Between the Supreme Leader and the President: Understanding Wilayat al Faqih (Iranian) System of Governance

Abstract

This paper is going to explain Wilayat al Faqih (Iranian) system of governance by looking at it from institutional and elite theory approach. The paper will try also to look at the so called “president dilemma” within Wilayat al Faqih system of governance, which is represented by the power struggle between the institution of the supreme leader and the institution of the president in public policy making. This power struggle revealed the weakness of the ideology and the institution of Wilayat al Faqih founded by the leader of the Iranian revolution, Khomeini. And became to open the door for many questions of whether or not the Wilayat al Faqih ideology and institution can lead to a constitutional crisis, if not what kind of future is held for both the institution of the supreme leader and the institution of the president under its system?