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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Iran
Index
As of 1987, Iran was divided into twenty-four provinces
(ostans). Each province was subdivided into several counties
(shahrestans). Shahrestans numbered 195, each of
which was centered on the largest town within its boundaries. Most
shahrestans took their names from those towns that served as
county seats. All of the shahrestans consisted of two or
more districts, or bakhshs. The 498 bakhshs were
further subdivided into rural subdistricts (dehestans). Each
dehestan consisted of several villages dispersed over an
average area of 1,600 square kilometers.
The prerevolutionary provincial administrative structure was
still employed in 1987. Thus, each province was headed by a
governor general (ostandar), who was appointed by the
minister of interior. Each county was headed by a governor
(farmandar), also appointed by the minister of interior.
Local officials, such as the chiefs of districts
(bakhshdars), rural subdistricts (dehyars), and
villages
(kadkhudas--see Glossary),
were appointed by the
provincial governors general and county governors; these local
officials served as representatives of the central government.
Prior to the Revolution, the governor general was the most
powerful person in each province. Since 1979, however, the clerical
imam jomehs, or prayer leaders, have exercised effective
political power at the provincial level. The imam jomeh is
the designated representative of the faqih in each county.
Until 1987 each imam jomeh was appointed from among the
senior clergy of the county. In June 1987, Khomeini approved
guidelines for the election of imam jomehs. The imam
jomehs have tended to work closely with the komitehs
(revolutionary committees) and the Pasdaran, and in most counties
these organizations are subordinate to the imam jomehs.
Data as of December 1987
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