y:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
conventional short form: Iran
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
local short form: Iran

Data code: IR

Type of government: theocratic republic

Capital: Tehran

Administrative divisions: 25 provinces (ostanha, singular -
ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr,
Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Hamadan,
Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshahan, Khorasan, Khuzestan,
Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmadi, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi,
Mazandaran, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday: Islamic Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of
the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system: the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of
government

Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
supreme leader (rahbar-e moazam) and functional chief of sta: Leader
of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4
June 1989) was appointed for life by Council of Experts
head of government: President Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI (since 3
August 1989) was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage;
First Vice President Hasan Ebrahim HABIBI (since NA August 1989);
election last held 11 June 1993 (next to be held NA May 1997);
results - Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI was elected with 63% of the
vote
cabinet: Council of Ministers was selected by the president with
legislative approval

Legislative branch: unicameral
Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami): elections
last held 8 March and 19 April 1996 (next to be held NA March 2000);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (270 seats total)
number of seats by party NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: there are at least 76 licensed
parties, none are, as yet, openly active; the most important
groupings are - Tehran Militant Clergy Association, leader NA;
Militant Clerics Association, Mehdi MAHDAVI-KARUBI and Mohammad
Asqar MUSAVI-KHOINIHA; Servants of Reconstruction (G-6), leader NA

Other political or pressure groups: groups that generally support
the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the
Islamic Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line