Iran, formally the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a unitary theocratic republic in Western Asia in which an unelected supreme leader holds ultimate authority over an elected president and parliament. The Iranian Revolution overthrew the Pahlavi monarchy between January 1978 and February 1979; revolutionary forces took control of the capital on 11 February 1979, the date the state marks as its own founding anniversary. A referendum on 1 April 1979 formally established the Islamic Republic, and a constitution vesting supreme authority in a Shia jurist, the doctrine of velayat-e faqih, was adopted by referendum on 3 December 1979. The atlas dates Iran's founding to 1979, uncontested as the year in which the monarchy fell and the Islamic Republic was established; which specific day within that year best marks the founding, the February revolution, the April referendum or the December constitution, is not settled by this entry, and the description narrates all three.
Facts
Founding Year1979 is uncontested as the year the Pahlavi monarchy fell and the Islamic Republic was established; it is the day within that year that is genuinely disputed. The revolution succeeded on 11 February 1979, the date Iran itself marks as its founding anniversary; a referendum formally established the Islamic Republic on 1 April 1979; and the constitution vesting authority in the doctrine of velayat-e faqih was adopted on 3 December 1979. The entity description narrates all three rather than picking one day, but the year itself is not in question. Classification
Freedom Status Connections
Associated With
Source Constitution of Iran (Wikipedia)
This source names Iran directly: "country overview article for Iran, covering its formation, government and history."
Source Iran (Britannica)
Iran's Supreme Leader, empowered under Constitution articles 57 and 110, is the concrete modern example of theocratic rule.
Source Council on Foreign Relations: Iran's Supreme Leader
Governed By
Source Mojtaba Khamenei (Wikipedia)
Source Masoud Pezeshkian (Wikipedia)
Practices
Source Theocracy (Britannica)
Source Unitary State (Britannica)
Shaped By
Source Constitutional Revolution, Iran (Britannica)
Source Ayatollah Khomeini (EBSCO Research Starters)
Source Ayatollah Khomeini (EBSCO Research Starters)
Sources
1. Freedom House: Iran (Freedom in the World 2025)
Freedom HouseOverview, Global Freedom Score 10/100 (not free)Quote, Overview, Global Freedom Score 10/100 (not free)
The Islamic Republic of Iran holds elections regularly, but they fall short of democratic standards due in part to the influence of the hard-line Guardian Council, an unelected body that disqualifies all candidates it deems insufficiently loyal to the clerical establishment.
2. Iran (Britannica)
Masoud Pezeshkian (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationGoverned By: Pezeshkian Administration, Lead section, opening sentenceQuote, Governed By: Pezeshkian Administration, Lead section, opening sentence
who has served as the ninth president of Iran since 2024
Mojtaba Khamenei (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationGoverned By: Khamenei Supreme Leadership, Lead sectionQuote, Governed By: Khamenei Supreme Leadership, Lead section
is an Iranian Shia cleric and politician who has served as the third supreme leader of Iran since 2026.
Constitution of Iran (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Constitution of Iran, IntroductionQuote, Associated With: Constitution of Iran, Introduction
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the supreme law of Iran.
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