Guardian Council

Template:Short description {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}} Template:Infobox legislature Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists The Guardian Council (also called Council of Guardians or Constitutional Council, Template:Langx)<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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);<ref name="IDP"/><ref>Article 98 of the constitution</ref><ref>Articles 96 and 94 of the constitution.</ref>

b) supervision of elections;<ref name="Article 99 of the constitution">Article 99 of the constitution</ref><ref name="IDP"/> and

c) approving or disqualifying candidates seeking to run in local, parliamentary, presidential, or Assembly of Experts elections.<ref name="Article 99 of the constitution"/><ref name="IDP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="arsehsevom.org">The Guardian Council Expands Power: Election Monitoring Boards, Arseh Sevom, Arseh Sevom, Feb 18, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.</ref> 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"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (who, in turn, is also appointed by the Supreme Leader).<ref name="Archived copy">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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,<ref name="arsehsevom.org"/> it has disqualified reform-minded candidates—including the most well-known candidates—from running for office;<ref>https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/factbox-irans-2020-parliamentary-elections/, Arash Azizi, Atlantic Council, February 14, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.</ref>
• Vetoes laws passed by the popularly elected Majlis.<ref>Whose Iran?, Laura Secor, The New York Times, January 28, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2008.</ref><ref name=State>Iran: Voices Struggling To Be Heard, U.S. Department of State Fact Sheet, April 9, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2008.</ref>
• 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name=Khatami>Khatami reluctant to discuss candidacy Template:Webarchive, Maryam Sinaiee, The National, September 21, 2008.</ref><ref name=USAToday>Split hard-liners hold Iran parliament, AP via USA Today, March 16, 2008.</ref>

There have also been instances where the Constitutional Council reversed its ban on particular people after being ordered to do so by Khamenei.<ref name=guardian-24-5-2005>Template:Cite news</ref>

The lack of transparency in the rendering of decisions by the Guardian Council has eroded its legitimacy in the eyes of Iranians and the world.<ref>https://www.article19.org/resources/iran-the-long-road-to-transparency/</ref>

Legislative functions

The Majlis has no legal status without the Constitutional Council.<ref name="Archived copy"/> Any bill passed by the Majlis must be reviewed and approved by the Constitutional Council<ref name="Archived copy"/><ref>IRANIAN LEGISLATURE APPROVES FUNDS FOR GASOLINE IMPORTS Template:Webarchive provides an example the need for approval of the Guardian Council.</ref> to become law.

According to Article 96 of the constitution, the Constitutional Council holds absolute veto power over all legislation approved by the Majlis. It can nullify a law based on two accounts: being against Islamic laws,<ref>Article 4 Template:Webarchive</ref> or being against the constitution. While all the members vote on the laws being compatible with the constitution, only the six clerics vote on them being compatible with Islam.

If any law is rejected, it will be passed back to the Majlis for correction. If the Majlis and the Council of Guardians cannot agree on a case, it is passed up to the Expediency Council for a decision.<ref>Article 112 Template:Webarchive</ref>

The Constitutional Council is uniquely involved in the legislative process, with equal oversight with regards to economic law and social policy, including such controversial topics as abortion. Chapter 6 of the Constitution explains its interworkings with the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Articles 91-97 all fall into the legislative Chapter 6.

Judicial authority

The Council of Guardians also functions similar to a constitutional court. The authority to interpret the constitution is vested in the Council.<ref>Article 98 Template:Webarchive</ref> Interpretative decisions require a three-quarters majority. The Council does not conduct a court hearing where opposing sides are argued.

Electoral authority

Since 1991, all candidates of parliamentary or presidential<ref>Article 110 Clause 9 Template:Webarchive</ref> elections, as well as candidates for the Assembly of Experts, have to be qualified by the Constitutional Council in order to run in the election. For major elections, it typically disqualifies most candidates, as seen in the 2009 election, where out of the 476 men and women applied to the Constitutional Council to seek the presidency, only four were approved.<ref name=afp>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Council is accorded "supervision of elections".<ref>Article 99 Template:Webarchive</ref><ref>خانه ملت Template:Webarchive</ref> The Constitutional Council interprets the term supervision in Article 99 of the Iranian Constitution as "approbation supervision" (Template:Langx, naẓārat-e istiṣwābī)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which implies the right to accept or reject the legality of elections and the competency of candidates. This interpretation is in contrast with the idea of "notification supervision" (Template:Langx, naẓārat-e istitlā‘ī) which does not imply the mentioned approval right.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The "evidentiary supervision" (Template:Langx, naẓārat-e istinādī), which requires evidences for acceptance or rejection of elections legality and candidates competency, is another interpretation of mentioned article.<ref>Mellat Electronic Newspaper Template:Webarchive</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Role in the 2009 elections

