Iran

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Supreme Leader - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

• commands the armed forces / declares war
• appoints the Chief Justice, head of TV and radio, the 6 clerical members of the Guardian Council
  
• can fire the President
• can pardon the convicted
• is the voicebox of Islam
• people do whatever he says to do just because
• executes the constitution
  

President - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

• 4 year term, popular election
  
• appoints the "council of ministers" which is like the cabinet, but way bigger. its his posse
• writes the budget
• appoints governors, diplomats
• executes the constitution (teamwork!)

Assembly of Experts - Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

• 86 Members, 8 year term, popular election
  
• elects the Supreme Leader
• can also dismiss him

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Majlis

• 290 members, 4 year term, popular election
  
• writes legislation
• ratifies treaties
• approves the budget

The Guardian Council (pretty much its own branch of government)

• 12 members, 6 year terms
• 6 clerical members, appointed by the Supreme Leader
• 6 elected by the Majlis from candidates nominated by the Chief Justice
• can veto legislation passed by the Majlis on the basis of unconstitutionality or conflict with Islamic law. (conflict with Islamic law is only reviewed by the 6 clerical members) the vetoed legislation is then returned to the Majlis for alteration and re-submission
  
• can hear court cases, but not criminal cases - only those that deal with the constitutionality of a law
• are specifically granted the power of supervising elections:
  
• they get to pre-approve EVERYONE who runs for President, Majlis, or Assembly of Experts
• they officially run elections, are charged with supervising the counting of the ballots, etc...
• which is why they hold most of the cards in the current situation in Iran. As much as the Supreme Leader, I dare say.
  

The Expediency Council

• rag-tag bunch of people from each branch + the 6 clerics from the Guardian Council
• defined as "advisory board to the Supreme Leader"
• solves legislative tie-breakers between the Majlis and the Guardian Council

JUDICIAL BRANCH

The Courts

• Chief Justice appoints most of the top positions
• rest of branch functions pretty independently from the rest of the government and is really complicated
  

Conclusion: Supreme Leader aside, The Guardian Council wields uncompromisable power.


Have a nice night
-p