Interim Government of Iran (1979)
Encyclopedia
The Interim Government of Iran of 1979 (also known as the Provisional Revolutionary Government) was the first government established in Iran
after the Islamic Revolution
. This government was headed by Mehdi Bazargan
and formed on the order of Ruhollah Khomeini
(known as the Ayatollah
Khomeini), February 4, 1979, in competition to Shapour Bakhtiar
(the Shah
's last Prime Minister) who was still claiming power. Mehdi Bazargan
was the interim Prime Minister
of the interim government and introduced a seven-member cabinet on February 14, 1979.
The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran was adopted by referendum on October 24, 1979. Before it could come into force on December 3, 1979, however, the Interim Government resigned on November 6, 1979, soon after the taking over of the American embassy
, an act the government opposed but revolutionary leader Khomeini supported. The Council of Islamic Revolution then served as the country's government until the formation of the first parliament on August 12, 1980.
Ayatollah Khomeini appointed Bazargan as the prime minister of "The Provisional Revolutionary Government" on February 4, 1979.
According to his commandment:
Elaborating further on his decree, Khomeini made it clear Iranians were commanded to obey Bazargan and that this was a religious duty.
The PRG is often described as "subordinate" to the Revolutionary Council, and having had difficulties reigning in the numerous committees which were competing with its authority
Minister or Bazargan himself.
List of members of Bazargan's cabinet was as follows:
Power then passed into the hands of the Revolutionary Council. Bazargan had been a supporter of the original revolutionary draft constitution rather than theocracy by Islamic jurist, and his resignation was received by Khomeini without protest, saying "Mr. Bazargan ... was a little tired and preferred to stay on the sidelines for a while." Khomeini later described his appointment of Bazargan as a "mistake."
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
after the Islamic Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
. This government was headed by Mehdi Bazargan
Mehdi Bazargan
Mehdi Bazargan was a prominent Iranian scholar, academic, long-time pro-democracy activist and head of Iran's interim government, making him Iran's first prime minister after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. He was the head of the first engineering department of Tehran University...
and formed on the order of Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
(known as the Ayatollah
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Khomeini), February 4, 1979, in competition to Shapour Bakhtiar
Shapour Bakhtiar
Shapour Bakhtiar was an Iranian political scientist, writer and the last Prime Minister of Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi...
(the Shah
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
's last Prime Minister) who was still claiming power. Mehdi Bazargan
Mehdi Bazargan
Mehdi Bazargan was a prominent Iranian scholar, academic, long-time pro-democracy activist and head of Iran's interim government, making him Iran's first prime minister after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. He was the head of the first engineering department of Tehran University...
was the interim Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Iran
Prime Minister of Iran was a political post in Iran that had existed during several different periods of time starting with the Qajar era until its most recent revival from 1979 to 1989 following the Iranian Revolution.-Prime Ministers of Qajar era:In the Qajar era, prime ministers were known by...
of the interim government and introduced a seven-member cabinet on February 14, 1979.
The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran was adopted by referendum on October 24, 1979. Before it could come into force on December 3, 1979, however, the Interim Government resigned on November 6, 1979, soon after the taking over of the American embassy
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
, an act the government opposed but revolutionary leader Khomeini supported. The Council of Islamic Revolution then served as the country's government until the formation of the first parliament on August 12, 1980.
Ayatollah Khomeini's commandment for Bazargan
Khomeini's announcement came three days after the army's official statement announcing the army's (Bakhtiar's last hope) neutrality in conflicts between Khomeini's and Bakhtiar's supporters. Bakhtiar fled on the same day, February 11, the day that is officially named as Islamic Revolution's Victory Day.Ayatollah Khomeini appointed Bazargan as the prime minister of "The Provisional Revolutionary Government" on February 4, 1979.
According to his commandment:
"Based on the proposal of the Revolutionary Council and in accordance with the canonical and legal rights which originated from the vote of overwhelming majority of Iranian nation for leadership of the movement which has been represented in the vast gatherings and wide and numerous demonstrations across Iran and because of my utmost trust on your firm belief in the holy tenets of IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and my knowledge of your precedent in Islamic and national struggles, I appoint you the authority to establish the interim government without consideration of any affiliation to any parties or dependence on any factional groups, for formation of temporary government to arrange organizing of country affairs and especially perform a referendum and refer to public vote of nation about turning the country into Islamic republicIslamic republicIslamic republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Mauritania. Pakistan adopted the title under the constitution of 1956. Mauritania adopted it on 28 November 1958. Iran adopted it after the 1979 Iranian...
and formation of "The Council of the Founders" from the representatives of people to approve of constitution of new regime and to hold elections of representatives of parliament of nation on the basis of the new constitution.