Template:Further On June 29, 2009, the Constitutional Council certified the results of the controversial election in which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected.<ref name="NYTimes">Template:Cite news</ref> The Council had completed a recount of 10 percent of the overall votes in order to appease the citizens of Iran.<ref name="WashTV">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Template:Cbignore</ref> As the "final authority on the election", the Council has declared the election closed.<ref name="EB">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Template:Dead link</ref> The certification of the results set off a wave of protests, disregarding the Iranian government's ban on street marches.<ref name="NYTimes"/>

Criticism

Increases the role of the IRGC in everyday politics

The Council favors military candidates at the expense of reform candidates. This ensures that the ideological Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (separate from the Iranian army) holds a commanding influence over the political, economic, and cultural life of Iran.<ref name="Alfoneh">The Revolutionary Guards' Role in Iranian Politics Template:Webarchive, Ali Alfoneh, Middle East Quarterly, Fall 2008; accessed via AEI's website on September 22, 2008.</ref>

Arbitrary disqualifications of candidates from elections

Hadi Khamenei, the brother of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and an adviser in the administration of reformist former President Mohammad Khatami, has said the Constitutional Council's vetting of candidates threatens Iranian democracy. He believes some reformist candidates are wrongly kept from running.<ref name=BBC20000112 >Template:Cite news</ref> In 1998, the Constitutional Council rejected his candidacy for a seat in the Assembly of Experts for "insufficient theological qualifications".<ref name=RFERL20000117 >{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=PBS1 >{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After conservative candidates fared poorly in the 2000 parliamentary elections, the Council disqualified more than 3,600 reformist and independent candidates for the 2004 elections.<ref name=HRW2004 >{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the run-up to the 2006 Iranian Assembly of Experts election, all female candidates were disqualified.<ref name=State2007>The Iranian Regime: Human Rights and Civil Liberties Under Siege, U.S. State Department Fact Sheet, April 18, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2008.</ref>

The Council disqualified many candidates in the 2008 parliamentary elections. One third of them were members of the outgoing parliament it had previously approved.<ref name=Alfoneh/> The Iranian Ministry of the Interior reasons for disqualification included narcotics addiction or involvement in drug-smuggling, connections to the Shah's pre-revolutionary government, lack of belief in or insufficient practice of Islam, being "against" the Islamic Republic, or having connections to foreign intelligence services.<ref name=Alfoneh/><ref name="EI">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="MEE-11-6-21">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Rule by unelected leaders

This unelected Council frequently vetoes bills passed by the popularly elected legislature.<ref name=State2007/> It repeatedly vetoes bills that are in favour of women’s rights, electoral reform, the prohibition of torture and ratification of international human rights treaties.<ref name=HRW2004/>

Rigging results after elections in favor of conservatives

The Guardian Council has been criticized for ousting pro-Reform candidates who had won their elections, without providing legal justification or factual evidence. Examples of such interventions by the Guardian Council are:

• Annulment of the results in Khoy and Eslamabad-e Gharb (2000).<ref name="Samii"/>
• Rahman Kargosha (2000, Arak), certain ballots were voided in order to declare the conservative incumbent as the winner.<ref name="Samii">Template:Citation</ref>
• Alireza Rajaei (2000, Tehran), certain ballots were voided in order to declare the conservative incumbent as the winner.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
• Minoo Khaleghi (2016, Isfahan), disqualified after winning the election.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
• Khaled Zamzamnejad (2016, Bandar Lengeh), election annulled.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Beytollah Abdollahi (2016, Ahar and Heris), election annulled.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Composition

The Council is composed of Islamic clerics and lawyers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Membership is for phased six-year terms: half the membership changes every three years.

The Supreme Leader (Iran's Head of State) directly appoints the six clerics,<ref name="autogenerated1">Article 91 Template:Webarchive</ref> and may dismiss them at will.<ref>Article 110 Template:Webarchive</ref> The head of the judicial system of Iran nominates six lawyers for confirmation by the Majlis.<ref name="autogenerated1" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On March 13, 2021, the Iranian Constitutional Council officially launched its English service. The English website was inaugurated during the regular monthly press briefing of the spokesman of the Constitutional Council, Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei, in Tehran. The website, https://www.shora-gc.ir/en, has five main sections: News, Multimedia, Members, Legislation, and the Constitution.

