The Quest for Authority in Iran: A History of The Presidency from Revolution to Rouhani (International Library of Iranian Studies)

"Iran's presidents have defined the Islamic Republic's attitudes towards the rest of the world. Never has this been more true than now. In this book Siavush Randjbar-Daemi presents an in-depth analysis of the evolution of the Iranian presidency from its inception in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution to the present day. He offers detailed narratives of each president's ascent to the post and their struggles to acquire authority and maintain relevance within the political process. The figures under consideration include the widely-admired Mohammad Khatami, the internationally-criticised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the incumbent president Hassan Rouhani, who steered the decade-long nuclear confrontation between Iran and the West towards a diplomatic conclusion. This book sheds light on the extraordinarily complex workings of the Iranian state, taking into account both the opportunities and challenges that each president has faced whilst in power. It will be essential reading for scholars of Iranian history, political science and international diplomacy."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Preface and Note on Transliteration Glossary of Common Persian Terms and Abbreviations Introduction Revolutionary Constitution-Writing The Presidential Innovation Institutions, Authority and Elites: An Analytical Framework Defining the ‘Political Environment’ A Truly Unique Presidency 1. The Genesis of the Islamic Republic’s Executive Branch The Creation of the Post-Revolutionary Executive Branch of State Montazeri’s Rejoinder to the June Text The Final Definition of the Executive Branch 2. Fifteen Months of Crisis: The Presidency of Abolhassan Bani-Sadr The First Presidential Elections of the Islamic Republic The Institutional Struggles of Bani-Sadr’s Presidency The ‘Plot’ of the Cultural Revolution The Contentious Selection Process for the Prime Minister The Downfall of Bani-Sadr The Swift Rise and Fall of Bani-Sadr 3. Consolidation and Confrontation: The Khamenei Presidency (1981–8) The Mousavi–Khamenei Duopoly The Challenges of Khamenei’s First Term The Spartan, Artistic Engineer The ‘99 Men’ and Their Challenge to Khomeini ‘Everything has to be Sacrificed for the Sake of Maslahat’ The Engineer’s Failed Resignation Strategy Salman Rushdie and the Unending Tussle Between Khamenei and Mousavi 4. From Imam to Rahbar: The Inception of the Post-Khomeini State Khomeini’s Final Outlook on the Velayat-e Faqih Khamenei’s Sudden Elevation The Constitutional Enshrinement of the New Faqih The Revision of the Executive Branch 5. The First Tenure of Hashemi Rafsanjani: The Quest for Sazandegi Rafsanjani’s Rise to the Presidency The Formation of Rafsanjani’s First Cabinet The Imperative and Perils of Economic Reform: The First Development Plan of the Islamic Republic Rafsanjani’s Electoral Politics: The Battle for the Fourth Majles The Fourth Majles’ Tenuous Relationship with the Government An Uncertain Sazandegi 6. A Sour Success: Rafsanjani’s Re-Election and Turbulent Second Term The Widening of the Economic Confrontation The Last Stand of the President’s Men: The Creation of Kargozaran-e Sazandegi 7. The Presidency of Mohammad Khatami and the Crucible of Eslahat The Resurgence of the Chap: 1997 The Early Electoral Skirmishes Seyyed Mohammad Khatami: The Convergence Candidate The Khatami Discourse The Heyday of Eslahat (1997–2001) 8. A Long Twilight: Khatami’s Second Term (2001–5) The Insurmountable Institutional Barriers to Reform Khatami’s Last Stand: The Twin Bills The Seventh Majles Elections: The Swansong of the Khatami Era Khatami and the Crucible of Eslahat 9. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Quest for Presidential Authority (2005–9) Ahmadinejad’s Rise to Prominence The Presidential Elections of 2005: The Eclipse of the Reformists A New Style of Governance Ahmadinejad’s Tenuous Relationship with the Clergy Ahmadinejad’s Quest for Economic Justice Ahmadinejad’s Assertive Foreign Policy A Controversial First Term 10. The Struggle for the Islamic Republic (2009) The Belated Return to the Scene of Mir-Hossein The Brief Entry and Exit of Mohammad Khatami A Campaign Like No Other The Televised Innovation The Crisis Begins: The Heated Summer of 2009 The Week of Massive Street Demonstrations and the Supreme Leader’s Ultimatum 11. An Agile Lame Duck: The Second Mandate of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2009–13) The Formation of the Second Ahmadinejad Cabinet: Tension and Confrontation Sorcerers, Wizards and Power: The ‘Deviant Current’ and the ‘Illegal President’ The Proposal for the Re-Instatement of the Premiership 12. From Fiery Talabeh to Diplomatic Shaykh: Hassan Rouhani’s Rise to Presidency From Semnan to Tehran: The Political Trajectory of a Militant Cleric The Tortuous Route Towards Ahmadinejad’s Successor The Rafsanjani Enigma The Guardian Council Strikes Again The Emergence of Rouhani as the Moderate Candidate The Televised Innovation, Redux The Nuclear Referendum President Rouhani: Domestic and Foreign Policy Challenges The Struggle for the New Parliament: A Robust Rhetorical Offensive An Evolving Presidential Institution Conclusion: An Ongoing Quest for Authority and State Building Epilogue: The Continued Importance of the Presidency Notes Bibliography Index Iran's presidents have defined the Islamic Republic's attitudes toward the rest of the world. Never has this been more true than now. In The Quest for Authority in Iran, Siavush Randjbar-Daemi presents an in-depth analysis of the evolution of the Iranian presidency from its inception in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution to the present day. He offers detailed narratives of each the presidents' ascent to the post and their struggles to acquire authority and maintain relevance within the political process. The figures under consideration include the widely-admired Mohamad Khatami, the internationally-criticized Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the incumbent president Hassan Rouhani, who steered the decade-long nuclear confrontation between Iran and the West towards a diplomatic conclusion. This book sheds light on the extraordinarily complex workings of the Iranian state, taking into account both the opportunities and challenges that each president has faced whilst in power. Essential reading for scholars of Iranian history, political science, and international diplomacy--Provided by Publisher