Islamic Republic of Iran: A Successful Local Model of Democracy.

1. Democracy and Human Rights

   The Islamic Republic of Iran believes in the importance of people's participation in decisionmaking procedures in the political, social, cultural and economic spheres and considers it as strengthening the authority of the country.

   Different democratic institutions like general elections, independent judiciary system, parliament (house of nation), City and Village Councils, Non-Governmental Organizations etc, have been established after the Islamic revolution which guarantees the participation of people (without any discrimination) in different aspects of the sociopolitical life of the country.

   Located in the area of relative instability and hereditary monarchies in the Middle East, Iran is an example of commitment to maintain democracy and human rights under any situation.

   Also, the Constitutional law of Islamic Republic of Iran draws a system of check and balance between different bodies/organs of the government.

   The conduct of holding and monitoring elections, in terms of people's right to participate in public administration, right to equality before the law, and confidentiality of the votes, completely conforms to article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

   In the Islamic Republic of Iran, the highest government authorities are elected by direct or indirect vote of the people. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran is elected by the Assembly of Experts whose members are elected by direct vote of the people. Other high government authorities, including the President and the members of Parliament, are also elected by direct vote of the people.

   Over the past four decades, around 40 elections (e.g. Presidential, Assembly of Experts, Parliamentary, and City and Rural Councils) have been held with the extensive participation of the people. The result of these elections is circulation of power between different political parties as well as independent individuals based on popular votes.

   The huge numbers of people who attend ballot boxes confirm the belief in freedom and acceptability of elections in Iran. For instance, the rate of Participation in the previous round of the presidential election was more than 73%. Iran is proud that nothing including the eight-year imposed war against our country delayed or prevented even a single election for one day during these years.

   Charter 1: a political comparison of Iran, before and after the Islamic Revolution (1979)

   Index###Before...