Comparative Government and Politics in Iran

What is the fundamental political challenge that the Islamic Republic of Iran has faced since the Islamic Revolution of 1979?

• Managing the country's rich oil supply given the increasingly hostile environment in the Middle East.

• Denying women the right to vote while allowing them the freedom to run for elected office.

• Maintaining a balance between the religious demands of the clergy and the representative demands of the citizens.

• Maintaining positive foreign relations with oil-consuming countries during times of military conflict.

The ouster of elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953 and his replacement by Shah Mohammed-Reza Pahlavi were carried out by

• Iraq and Saudi Arabia

• the Iranian military

• the United States and Great Britain

• the KGB of the Soviet Union

The main causes of the Islamic Revolution of 1979 include all of the following EXCEPT

• The United States continued to support the Shah despite reports of serious human rights abuses in Iran.

• The Shah abdicated his throne to his son in 1978 which caused unrest and political instability.

• The ideology of Ayatollah Khomeini was spreading throughout Iran and gaining many supporters in the 1970s.

• Economic and cultural changes had created significant divisions in society between the rural population and the urban educated elites.

Which of the following was a major consequence of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88) and the Hostage Crisis (11/1979-01/1981)?

• These events turned the Iranian people against the Ayatollah Khomeini because of the many deaths of young Iranians.

• These events undermined the spread of Shi'a Islam in most sectors of Iranian society.

• These events deterred Iran from getting involved in the foreign affairs of other countries for the next two decades.

• These events allowed the Islamists and the Ayatollah Khomeini to consolidate their power.

Which of the following events served to put an end to the Reformist movement under President Khatami (1997-2005)?

• President Bush's 2002 "Axis of Evil" Speech.

• The Persian Gulf War 1991.

• The Arab-Israeli conflict 1999

• The drastic reduction in the price of oil after 9/11/2001.

A country that derives the majority of government revenue from exporting raw materials or leasing out natural resources to foreign companies or countries is known as

• a dual hierarchical society.

• a dependent state.

• a rentier state.

• a member of OPEC.

What was the result of the 2009 presidential election?

• Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a reformist candidate, narrowly won the election.

• Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a conservative candidate, won the election amid challenges of voter fraud which led to the Green Movement.

• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected by a very narrow margin with 51% of the vote.

• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected amid challenges of voter fraud which led to the Green Movement.

Which of the following statements about the 2016 and 2020 Majles elections is true?

• The majority of Majles members elected in 2016 and 2020 represent the Conservative faction.

• Voter turnout in 2016 and 2020 was about the same, around 60%.

• The majority of Majles members elected in 2016 and 2020 represent the Reformist faction.

• The majority of Majles members in 2016 represented the Reformist faction while in 2020 they represent the Conservative faction.

The Supreme Leader is chosen by

• the electorate.

• the Assembly of Religious Experts.

• The Guardian Council.

• The Expediency Council.

All of the following are powers of the Supreme Leader EXCEPT

• mediating among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

• appointing the president.

• serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

• appointing six members of the Guardian Council.