How Are Political Decisions Made in Iran?

When the revolution triumphed in Iran in 1979, it produced a hybrid system combining “republicanism” and “Islamism.” Sovereign decisions are ultimately made with the blessing of the “Supreme Leader” in the “Wilayat al-Faqih” system developed by Ruhollah Khomeini. This doctrine constituted an extension of most of the powers of the “Hidden Imam,” granting the Supreme Leader both religious legitimacy and constitutional authority under Iran’s new constitution.