Analysis

The Art of the Possible: A Victory for Iranian Pragmatism

Friday’s elections to Iran’s Majlis and Assembly of Experts saw many prominent hardline conservatives and high-profile MPs swept from power, and the election to those institutions of2 new faces under the banner of the pro-Rouhani coalition’s List of Hope. It was the first time that all Tehran seats were won by one coalition, the first time a non-cleric was elected to the Assembly, the first time all 30 Tehran Majlis seats were elected in the first round. If even one of the eight female candidates running in next month’s second...

March 1, 2016

Disqualifying the Qualified: Female Candidates & the Assembly of Experts

When all female candidates who had registered for the upcoming Assembly of Experts elections were disqualified, two important considerations arose: the question of women’s qualifications and their experience of discrimination....

February 22, 2016

Shockwave: The Disqualification of Seyed Hassan Khomeini

The Guardian Council has announced the results of the Assembly of Experts candidate qualifications and a number of senior seminary figures were disqualified from running. The Council’s veto rights, its...

February 9, 2016

Why Iran's 2016 Assembly of Experts Elections Matter

While Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly (parliament or “majlis”) has received the bulk of attention in the lead up to the 26 February 2016 Iranian elections, the arguably more important Assembly...

February 5, 2016

Tardy in Tehran: MPs Frequently Late or Absent from Public Parliamentary Sessions

In the past few weeks, many MPs have been absent from or late to attend public sessions of parliament. Based on Majlis’ house rules, two-thirds of MPs have to be...

February 3, 2016

Gender Equality Stymied: Transforming the Male-Dominated Majlis

The conservative Guardian Council has disqualified a large number of candidates for the upcoming (10th) Majlis elections, and all of the female candidates for the fifth term of the Assembly...

January 29, 2016

Was Tehran's Deputy Governor Fired for Negligence in the Saudi Embassy Mob Incident?

The Interior Minister has released confirmation that Safar Ali Baratlou was dismissed from his position as Deputy Governor for Security Affairs in Tehran for dereliction of duty, because of his...

January 25, 2016