Who is in charge of Iran?

2022-10-09 12:07:46

Security forces in Iran have been violently cracking down on protests sparked by the death in custody of a young woman. Mahsa Amini, 22, was arrested for allegedly not covering her hair properly with a hijab, or headscarf. There have been protests across the country and human rights groups say at least 150 people have been killed. Who decides when to use force to crush protests? What are the powers of the supreme leader? The most powerful figure in Iran is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader since 1989. He is head of state and commander-in-chief. He has authority over the national police and the morality police, whose officers detained Mahsa Amini. Ayatollah Khamenei also controls the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), which is in charge of internal security, and its volunteer wing, the Basij Resistance Force. The Basij have repeatedly quelled dissent in Iran. As such, he has most say over how to deal with the protests.