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.
Vocabulary (Constitution Text):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| اکثریت قاطع | aksariyyat-e qāte’ | decisive majority |
| خبره | xobre | expert |
| اعلم | a’lam | better versed |
| مقبولیت | maqbuliyyat | acceptance |
| برجستگی | barjestegi | prominence |
| ناشی از | nāši az | caused by, arising from |
| مساوی | mosāvi | equal |
| اکثریت آراء | aksariyyat-e ārā’ | majority of votes |
| تصویب | tasvib | approval |
| تجدید نظر | tajdid-e nazar | revision |
| صلاحیت | salāhiyyat | competence |
| افتاء | eftā’ | issuing of fatwa |
| تدبیر | tadbir | prudence |
| مجمع تشخیص مصلحت نظام | majma’ tašxis maslahat-e nezām | Expediency Discernment Council |
| نیروهای مسلح | niruhā-ye mosallah | armed forces |
| بسیج کردن | basij kardan | to mobilize |
| نصب | nasb | appointment |
| عزل | azl | dismissal |
| استعفا | este’fā | resignation |
| شورای نگهبان | šourā-ye negahbān | the Guardian Council |
| قوه قضائیه | qovve-ye qazā’iye | judiciary |
| ستاد مشترک | setād-e moštarak | the general staff |
| سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی | sepāh-e pāsdārān-e enqelāb-e eslāmi | Islamic Revolution Guards Corps |
| تنظیم | tanzim | regulation |
| معضلات | mo’zelāt | problems |
| داوطلب | dāvtalab | volunteer |
| دیوان عالی | divān-e ‘āli | the Supreme Court |
| تخلف | taxallof | violation |
| عدم کفایت | ‘adam-e kefāyat | incompetence |
| عفو | ‘afv | pardoning |
| تفویض کردن | tafviz kardan | to delegate |
Vocabulary (First Video):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| توفیق | toufiq | success, good luck, grace |
| فرهیختگان (مفرد: فرهیخته) | farhixtegān (sing. farhixte) | intellectuals |
| صاحب‌نظر | sāhebnazar | expert, opinion-holder |
| میثاق | misāq | pact, covenant |
| تجسم | tajassom | embodiment, visualization |
| تضمین کننده | tazminkonande | guarantor |
| حقوق اساسی | hoquq-e asāsi | fundamental rights |
| مشروع | mašrū‘ | legitimate, lawful |
| تکالیف (مفرد: تکلیف) | takālif (sing. taklif) | obligations, duties |
| آحاد شهروندان | āhād-e šahrvandān | all individual citizens, each and every citizen |
| دست‌اندارکار | dastandārkār | executor, actor |
| عالم هستی | ‘ālam-e hasti | the universe, the world of being |
| اجرا شدن | ejrā šodan | to be implemented |
| کم‌توجهی | kamtavajjohi | neglect, inattention |
| احیاناً | ahyānan | possibly, occasionally |
| عرصه | ‘arse | field, arena |
| اجتماعی | ejtemā‘i | social |
| دارای چیزی بودن | dārā-ye čizi budan | to possess something |
| مکلف بودن | mokallaf budan | to be obliged, to be bound |
| برجسته | barjaste | prominent, distinguished |
| خالی از لطف | xāli az lotf | not without charm, worth mentioning |
| رفاقت داشتن | refāqat dāštan | to have friendship |
| مأمور کردن | ma’mur kardan | to assign, to delegate |
| مترقی | motaraqqi | progressive |
| جلوه | jelve | appearance, manifestation |
| به حساب گذاشتن | be hesāb-e kasi/čizi gozāštan | to attribute (something) to someone/something |
| غیر قابل تغییر | γeyr-e qābel-e taγyir | unchangeable, immutable |
| اقتصاد مقاومتی | eqtesād-e moqāvemati | resistance economy |
| منتها | montahā | however, but; finally, in the end |
| تصمیم‌گیری | tasmimgiri | decision-making |
| موردی | mouredi | occasional, specific |
| دستگاه | dastgāh | apparatus, institution |
| استیضاح کردن | estizāh kardan | to call to account |
| وظیفه | vazife | duty, responsibility |
| مداقه | modāqqe | careful consideration |
| بایستی | bāyesti | must, should |
| اجرایی | ejrāyi | executive, administrative |
| خلاف | xalāf-e | contrary to, against |
| مقبول بودن | maqbūl budan | to be acceptable |
| منحرف کردن | monharef kardan | to divert, to mislead |
| ولو | valou | though, even though |
| مورد (جمع: موارد) | moured (pl. mavāred) | case, instance, matter |
| انگشت گذاشتن | angošt gozāštan | to point out, to highlight |
| زیر بار رفتن | zir-e bār raftan | to agree to something, to comply with a demand/request |
| قضیه | qaziyye | issue, matter |
| موظف بودن | movazzaf budan | to be obliged, to be assigned a duty |
| تذکر دادن | tazakkor dādan | to warn, to point out |
| مانع شدن | māne‘ šodan | to prevent |