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Iran
The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers
The prime minister is chosen by the president and must be approved
by the Majlis. According to Article 135 of the Constitution, the
prime minister may remain in office as long as he retains the
confidence of the Majlis, but he must submit a letter of resignation
to the president upon losing a confidence vote. The prime minister
is responsible for choosing the ministers who will constitute
his cabinet, known as the Council of Ministers (also known as
the cabinet). In 1987 the Council of Ministers totaled twenty-five
members. Each minister had to be approved by both the president
and the Majlis. The prime minister and his cabinet establish government
policies and execute laws.
Following each of his elections, President Khamenehi chose Mir-Hosain
Musavi as prime minister. Musavi generally had consistent support
in the Majlis, although a vocal minority of deputies opposed many
of his economic policies. Policies pertaining to the nationalization
of large industries and foreign trade and the expropriation of
large-scale agricultural landholdings for redistribution among
peasants were especially controversial in the years 1982 to 1987.
Data as of December 1987
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