Iran Government

Iran is a unitary Islamic republic with one legislative house. It has a mixed system of government that  several bodies dominated by the clergy oversee the executive, parliament, and judiciary. The Assembly of experts chooses a leader from a qualified group of shi'ite clergy based on personal piety, expertise in Islamic law, and political acumen. The leader will then appoint officials, members of the judiciary, and military leaders, along with the members of the Council Guardian. In Iran's constitution, which took affect in 1979, recognizes the creation of political parties as long as they do not violate the principles of independence, freedom, national unity, the criteria of Islam, or the basis of the Islamic Republic. Iran went from a single-party state to nearly 100 parties immediately following the revolution. In order for a party to become official they must get a permit from Interior Ministry meaning that the government oversees party formation. New parties are mainly formed by breaking away from other parties because they were wither too left or right in one specific issue.