The Principlists (, ), also interchangeably known as the Iranian Conservatives Cc by-nc-nd euro icon

Open access material licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. and formerly referred to as the Right or Right-wing, are one of two main political

camp Camp may refer to: Areas of confinement, imprisonment, or for execution * Concentration camp, an internment camp for political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or minority ethnic groups * Extermination ...

s in post-

revolutionary A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates for, a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective to describe something producing a major and sudden impact on society. Definition The term—bot ...

Iran; the

Reformists Reformism is a political tendency advocating the reform of an existing system or institution – often a political establishment , political or religion , religious establishment – as opposed to its abolition and replacement via revolution. ...

are the other camp. The term ''

hardliner In politics, hardline or hard-line is an adjective describing a stance on an issue that is inflexible and not subject to compromise. A hardliner is a person holding such views. The stance is usually far from the centrist view. People, policies, ...

s'' that some western sources use in the Iranian political context usually refers to the faction, although the principlist camp also includes more centrist tendencies. The faction rejects the

status quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the curren ...

internationally, but favors domestic preservation. Within Iranian politics, "principlist" refers to the conservative supporters of the

Supreme Leader of Iran The supreme leader of Iran, also referred to as the supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution, but officially called the supreme leadership authority, is the head of state and the highest political and religious authority of Iran (above the Presi ...

and advocates for protecting the ideological "principles" of the Islamic Revolution's early days. According to Hossein Mousavian, "The Principlists constitute the main right-wing/conservative political movement in Iran. They are more religiously oriented and more closely affiliated with the

Qom Qom (; ) is a city in the Central District of Qom County, Qom province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the seventh largest metropolis and also the seventh largest city in Iran. The city is ...

-based clerical establishment than their moderate and

reformist Reformism is a political tendency advocating the reform of an existing system or institution – often a political or religious establishment – as opposed to its abolition and replacement via revolution. Within the socialist movement, ref ...

rivals". A declaration issued by The Two Societies, which serves as the Principlists' "manifesto", focuses upon loyalty to

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

and the

Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...

, obedience to the Supreme Leader of Iran, and devotion to the principle of '' Vilayat Faqih''. The Principlists currently dominate the

Islamic Consultative Assembly The Islamic Consultative Assembly (), also called the Iranian Parliament, the Iranian Majles (Arabicised spelling Majlis) or ICA, is the unicameral national legislative body of Iran. The parliament currently consists of 290 representatives, an i ...

Assembly of Experts The Assembly of Experts (), also translated as the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership or as the Council of Experts, is the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme Leader of Iran. All directly elected members must first be vetted ...

, as well as non-elective institutions such as the

Guardian Council The Guardian Council (also called Council of Guardians or Constitutional Council, ) is an appointed and constitutionally mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The constitution ...

, the

Expediency Discernment Council The Expediency Discernment Council of the System ( ''Majma'-e Tašxis-e Maslahat-e Nezâm'') is an administrative assembly of Iran appointed by the Supreme Leader of Iran, Supreme Leader and was created upon the revision to the Constitution of ...

, along with the

Judiciary The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...

. They held the

Presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified b ...

until the inauguration of

Reformist Reformism is a political tendency advocating the reform of an existing system or institution – often a political or religious establishment – as opposed to its abolition and replacement via revolution. Within the socialist movement, ref ...

Masoud Pezeshkian Masoud Pezeshkian (, ; born 29 September 1954) is an Iranian politician and physician who has been serving as the ninth president of Iran since 28 July 2024. Pezeshkian served as governor of Piranshahr and Naghadeh counties and was elected to ...

on 30 July 2024.

Demographics

According to a poll conducted by the Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA) in April 2017, 15% of Iranians identify as leaning Principlist. In comparison, 28% identify as leaning

. In April 2021, a joint public opinion survey conducted by the

Chicago Council on Global Affairs The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is an American international affairs think tank located in Chicago, Illinois, with a stated mission of "increasing knowledge and engagement in global affairs and empowering more people to help shape our glob ...

and IranPoll found out that 19% of Iranians identified as Principlist while 7% were leaning Principlist, and if Reformists (21%) and leaning Reformist (10%) were still higher, they also noted that "the support base for the reformists has shrunk by about 8 percentage points since 2017, while the support base for the conservatives has grown by 4 percentage points."

