“Supreme Leader authority is legitimate”
No sign-in required
Be one of the first to vote
Iran's political system divides power between elected officials (president and parliament) and unelected religious authorities led by the Supreme Leader, who controls the military, judiciary, and state media. The Supreme Leader's ultimate authority—enshrined in the 1979 Islamic Republic constitution—means elected leaders operate within constraints set by this parallel power structure. This tension between democratic representation and religious oversight remains central to debates about Iran's governance and reform.