What it means
مجلس (majles) comes from the Arabic root j-l-s (to sit), making majlis literally a place or act of sitting together. In Persian it carries two related meanings: a formal legislative assembly, and more broadly any gathering or meeting. When Iranians say مجلس on its own, they almost always mean the مجلس شورای اسلامی (majles-e shurâ-ye eslâmi), the Islamic Consultative Assembly that serves as Iran’s national parliament. The word is also used informally for any social gathering, such as a ceremony or memorial service. A related word is نشست (neshast), which means session or meeting in a more neutral bureaucratic register.
How to use it
- مجلس قانون جدید را تصویب کرد. (majles qânun-e jadid râ tasvib kard.) “Parliament approved the new law.”
- نمایندهام در مجلس چه کسی است؟ (namâyande-am dar majles che kasi ast?) “Who is my representative in parliament?”
- مجلس عزاداری برگزار شد. (majles-e azâdâri bargozâr shod.) “A mourning gathering was held.”
- جلسه مجلس فردا است. (jalase-ye majles fardâ ast.) “The parliament session is tomorrow.”
Cultural note
The مجلس شورای اسلامی has 290 elected members and holds four-year terms. Candidates must be vetted by the Guardian Council before they can run, which means the composition of the مجلس reflects both public votes and institutional oversight. The word مجلس predates the Islamic Republic. Iran’s first legislature, established after the Constitutional Revolution in 1906, was called the مجلس شورای ملی (National Consultative Assembly), and the building in central Tehran where it met is still called the مجلس.