Islamic Consultative Assembly

History

Islamic Republic of Iran

Following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Senate of Iran was abolished and effectively succeeded by the Guardian Council, maintaining the bicameral structure of the Iranian legislature. In the 1989 constitutional revision, the National Consultative Assembly was renamed the Islamic Consultative Assembly.

Since the Iranian Revolution, the Parliament of Iran has been led by six chairmen. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani served as the inaugural chairman from 1980 to 1989. Subsequently, Mehdi Karroubi held the position in two separate terms (1989–1992 and 2000–2004), followed by Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri (1992–2000), Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel (2004–2008), Ali Larijani (2008–2020), and, since 2020, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Throughout its history, the parliament's character has evolved from being a "debating chamber for notables" to a "club for the shah's placemen" during the Pahlavi era. In the era of the Islamic Republic, it has shifted to being a body primarily influenced by members of the "propertied middle class."

2017 attack

Main article: 2017 Tehran attacks

On 7 June 2017, there were shootings at the Iranian parliament and at the shrine of Ayatollah Khomeini. Gunmen opened fire at the Iranian Parliament and the mausoleum of religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran. The attack on the mausoleum reportedly left 17 persons dead and more than 30 people injured. The parliament was attacked by four gunmen which left seven to eight people injured. Both attacks took place around the same time and appear to have been coordinated.

Functions

The Islamic Consultative Assembly holds the authority to legislate laws on all matters within the boundaries defined by the Constitution. Nevertheless, it is restricted from enacting laws that contradict the fundamental principles of the official religion of the nation (Islam) or the Constitution itself.

Government bills are submitted to the Islamic Consultative Assembly only after obtaining the approval of the .

The Islamic Consultative Assembly possesses the prerogative to investigate and scrutinize all matters concerning the country.

International treaties, protocols, contracts, and agreements necessitate approval from the Islamic Consultative Assembly.

Sanctioning and obtaining national or international loans or grants by the government requires ratification from the Islamic Consultative Assembly.

The President must secure a vote of confidence from the Assembly, through a Council of Ministers approval, upon forming the government and prior to conducting any other business.

In the event that at least one-fourth of the total members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly raise a question to the President, or if any Assembly member poses a question to a minister regarding their duties, the President or the minister is obligated to attend the Assembly and address the query.

All legislation endorsed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly must be submitted to the Guardian Council. Within a maximum of ten days from its receipt, the Guardian Council must review the legislation to ensure its compatibility with Islamic criteria and the Constitution. If any incompatibility is identified, the legislation is returned to the Assembly for further review. Otherwise, the legislation is deemed enforceable.

The Mellat Polling Center is an affiliated institution of the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. It provides public opinion research to support evidence-based legislation and policymaking.

Eligibility

People need to sign up online and upload their university degree document. Candidates need to be 30 at least and 75 years maximum, have a master's degree or equal Level 3 Islamic seminary, and be Iranian born.

Membership

Currently, there are 290 members of Parliament, elected for a four-year term. There are five seats reserved for religious minorities (1.7% of the total members), with two for the Armenians and one each for the Assyrians, Jews and Zoroastrians. About 8% of the parliament are women, while the global average is 13%.

The parliament can force the dismissal of cabinet ministers through no-confidence votes and can impeach the president for misconduct in office. Although the executive proposes most new laws, individual deputies of the parliament also may introduce legislation. Deputies also may propose amendments to bills being debated. The parliament also drafts legislation, ratifies international treaties, and approves the national budget.

All candidates running for election, and proposed legislation from the assembly must be approved by the Guardian Council. Candidates must pledge in writing that they are committed, in theory and in practice, to the Iranian constitution.

Constituencies

Main article: Electoral districts of Iran

The parliament currently has 207 constituencies, including the five reserved seats for religious minorities. The remaining 202 constituencies are territorial, each covering one or more of Iran's 368 counties.

Leadership

Main article: List of Speakers of the Parliament of Iran

Members of Parliament elect their speaker and deputy speakers during the first session of Parliament for a one-year term. Every year, almost always in May, elections for new speakers are held in which incumbents may be re-elected.

The current Speaker of Parliament is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, with First Deputy Speaker Hamid-Reza Haji Babaee and Second Deputy Speaker Ali Nikzad.

Commissions/Fractions

Main article: Specialized Commissions of the Parliament of Iran

; Privileged commissions | Joint Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Special Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Integration Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Investigative Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Internal Regulation Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Article 90 of the Constitution Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly

; Expert commissions | Education, Research and Technology Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Social Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Economy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | National-Security and Foreign-Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Energy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Program, Budget and Accounting Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Health and Medical Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Internal Affairs of the Country and Councils Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Industries and Mines Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Civil Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Cultural Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Judiciary and Legal Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly | Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources and Environment Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly

Fractions

• AI and Data governance

Hack

Prior to the 1 March legislative election, on February 14, 2024, the Assembly servers were hacked, revealing monthly payments of 270 million tomans to members. The following day, the voting system was hacked, and journalists were barred from entering.

