Quantifying Clerical Power in the Islamic Republic

Shortly after the Iranian revolution of 1979, clerics led by Ruhollah Khomeini - who said before the revolution that he had “no interest in political power” - seized Iran’s executive. In the following four decades, clerics came to dominate many high-level government positions, in addition to the position of the Supreme Leader and the head of judiciary, which are, by law, monopolized by the clergy.

Iran Open Data research shows that of the 19 heads of government in charge since the formation Islamic Republic, 13 (more than 70%) have been clerics. 

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*Calculations consider the length of clergy tenure for each of the branches of government. 

Cleric’s share of the parliament seats

Clerics occupy a high number of seats in the legislature. Examining legislature membership in the past 11 periods, clerics occupied, on average, 23% of Majlis seats.
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The second Majlis term, which started in 1984, included the highest number of clerics. During that period, more than 56% of seats in the parliament were held by seminary graduates. In the first and third terms, 49% and 31% of the seats were held by clerics, respectively. The lowest rates were during the 10th and 6th terms, where 5% and 11% of representatives were clerics, respectively.

However, the presence of clerics in the parliamentary presiding committee is much more prominent than their presence in the position of ordinary representatives. Until the 2010s and the formation of the 10th Majlis, at least one cleric was always in the presiding committee as the speaker or the vice-speaker of Parliament.  

Clerics’ share of ministry seats

The pervasiveness of clerics is not limited to Parliament. Clerics have also had a significant presence at the highest levels of the executive branch. In addition to the presidency, clerics have occupied 10% of all ministerial posts.

In the first term of President Mohammad Khatami, five ministers were clerics. In the first Islamic Republic government of Mir Hossein Mousavi and the fifth government of Hashemi Rafsanjani, four clerics were present as ministers. Vice presidents, advisors to the head of the executive branch, and acting ministers are not included in this report. 
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Exclusive quotas for clerics in executive posts

Clerics are also present in other high-level executive posts. They also occupy powerful positions in the Assembly of Experts, the Guardian Council, the Expediency Council, and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. 

The constitution has guaranteed a 50% share of seats for clerics in the Guardian Council. Iran Open Data’s research shows that a total of 52 people have been appointed as members of the Guardian Council, of which 25 were clerics.

The conditions of membership in the Assembly of Leadership Experts apply only to the clerics, meaning 100% of its members are clerics. This Assembly’s main task is to select and supervise another cleric, who is the highest official in the Islamic Republic according to the constitution.
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Clerics in parallel institutions

Two other institutions operate parallel to the three branches of government and other constitutionally mandated institutions. One is the Cultural Revolution Council, the top legislative body in cultural, social, and educational affairs. Here, clerics have played a prominent role since the beginning. The other is the Expediency Discernment Council and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. In these, more than a third of the seats are currently reserved for clerics.

The Expediency Council was established in 1987 by Khomeini’s decree. The task of this assembly is to resolve disputes between the Majlis and the Guardian Council. At first, this assembly was a small group, but after amending the constitution and the beginning of the leadership of Ali Khamenei, its membership and authority grew.

The members of the Expediency Council are a combination of real persons and legal entities who are appointed by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Clerics played a prominent role in this assembly, both in terms of number and influence. A look at its membership shows that in all periods, between 35% and 90% its members were clerics.
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