Judicial & Legal Institutions

Iran’s Constitution describes the judiciary as an independent power, while providing for the Supreme Leader to appoint its head. Article 158 assigns that head responsibility for judicial organization, judicial bills and the administration of judges. Constitutional independence is therefore a formal description that must be examined alongside appointment arrangements and documented practice. s1

The Minister of Justice has a different constitutional function: managing relations between the judiciary and the executive and legislative branches. The minister should not be confused with the head of the judiciary. s1

The GlobaLex legal-system guide distinguishes general courts from courts with specific jurisdiction. Its account explains that general jurisdiction is subject to exceptions established for particular courts. It also distinguishes civil and criminal proceedings and describes appellate review. This is a useful starting point for understanding why the nature of a dispute matters before identifying the appropriate institution. s2

An appeal should not be assumed to follow one identical route in every case. The guide separately discusses criminal courts, the Supreme Court and administrative adjudication. Readers need to establish the type of proceeding and the applicable legislation before interpreting a reference to review by a higher court. The guide was published in 2022 and cannot by itself establish later procedural changes. s2

Selected constitutional relationships

The arrows identify selected legal functions. They do not represent every institution or every route of appeal.

The Constitution gives the Supreme Court a role in supervising lawful adjudication and ensuring uniform judicial practice. It separately provides for the Administrative Justice Court to examine complaints against governmental officials, units and regulations. Administrative review is thus a distinct constitutional function. s1

Constitutional safeguards also include reasoned judgments, protection against compelled confessions and a right to legal representation. These provisions establish standards against which proceedings can be assessed; their presence does not establish compliance in an individual case. s1

Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2025 describes systemic due-process and fair-trial violations in the repression of anti-government protests. It reports that Revolutionary Court judges failed to address allegations of torture and ill-treatment, including in proceedings resulting in death sentences. These findings concern documented practice and qualify any account based solely on constitutional guarantees. s3

At a March 2025 press conference, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran reported serious fair-trial and due-process violations in the repression of the protests that began in 2022. Its findings included violations affecting children and persecution of lawyers and others acting in solidarity with victims. These are findings of an investigative mission, rather than criminal judgments determining the liability of every implicated individual. s4

The distinction between institutional design and implementation is essential. A diagram can explain a legal responsibility; it cannot demonstrate that a defendant received independent representation, that evidence was lawfully obtained or that a remedy was effective.

The pages in this branch separate general courts, appellate courts, the Supreme Court and administrative justice. They also provide distinct entries for property-registration institutions and bar associations. This organization helps keep adjudication, administrative services and professional representation conceptually separate.

For any specific legal question, a reliable account needs the relevant legislation, its amendment history and evidence about implementation. This overview does not establish filing requirements, deadlines or available remedies in an individual dispute. Its central purpose is to identify institutional distinctions and the evidence needed to evaluate them.