Is Iran a democracy or a dictatorship?

Iran holds elections but unelected bodies — including the Supreme Leader, Guardian Council, and IRGC — have the power to disqualify candidates, overrule elected officials, and override parliamentary decisions. Most analysts describe it as an authoritarian theocratic state.

What is the IRGC and how powerful is it?

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a parallel military force that controls an estimated 20-40% of Iran's economy through construction, energy, and import monopolies. It answers directly to the Supreme Leader and operates independently of the elected government.

Who will succeed Khamenei?

No official successor has been named. Leading candidates include Mojtaba Khamenei (the Supreme Leader's son), Ebrahim Raisi's successor as president, and several senior clerics, but the succession process is opaque and controlled by the Assembly of Experts.

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Iran's Real Power Structure

Iran's government has two parallel power structures: an elected layer consisting of the president and parliament, and an unelected layer consisting of the Supreme Leader, the Guardian Council, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Real decision-making authority — especially on foreign policy, nuclear negotiations, and military operations — sits entirely within the unelected layer.