E. V. DUNAEVA Candidate of Economic Sciences Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences political system of Iran Keywords:, religious parties, Islamic revolution of 1979 Presidential elections will be held in Iran on June 14, 2013. Shiite clergy actively participate in the election campaign. Shiite theologians are at the head of a number of government institutions and control the activities of elected bodies. So, out of 686 applicants, the Council of Guardians of the Constitution registered only eight candidates, removing a number of key figures from the race. Among them are former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and former Chief of Staff of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - Esfandiyar Rahim Mashaei. The establishment of the Islamic Republic, the more than 30-year - old functioning of the special system of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), which reflects the idea of Islamic rule in the modern world-all this shows how the clergy can exercise political leadership of the country. The specific nature of the Iranian political system is the close interweaving of democratic and theocratic principles, and the consolidation of real political power for the clergy. Shiite theologians are at the head of a number of government institutions and control the activities of elected bodies. However, the clergy participate in the social and political life of the country not only through traditional or power structures. Religious parties and organizations have become an integral part of the political system of Iran itself. THE TRADITION OF THE IRANIAN CLERGY The active participation of the Shiite clergy in political processes is due to their relative political and economic independence, as well as a strong organizational structure. Such features of his position, close connection with the masses of the people and the doctrinal features of Shiism allowed him to actively interfere in political life. One of the tenets of Shiite teaching is the dogm ... Read more