Senate of Iran

Former upper house of the Iranian Parliament (1949–1979)

The Senate (مجلس سنا) was the upper house legislative chamber in the Imperial State of Iran from 1949 to 1979. A bicameral legislature had been established in the 1906 Persian Constitutional Revolution but the Senate was not actually formed until after the 1949 Constituent Assembly election, as an expression of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's desire for better distribution of power (similar to many democratic countries). Half of the sixty seats in the senate were directly appointed by the Shah, and the other half were directly elected, fifteen represented Tehran, and the rest were elected from other regions. The Senate was disbanded after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, when the new constitution established a unicameral legislature. as of 2023, the former Senate building was used by the Assembly of Experts.

The Senate House of Iran was designed by architect Heydar Ghiaï in 1955. The construction was led by Rahmat Safai, the dome being one of the most technically challenging projects in the entire endeavor. The building is depicted on the reverse of the Iranian 100 rials banknote.

During its years of activity, the Senate was once dissolved in May 1961. Following the Iranian revolution in 1979, the government became unicameral, the senate was dissolved and the new Majlis convened in the senate building.

1950 (February 9), first inaugural session presided over by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. 1952, Mohammad Mosaddegh managed to obtain power to rule by decree — first, for a six month period and then extended — due to his popularity. Later, he organized a plebiscite in 1953, won the votes, and dissolved both the Majlis and Senate. Upon Mossadeq's ouster, the legislative bodies were revived. 1961, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi dissolved both the Majlis and Senate; some time later they were restored. 1979 Senate approves the government of Shapour Bakhtiar.