Iran is a sovereign state.
Iran . Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic republic , a political system which combines elements of a parliamentary democracy with a theocracy governed by Islamic jurists under the concept of a `` Supreme Leadership '' . Iran is a major regional and middle power , and its large reserves of fossil fuels -- which include the largest natural gas supply in the world and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves -- exert considerable influence in international energy security and the world economy . In international relations , a middle power is a sovereign state that is not a superpower nor a great power , but still has large or moderate influence and international recognition .