The Relationship between Justice and Freedom in the Political Thought of Right-Wing Forces in the Islamic Republic of Iran: A Comparative Study

This study conducts a comparative investigation into the relationship between justice and freedom as conceptualized by two key political currents within the Islamic Republic of Iran—namely, the Combatant Clergy Association (CCA) and the Executives of Construction Party (ECP). The primary objective is to elucidate the similarities and differences in their understanding of these two fundamental concepts within the jurisprudential-political framework of the Islamic Republic. Given contemporary challenges—including economic inequality, social demands, and global pressures—the research adopts a qualitative methodology based on thematic analysis, following the approach developed by Braun and Clarke. Data were extracted from written sources, speeches, memoirs, and direct interviews with key figures from both currents, and themes were coded across four analytical dimensions: philosophical-religious, political-legal, economic, and social.



The findings indicate that the Combatant Clergy Association prioritizes religious and social justice (divine equity) over responsible freedom, emphasizing jurisprudential supervision, preservation of the ummah's unity, and management of economic ownership. In contrast, the Executives of Construction Party regards developmental freedom—both in economic and civil spheres—as a prerequisite for the realization of opportunity-based justice, and emphasizes market liberalization, privatization, and citizen-centeredness. Both currents are rooted in Islamic spirituality and moderation; however, the principal distinction lies prominently in the precedence of traditional justice over moderate-liberal freedom.