must be reviewed by the Guardian Council, a body of religious and legal scholars. The Guardian Council has the power to approve or reject laws based on whether they align with the constitution and Sharia.

Iran has elections for President, Parliament (Majles), and the Assembly of Experts. 

However, before anyone can run, they must be approved by the Guardian Council. The Guardian Council is controlled by the Supreme Leader.

This means that voters can only choose from pre-approved candidates.

This creates a system where elected bodies exist, but their decisions are subject to approval by religious authorities.

Women have had the right to vote in national and local elections, and also the right to run for parliament since 1963.

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Sunni and Shia are the two largest branches of Islam.

While Saudi Arabia’s legal system is based on Sunni Islam, Iran’s legal system is based on Shia Islam.

Unlike Saudi Arabia, where judges historically relied heavily on interpretation, Iran has a more codified legal system. Iranian laws are written into a civil code, but they are still expected to reflect Islamic principles.

Sharia plays a major role in areas such as family law, inheritance, and criminal law. Religious scholars are directly involved in the legal system, and courts apply laws that are shaped by Islamic jurisprudence.

Because of this structure, religion is not only a foundation of the system, it is actively enforced through formal state institutions.

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Iran also has what’s commonly called the “morality police.” They are officially known as Gasht-e Ershad (“Guidance Patrol”).

Their main role is to enforce public Islamic behavior laws, such as mandatory hijab (head covering for women), dress codes for men and women, and public behavior rules (modesty, interactions, etc.).

The morality police can stop people in public, issue warnings, and detain individuals.

In Iran, enforcement is institutionalized across the government. It is part of the larger legal system which includes police, courts, and religious authorities.

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Iran’s system can be understood as one where:

1. Islamic law is built directly into the structure of the government
2. Religious leaders hold ultimate authority over political decisions
3. Elected officials operate within a religious framework

Rather than separating religion and government, Iran’s system formally combines them into a single structure.

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While both Iran and Saudi Arabia base their systems on Sharia, they apply it differently:

Saudi Arabia → Authority is centralized in a monarchy and the ruler enforces Islam.

Iran → Authority is divided between elected officials and religious leaders and the system enforces Islam.

In section 15.6, we will examine Pakistan’s legal structure, which combines elements of Sharia with a Western-style system.