Day 4 - The Leader of the Revolution and Iran’s Foreign Policy

On this day, we are going to cover two very important topics touched upon in the Constitution, namely the election of the Supreme Leader (Ch. VIII) and the principles of Iran’s foreign policy (Ch. X). Both topics should be considered essential for any student who is studying modern Iran. The first part should be of especial interest, as nowadays the talks about the possible successor of the Supreme Leader are hotly debated.

  1. Curriculum
  2. Intermediate Persian Syllabus
  3. Week 6 - Legal Persian (The Constitution)
  4. Day 4 - The Leader of the Revolution and Iran’s Foreign Policy  

Readings: The text of the Chs. VIII & X of the Constitution: see pages 58-61 and 71 of the following PDF file. 

Listening: In this video, the current Supreme Leader of the IRI, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, explains the scope of his duties according to the Iranian Constitution.

The second short video presents the often-cited three principles of Iran’s foreign policy - dignity, wisdom, and expediency – based on the Supreme Leader’s guidance.

Students are also recommended to watch this explanatory documentary from the YouTube channel “Factorism” on the concept of “velayat-e faqih” and its incorporation into the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Subject of Conversation: The role and  importance of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in the IRI (نقش و اهمیت مقام رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی در جمهوری اسلامی ایران).

In this conversation, students will explore the constitutional role, authority, and influence of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in the political system of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Key questions include: How is the Leader elected? What are his official powers and responsibilities? How does “velayat-e faqih” shape Iran’s domestic and foreign policies

Homework: 
- Please carefully read the today’s texts and study the vocabulary. 
- Watch the second short video from the Listening section, then read the Chapter 10 of the Constitution. Write a short reflection on how the Supreme Leader’s guidance relates to the constitutional articles on Iran’s foreign policy (around 200 words). 
- Prepare for the next day’s discussion.