Iran

1. How is power divided?
    There is one Supreme Leader, currently Ali Khamenei, who has ruled since 1989. The Supreme Leader has full control over the nuclear & foreign policies and the armed forces and he also has the highest religious authority. There is also a President, currently Mahmoud Amedinejad, who is elected by the people (every four years and can run twice, just like the US). The President does not have as many powers as the Supreme Leader, but the President can sign foreign treaties, administer the national budget, and appoint individuals such as governors, ministers, and ambassadors with the approval of Parliament. The Parliament drafts legislation, raitifies treaties, and approves the national budget. There is then an Assembly of Experts, which elects the Supreme Leader and can remove him from power at any time. There are also local councils.

2. How does one gain power in Iran?
    Anyone seeking power in Iran must be Islamic, for it is an Islamic republic. The Council of Guardians have designed a written exam to test the Assembly of Experts' candidates' eligibility. There is a lot of corruption in the nation's politics today, making it difficult for some to gain power and easier for others.

3. Explain the political system.
    The Iranian political system is a mix of appointed individuals and direct elections of individuals. The executive branch contains the Supreme Leader and the President. The legislative branch used to be bicameral but is now unicameral because the senate was removed after the Iranian Revolution. The Majlis, or Parliament, is made up of 290 members who are elected for four-year terms. The judicial branch consists of a head Judiciary (appointed by the Supreme Leader), who then appoints the head of the Supreme Court and the chief public prosecutor.

4. An externality occurs when the private costs or benefits to the providers or buyers of a service or good is different from the overall social costs or benefits that come from its consumption and production.