Factions

*Ultra conservatives—also known as neoconservatives. This grouping is more aggressive and openly confrontational toward the West. Many ultra or neo Principalists are laymen representing the

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khom ...

(IRGC) collectively. *Traditional conservatives are a political faction that helped form the Revolutionary government and can point to personal ties with

Ruhollah Khomeini Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...

. These conservatives support the Islamist government and advocate for clerical rule. * Deviant current

Election results

Presidential elections

Parliament

Parties and organizations

Alliances

* The Two Societies (unofficial) *

Front of Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader Front of Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader (), formerly known as Islamic Aligned Organizations () is a Coalition of Iranian Principlist political groups. The group which consists of a wide range of traditional conservative parti ...

(founded in the 1990s) *

Coordination Council of Islamic Revolution Forces The Coordination Council of Islamic Revolution Forces () is an umbrella organization of conservative political organizations and figures in Iran, known for its activity during the 2000s, when it was considered "Iran's main conservative alliance". ...

(founded 2000) * Front of Transformationalist Principlists (founded 2005) *

Resistance Front of Islamic Iran The Islamic Iran Resistance Front or Resistance Front of Islamic Iran (), or simply Resistance Front, also translated Endurance Front, is an Iranian principlist political group, founded in 2011. The group is associated with Mohsen Rezaee. They co ...

(founded 2011) *

Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces The Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces (PFIRF; ) is a political organization in Iran, founded in late 2016 by ten figures from different spectrum of Iranian Principlists, conservative factions. The group has pledged to become the main ri ...

(founded 2016) ; Electoral *

Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran The Alliance of Builders or Developers of Islamic Iran (; ), usually shortened to Abadgaran (), was an Iranian conservative political federation of parties and organizations. Described as "Iran's neocons", main groups within the alliance were ...

(2003, 2004) * Coalition of Iran's Independent Volunteers (2004) *

Coalition of the Pleasant Scent of Servitude The Coalition of the Pleasant Scent of Servitude, the Sweet Scent of Servitude or the Joyful Essence of Obedience () was a conservative political group in Iran that supported Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his government. 2006 local elections The group ...

(2006) * Principlists Pervasive Coalition (2008) *

United Front of Principlists United Front of Principlists (, ''Jabhah-e Muttahid-e Uṣūlgarāyān'') was an Iranian principlist political coalition that contested the 2008 and 2012 legislative elections. Member groups 2008 * Front of Followers of the Line of the Imam ...

(2008, 2012) * Insight and Islamic Awakening Front (2012) *

Principlists Grand Coalition Principlists Grand Coalition () is a principlist coalition and electoral list for the 2016 Iranian legislative election. Member groups The alliance is mainly made up by the members of the 'traditional' parties Combatant Clergy Association and ...

(2016) * Service list (2017)

Media

* ''

Kayhan ''Kayhan'' () is a Persian-language newspaper published in Tehran, Iran. It is considered "the most conservative and hard-line Iranian newspaper." Hossein Shariatmadari is the editor-in-chief of ''Kayhan''. According to the report of the ' ...

'' * '' Resalat'' * ''

Vatan-e-Emrooz ''Vatan-e Emrooz'' (Persian: وطن امروز lit. "Homeland Today") is a full-color daily Persian-language newspaper managed by Mehrdad Bazrpash (an ally of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former head of the student Basij organization br ...

'' * ''

Abrar ''Abrar'' (, ''Samaritans'' in English) is a Persian-language daily newspaper published in Tehran, Iran. History and profile ''Abrar'' was first published on 8 November 1988. The printing of the paper was done using the printing facility of a ...

'' * ''

Yalasarat ''Yalasarat al-Hussein'' ( "Those Who Want to Avenge the Blood of Hussein") simply known as Yalasarat, is a Persian language weekly newspaper and news website serving as the official media outlet of Ansar-e Hezbollah. See also *List of newspaper ...

'' * '' Partow-e Sokhan'' *

Rajanews Rajanews () is an Iranian news website. It is known to have ties with the Front of Islamic Revolution Stability The Front of Islamic Revolution Stability (, also translated Persevering Front, Endurance Front and Steadfast Front) is an Iranian ...

References

External links

* {{Conservatism Conservatism in Iran Euphemisms History of the Islamic Republic of Iran Islamism in Iran Political factions in Iran Political neologisms Politics of Iran Right-wing politics in Iran Right-wing populism in Iran Theocrats