conventional short form: Iran
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
local short form: Iran

Data code: IR

Government type: 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
note: there may be three new provinces named Golestan, Qom, and
Qazvin

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:
chief of state: Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali
Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since
3 August 1997); First Vice President Hasan Ebrahim HABIBI (since NA
August 1989)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
legislative approval
elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by
the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA
May 2001)
election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani elected president;
percent of vote--(Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 69%

Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (270 seats; members elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 March and 19 April 1996 (next to be held NA
March 2000)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: since President KHATAMI's election
in May 1997, several political parties have been licensed including
Executives of Construction, Islamic Iran Solidarity Party, and
Islamic Partnership Front; other important political groupings are:
MAHDAVI-KARUBI and Mohammad Asqar MUSAVI-KHOINIHA]; Islamic

Political pressure groups and leaders: groups that generally
support the Islamic