Transparency is a fundamental principle of parliamentary governance in Iran. The constitution mandates that negotiations and debates of the Islamic Consultative Assembly be public. Full reports of parliamentary sessions must be published for public awareness through radio broadcasts and the official newspaper. This requirement reflects the belief that citizens have the right to know how their representatives deliberate and decide on national issues.
However, the constitution also allows for closed sessions in exceptional circumstances. If national security or emergency conditions require confidentiality, a closed session may be convened at the request of the President, one of the ministers, or at least ten representatives. For the resolutions of such sessions to be valid, they must be approved by three-quarters of the total number of representatives in the presence of the Guardian Council.
Importantly, once the emergency situation has passed, reports and resolutions from closed sessions must be published for public information. This balance seeks to reconcile the need for security with the principle of accountability.