Current composition

The last election of Parliament of Iran were held on 1 March 2024 and a second round was held on 10 May 2024 in those 22 districts where no candidate received 20% or more of the votes cast. More than 48,000 candidates registered, but leaving about 15,000 candidates to run for the 290 seats representing the 31 provinces. The final results showed that principlists won 233 of 290 seats in the assembly.

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Historical composition

Parliament 1906.svg|1st Parliament 1909.svg|2nd Parliament 1914.svg|3rd Parliament 1921.svg|4th Parliament 1923.svg|5th Parliament 1926.svg|6th Parliament 1928.svg|7th Parliament 1930.svg|8th Parliament 1930.svg|9th Parliament 1930.svg|10th Parliament 1930.svg|11th Parliament 1930.svg|12th Parliament 1930.svg|13th Parliament 1943.svg|14th Parliament 1947.svg|15th Parliament 1950.svg|16th 1952 Iranian legislative election.svg|17th Parliament 1930.svg|18th National Consultative Assembly of Iran following the 1956 election.svg|19th National Consultative Assembly of Iran following the 1960 election.svg|20th National Consultative Assembly of Iran following the 1963 election.svg|21st National Consultative Assembly of Iran following the 1967 election.svg|22nd National Consultative Assembly of Iran following the 1971 election.svg|23rd National Consultative Assembly of Iran following the 1975 election.svg|24th 1980 Iranian legislative election.svg|25th National Consultative Assembly of Iran following the 1984 election.svg|26th Parliament 1988.svg|27th Parliament 1992.svg|28th Parliament1 1996.svg|29th Parliament 2000.svg|30th Parliament1 2004.svg|31st Parliament1 2008.svg|32nd Parliament1 2012.svg|33rd Parliament 2016.svg|34th Parliament1 2020.svg|35th Parliament1 2024.svg|36th

Building

After 1979, the Parliament convened at the building that used to house the Senate of Iran. A new building for the Assembly was constructed at Baharestan Square in central Tehran, near the old Iranian Parliament building that had been used from 1906 to 1979. After several debates, the move was finally approved in 2004. The first session of the Parliament in the new building was held on 16 November 2004.

The old building is depicted on the reverse of the Iranian 100 rial banknote.

Gallery

File:Parliamenttehran.jpg|The first building (1906–1979) File:Kingdom of Iran 10000 Rials Banknote 1978 - Second Pahlavi King (reverse).png|First building on the reverse of a 1970s 10000 rial banknote File:Palais du Senat iranien (1970).jpg|The second building (1980–2004) File:صد ریال - سری ششم جمهوری (پشت).jpg|Second building on the reverse of the 100 rial banknote (1985–2005) File:نمای جبهه غربی مجلس.jpg|The third building (2004–present)

References

References

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2. "Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Majles Research Center".
3. Abrahamian, ''History of Modern Iran'', (2008), p. 179
4. ''Islamic Majles, Ashnai-ye Ba Majles-e Showra-ye Islami'', Vol.ii (''Guide to the Islamic Majles'', Tehran, 1992, p. 205
5. (2017-06-07). "Iran shootings: Parliament and Khomeini shrine attacked". BBC News.
6. Article 71 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]] (1982-07-28), [http://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/ir/ir001en.pdf Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran] {{Webarchive. link. (10 January 2017 wipo.int (accessed 2017-02-25))
7. Article 72 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]]
8. Article 74 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]]
9. Article 76 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]]
10. Article 77 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]]
11. Article 80 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]]
12. Article 87 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]]
13. Article 88 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]]
14. Article 94 of the [[Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Constitution of Iran]]
15. "The Law on the Duties and Powers of the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly".
16. (24 April 2025). "شرایط ثبت نام نامزدهای انتخابات مجلس اعلام شد".
17. (8 March 2012). "On Women's Day, struggle for equality remains". [[Kyiv Post]].
18. (4 March 2024). "وزیر سابق ارتباطات: فراکسیون هوش مصنوعی مجلس به دنبال حکمرانی «نداده‌ها» است".
19. (13 February 2024). "هک وب‌سایت‌های مجلس؛ هکرها «حقوق ۲۰۰ میلیونی» نمایندگان و مزایایی مانند «آجیل شب یلدا» را فاش کردند".
20. (14 February 2024). "پس لرزه حمله سایبری به مجلس؛ اجازه ورودِ خبرنگاران به مجلس داده نشد".
21. (13 February 2024). "روابط عمومی مجلس هک وب‌سایت‌ها و «دسترسی» هکرها به اسناد مجلس را تأیید کرد". رادیو فردا.
22. (August 13, 2023). "پرونده ثبت نام اولیه مجلس با ۴۸ هزار و ۸۴۷ متقاضی بسته شد".
23. (22 February 2024). "Campaigning begins for Iran's legislative election".
24. (May 13, 2024). "A parliamentary election runoff puts hard-liners firmly in charge of Iran's parliament". Associated Press.
25. [http://www.cbi.ir/default_en.aspx Central Bank of Iran] {{Webarchive. link. (3 February 2021 . Banknotes & Coins: [http://www.cbi.ir/page/1976.aspx 100 Rials] {{Webarchive). link. (7 February 2018 . – Retrieved on 24 March 2009.)