This paper defines political Islam in Iran, as the state ideology of that country since 1979. Political Islam or Islamism emerged as a contemporary political ideology in Egypt in 1928. From its origin until modern times, it has played an important role in the societies of the Middle East and Islamic societies. Ruhollah Khomeini's Islamist movement in Iran is the first Islamist movement to secure absolute political power for itself in a country. The political Islam of Iran differs from other Islamist movements due to its Shiite prefix, which limits its influence in the region, but also sets a new dynamic for regional relations in the Middle East. The specific genesis and institutionalization of political Islam in Iran provides answers to numerous questions about the political and social situation in contemporary Iran and the Middle East.