It is necessary that you appoint and introduce the members of the temporary government as soon as possible in concordance with the conditions I have clarified. ll public offices, the army, and citizens shall furnish their utmost cooperation with your interim government so as to attain the high and holy goals of this Islamic revolution and to restore order and function to the affairs of the nation. I pray to God for the success of you and your interim government in this sensitive juncture of our nation's history.’’ — Ruhollah Al-Musavi al-Khomeini."
Elaborating further on his decree, Khomeini made it clear Iranians were commanded to obey Bazargan and that this was a religious duty.
As a man who, though the guardianship [Velayat] that I have from the holy lawgiver [the Prophet], I hereby pronounce Bazargan as the Ruler, and since I have appointed him, he must be obeyed. The nation must obey him. This is not an ordinary government. It is a government based on the shariaShariaSharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
. Opposing this government means opposing the sharia of Islam ... Revolt against God's government is a revolt against God. Revolt against God is blasphemyBlasphemyBlasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
.
The PRG is often described as "subordinate" to the Revolutionary Council, and having had difficulties reigning in the numerous committees which were competing with its authority
Members of the cabinet
Bazargan reshuffled his cabinet several times because of resignation of ministers that were unable to cope with parallel sources of power. In several cases a ministry was supervised by an actingActing (law)
In law, when someone is said to be acting in a position it can mean one of three things.*The position has not yet been formally created.*The person is only occupying the position temporarily, to ensure continuity.*The person does not have a mandate....
Minister or Bazargan himself.
List of members of Bazargan's cabinet was as follows:
| Ministry | Minister |
|---|---|
| Prime Minister Prime Minister of Iran Prime Minister of Iran was a political post in Iran that had existed during several different periods of time starting with the Qajar era until its most recent revival from 1979 to 1989 following the Iranian Revolution.-Prime Ministers of Qajar era:In the Qajar era, prime ministers were known by... |
Mehdi Bazargan Mehdi Bazargan Mehdi Bazargan was a prominent Iranian scholar, academic, long-time pro-democracy activist and head of Iran's interim government, making him Iran's first prime minister after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. He was the head of the first engineering department of Tehran University... |
| Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both... |
Abbas Amir-Entezam Abbas Amir-Entezam Abbas Amir-Entezam was the spokesman and Deputy Prime Minister in the Interim Cabinet of Mehdi Bazargan in 1979. In 1981 he was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of spying for the U.S., a charge critics suggest was a cover for retaliation against his early opposition to theocratic... |
| Agricultural Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture (Iran) The Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture established in 2001, is an Iranian government body responsible for the oversight of Agriculture in Iran... |
Ali-Mohammad Ezadi |
| Commerce Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Reza Sadr |
| Post Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (Iran) The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology established in 1908, is the Ministry of Information and Communication of the Islamic Republic of Iran... |
Mohammad-Hassan Eslami |
| Culture and Higher Education Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is the ministry of Culture of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is responsible for restricting access to any media of which the Islamic Regime in Tehran does not approve.... |
Abbas Dozdorani Hassan Habibi Hassan Habibi Hassan Ebrahim Habibi is an Iranian politician and scholar, presently the Head of Academy of Persian Language and Literature , and a member of the High Council of Cultural Revolution.Habibi was the 1st First Vice President of Iran from 1989 to 2001, eight years under President Rafsanjani and... |
| Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics The Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics is the defence ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It was formed in 1989 and has control both over Iran's regular forces and over its Revolutionary Guard, particularly bringing the latter under the overall defence umbrella by reducing its... |
Ahmad Madani Ahmad Madani Admiral Ahmad Madani , born in Kerman, Iranian politician, Commander of Iranian Navy , Governor of the Khuzestan province and candidate in the first Iranian presidential election.-Before Islamic Revolution:... Mostafa Chamran Mostafa Chamran Mostafa Chamran Savei was an Iranian scientist who served as first Defence Minister of post-revolutionary Iran and as member of parliament, as well as commander of paramilitary volunteers in Iran–Iraq War. He was killed during the war... |
