Who's Who in the Iranian Government?

(1995 CIA WorldFactbook (Viathe CIA website):

Executive Branch

Supreme leader (rahbar) and functional chief of state:

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since4 June 1989)

Head of Government:

President Hojjat-ol eslam Mohammad Khatami (since 3 August 1997); officialelection results from May 1997 gave Khatami a 70%-30% victory over Majlisspeaker Nateq-Nouri. Assisted by a SupremeNational Security Council.

Cabinet:

Council of Ministers; selected by the president with legislative approval

Council ofExpediency and Discernment

The Council of Expediency and Discernment was established on February6, 1988 upon the orders of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to overcome differencesbetween the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) and the Council of Guardians.

Legislative Branch

Structure:

unicameral

Islamic ConsultativeAssembly (Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami):

elections last held 8 April 1992 (next to be held April 1996); results- percent of vote by party NA; seats - (270 seats total) number of seatsby party NA

Judicial Branch

Body:

Supreme Court

Official Documents & Information

• The Government of Iran's OfficialUS-Based Web Site
• from the University of Carleton:
• TheConstitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran
• IslamicRepublic News Agency (IRNA)

Embassies & Diplomatic Information

• Iranian Interests section,Washington, DC
• IranianEmbassy in Toronto
• Iranian Embassy in Armenia
• Contactsin the United Kingdom

Iranian Agents in Europe and North America

Iranians living abroad frequently complain about surveillance and harassmentby Iranian government intelligence agents operating under cover.

They also complain that the Islamic Republic uses academics, scholars,and even journalists (not all of them Iranian nationals) to lobby on itsbehalf in Washington, in the media, and with business.

Who do you believe is working on behalf of the Iranian government inyour country? Send us yourlikely candidates and warn your friends. Photographs welcome!

February 5, 1997: "IslamicRepublic intelligence agents in France exposed" from the IranBrief

Iran on the Internet

• Iran'sconnections to the Internet
• Neda Ryaneh Institute, Internetaccess provider

Last revised: Feb. 5, 1997