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Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Women in decision-making positions
5%
Members of local deliberative bodies are women (6,480 elected women)
No woman is Head of State or Government
5%
Parliamentarians are women
10%
Ministers are women

Government organization

Spheres of government

Iran is a unitary republic with two spheres of government: central and local.

One tier of central government and one tier of local government composed of municipalities and villages.

  • Head of State: The Leader is elected by the Assembly of Experts.
  • Head of Government: The President is directly elected by voters.
  • Legislative body: The Islamic Consultative Assembly is a unicameral legislature whose members are directly elected by voters.
  • Executive body: The Council of Ministers, headed by the President, is composed of ministers appointed by the President and presented to the Islamic Consultative Assembly for a vote of confidence.

  • Organization: Iran is organized into one tier of 1,345 municipalities consisting of cities (in urban areas) and 37080 villages (in rural areas).
  • Competencies: Local government possesses legal personality and decision-making competencies.
  • Ministerial oversight: Ministry of Interior

Overview of local government

Local government composition

Deliberative body: The city/village council is composed of 5-31 elected members. A chairperson is elected by and from the city/village council to preside over it; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The mayor, elected by and from the city/village council, is the executive at the municipal level of government.

Local government elections

Electoral system for local councils: majority/plurality (block vote) 

  • The electoral system for the local council elections is based on a plurality system, and voters have as many votes as the number of councillor positions in their respective electoral district. Candidates with the highest votes in their constituency are elected as councillors. In each constituency, three councillors are elected.

Electoral system for the mayor: no direct elections

  • The mayor is elected by and from the local council.

Sources: Municipal Law, 1955 (amended through 2011), articles 4 and 5 ; Law on the Organization, Duties, and Election of the Islamic Councils of the Country and the Election of Mayors, 1996 (amended through 2017), article 20

  • Gender quotas: No
  • Additional quotas: No

  • Term length: 4 years
  • Last local elections: 2021
  • Next local elections: 2025

Ministry of Interior

National legal framework on local government

  • Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1979 (amended through 1989);
  • Law on the Organization, Duties, and Election of the Islamic Councils of the Country and the Election of Mayors, 1996 (amended through 2017);
  • Municipal Law, 1955 (amended through 2011).

There are constitutional provisions that establish local government in Iran. According to Articles 7 and 100 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran of 1979 (amended through 1989), “in accordance with the command of the Qur'an contained in the verse ('Their affairs are by consultations among them" [42:38]) and ("Consult them in affairs" [3:159]), consultative bodies--such as the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Provincial Councils, and the City, Region, District, and Village Councils and the likes of the--are the decision-making and administrative organs of the country. In order to expedite social, economic, development, public health, cultural, and educational programmes and facilitate other affairs relating to public welfare with the cooperation of the people according to local needs, the administration of each village, division, city, municipality, and province will be supervised by a council to be named the Village, Division, City, Municipality, or Provincial Council. Members of each of these councils will be elected by the people of the locality in question.”

The Islamic Consultative Assembly is responsible for establishing the national legal framework on local government. The key piece of legislation which regulates local government is the Municipal Law of 1955 (amended through 2011), which establishes the municipality and its duties and elections.

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2025.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 1 December 2025.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2025.

4. UN Women: Data on share of women Cabinet ministers as of 1 January 2025.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.