| Economy Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Ali Ardalan |
| Education Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Gholam-Hossein Shokhohi Minister (government) A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet.... Mohammad-Ali Rajai |
| Energy Energy In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems... |
Abbas Taj |
| Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs (Iran) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an Iranian government ministry. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the Cabinet member in charge.... |
Karim Sanjabi Karim Sanjabi Karim Sanjabi was an Iranian liberal political leader of the 20th century. He was born in Kermanshah, Iran.-Early life:... Mehdi Bazargan Mehdi Bazargan Mehdi Bazargan was a prominent Iranian scholar, academic, long-time pro-democracy activist and head of Iran's interim government, making him Iran's first prime minister after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. He was the head of the first engineering department of Tehran University... Ebrahim Yazdi Ebrahim Yazdi Ebrahim Yazdi is an Iranian politician and diplomat who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the interim government of Mehdi Bazargan, until his resignation in November 1979, in protest to the Iran hostage crisis... |
| Health Ministry of Health and Medical Education The Ministry of Health and Medical Education has executive responsibility for health and medical education within the Iranian government.Iran's health system is highly centralized, and almost all decisions regarding general... |
Kazem Sami Kazem Sami Dr. Kazem Sami Kermani was Iran's minister of health in the transitional government of Mehdi Bazargan and leader of the Iranian Nation Liberation Movement , an offshoot of Freedom Movement of Iran, a liberal religious-nationalist movement affiliated with National Front of Iran.-Political career:Dr... |
| Housing and Urban Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Mostafa Katirabi |
| Industries Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Mahmoud Ahmadzadeh |
| Interior Ministry of Interior (Iran) The Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in charge of performing, supervising and reporting elections, and policing, among other responsibilities related to the interior.... |
Ahmad Sadr-e Hajj Sayyed Javadi Hashem Sabbaghian Hashem Sabbaghian Hashem Sabbaghian is an Iranian politician, humanitarian, democracy activist and former parliament member. He was Minister of Interior in the Interim Government of Mehdi Bazargan in 1979. Later, he became member of parliament from 1980 to 1984.-Early life:He was born on 1 January 1937 in Tehran.... |
| Justice Ministry of Justice (Iran) Minister of Justice of the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for prosecuting the government cases. In other words, the justice minister is the attorney-general of the country. However, he has nothing to do with policing which is the responsibility of the Interior minister of the Islamic... |
Assadollah Mobasheri |
| Labour and Social Affairs Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Dariush Forouhar Dariush Forouhar Dariush Forouhar was a founder and leader of the Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran , a pan-Iranist opposition party in Iran and served as Minister of Labor in the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Mehdi Bazargan in 1979... |
| Petroleum and Oil Ministry of Petroleum of Iran The Ministry of Petroleum manages the oil industry, the producer of oil and petrochemical products. MoP is in charge of all issues pertaining to exploration, extraction, exploitation, distribution and exportation of crude oil and oil products. In addition, according to the "", issuing import... |
Ali-Akbar Moeenfar |
| Roads Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Yousef Taheri |
| Science Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Ali Shariatmadari Ali Shariatmadari Ali Shariatmadari is an Iranian academic and educationist. He was President of the Iranian Academy of Sciences from 1990-1998... |
| Tourism Politics of Iran The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is... |
Naser Minachi |
Resignation
The Prime Minister and all members of his cabinet resigned en masse on November 6, 1979 after American Embassy officials were taken hostage two days earlier on November 4, 1979. In his letter to Khomeini, Bazargan stated that "...repeated interferences, inconveniences, objections and disputes have made my colleagues and me unable to continue [meeting] our duties ...".Power then passed into the hands of the Revolutionary Council. Bazargan had been a supporter of the original revolutionary draft constitution rather than theocracy by Islamic jurist, and his resignation was received by Khomeini without protest, saying "Mr. Bazargan ... was a little tired and preferred to stay on the sidelines for a while." Khomeini later described his appointment of Bazargan as a "mistake."
See also
- Interim Government of Iran, 1981Interim government of Iran, 1981The interim government of the Islamic Republic of Iran was established after the assassination of Mohammad-Ali Rajai and Mohammad Javad Bahonar on August 30...