During the Pahlavi era, the parliament continued to exist but operated under significant constraints. Both Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Shah maintained strong centralized power, limiting the independence of the legislature. Elections were often tightly controlled, and opposition voices were marginalized. Despite these restrictions, the formal structure of parliamentary governance remained intact, preserving the institutional memory of the Assembly.
The 1979 Islamic Revolution brought about a fundamental transformation of Iran’s political system. With the establishment of the Islamic Republic, a new constitution was adopted, redefining the nature and role of parliament. Initially, the legislature continued to be referred to as the National Consultative Assembly. However, on July 19, 1980, members of parliament officially renamed it the “Islamic Consultative Assembly,” reflecting the ideological foundations of the new state.
Both the Constitutional Decree of the early twentieth century and the post-revolutionary constitution have referred to the parliament using titles such as the Sacred Assembly of the National Assembly and the Islamic Consultative Assembly. These names underscore the dual identity of the institution: as a representative body rooted in popular sovereignty and as a legislature bound by Islamic principles.
