Is Iran a dictatorship?
It’s a theocracy operating over a republic. A theocracy is often a form of dictatorship, though not always. In a theocracy, the religious establishment controls the nation. It is a dictatorship when that power is instilled in a single individual, which is the case in Iran. Hence Iran is indeed a dictatorship. In Iran, the Ayatollah is elected by the clerical system to be the Supreme Leader for life. He is above the law and can change the law, dismiss a president, appoint all positions of power, control the military, and rule by decree. That’s a dictator if ever I heard one. It’s only called a theocracy because it is the religious establishment who chooses the leader and the leader is said to be the head of the religion. This system replaced the Shah system of government in the 1979 revolution. The Shah system and the Ayatollah system are essentially the same thing. Iran has had 2 Ayatollahs since they overthrew the Shah. Underneath the Ayatollah is a surprisingly vibrant democratic rep