Membership

Current members

Clerics

Name		Seat up	Ref
	Ahmad Jannati Template:Small	2028	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Mehdi Shabzendedar Jahromi	2028	<ref name=members/>
	Mohammad-Reza Modarresi Yazdi	2028	<ref name=members/>
	Ahmad Hosseini Khorasani	2025	<ref name=members/>
	Alireza Arafi	2025	<ref name=members/>
	Ahmad Khatami	2025	<ref name=members/>

Jurists

Name		Seat up	Ref
	Siamak Rahpeyk Template:Small	2028	<ref name=members/>
	Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei	2028	<ref name=members/>
	Kheyrollah Parvin	2028	<ref name=members/>
	Gholamreza Molabeygi	2025	<ref name=members/>
	Mohammad-Hassan Sadeghi Moghaddam	2025	<ref name=members/>
	Hadi Tahan Nazif Template:Small	2025	<ref name=members/>

Historic membership

Name		Period
		1980–86	1986–92	1992–98	1998–04	2004–10	2010–16	2016–22	2022–Template:0
Clerics	Ahmad Jannati	Yes
	Mohammad Momen	Template:N/a	Yes					colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Emami Kashani	Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="5" Template:N/a
	Gholamreza Rezvani	Template:N/a	Yes				colspan="3" Template:N/a
	Abolghasem Khazali	Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="5" Template:N/a
	Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi	colspan="4" Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Abdolrahim Rabbani Shirazi	Yes	colspan="7" Template:N/a
	Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani	Yes	colspan="7" Template:N/a
	Yousef Sanei	Yes	colspan="7" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani	Yes	colspan="7" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Mohammadi Gilani	Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="5" Template:N/a
	Reza Ostadi	colspan="3" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="4" Template:N/a
	Mohammad-Hassan Ghadiri	colspan="3" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="4" Template:N/a
	Hassan Taheri Khorramabadi	colspan="3" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="4" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Yazdi	colspan="3" Template:N/a	Yes			colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Reza Modarresi-Yazdi	colspan="4" Template:N/a	Yes
	Mohammad Mehdi Rabbani-Amlashi	Yes	colspan="7" Template:N/a
	Sadegh Larijani	colspan="4" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="1" Template:N/a	Yes (until 2021)	Template:N/a
	Mehdi Shabzendedar Jahromi	colspan="5" Template:N/a	Yes
	Alireza Arafi	colspan="6" Template:N/a	Yes
	Ahmad Khatami	colspan="6" Template:N/a	Yes
	Ahmad Hosseini Khorasani	colspan="6" Template:N/a	Yes
Jurists	Mohsen Hadavi	Yes	colspan="7" Template:N/a
	Mehdi Hadavi	Yes	colspan="7" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Salehi	Yes		colspan="6" Template:N/a
	Ali Arad	Yes		Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="4" Template:N/a
	Hossein Mehrpour	Yes		colspan="6" Template:N/a
	Goudarz Eftekhar Jahromi	Yes	colspan="7" Template:N/a
	Jalal Madani	colspan="2" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="5" Template:N/a
	Khosro Bijani	Yes			colspan="5" Template:N/a
	Hassan Fakheri	Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="5" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Reza Alizadeh	Template:N/a	Yes					colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Hassan Habibi	Template:N/a	Yes			colspan="4" Template:N/a
	Ahmad Alizadeh	Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="5" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Reza Abbasifard	colspan="2" Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="4" Template:N/a
	Reza Zavare'i	colspan="2" Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="4" Template:N/a
	Ebrahim Azizi	colspan="3" Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="3" Template:N/a
	Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei	colspan="4" Template:N/a	Yes	Template:N/a	Yes
	Gholamhossein Elham	colspan="4" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="3" Template:N/a
	Abbas Ka'bi	colspan="4" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="3" Template:N/a
	Mohsen Esmaeili	colspan="4" Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Mohammad Salimi	colspan="5" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Siamak Rahpeyk	colspan="5" Template:N/a	Yes
	Hossein-Ali Amiri	colspan="4" Template:N/a	Yes		colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Sam Savadkouhi	colspan="5" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Nejatollah Ebrahimian	colspan="5" Template:N/a	Yes	colspan="2" Template:N/a
	Fazlollah Mousavi	colspan="6" Template:N/a	Yes	Template:N/a
	Mohammad Dehghan	colspan="6" Template:N/a	Yes (until 2021)	Template:N/a
	Mohammad-Hassan Sadeghi Moghaddam	colspan="6" Template:N/a	Yes
	Hadi Tahan Nazif	colspan="6" Template:N/a	Yes
	Gholamreza Molabeygi	colspan="6" Template:N/a	Yes (from 2021)	Yes
	Kheyrollah Parvin	colspan="7" Template:N/a	Yes
Note: Each period represents a six-year term from July to June and the number of members in a given period may exceed the maximum twelve-members quota because of the random rotations prescribed in the law.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

See also

• History of political Islam in Iran

External links

• The official website of the ConstitutionalCouncil Template:In lang
• Photos of members from official website Template:Webarchive Template:In lang