What it means
شورا (shurâ) is borrowed from Arabic شوری (shurâ), derived from the root sh-w-r meaning to consult or take counsel. In Persian the word refers to any consultative council or governing body formed to make collective decisions. You will find it in the official names of Iran’s most important institutions: the شورای نگهبان (shurâ-ye negahbân, Guardian Council), the شورای عالی امنیت ملی (Supreme National Security Council), and the شوراهای شهر (city councils) elected in local elections. It contrasts with مجلس, which refers specifically to the national legislative assembly, while شورا implies a deliberative or advisory body at various levels of government.
How to use it
- شورای شهر تهران تصمیم گرفت. (shurâ-ye shahr-e tehrân tasmim gereft.) “The Tehran city council made a decision.”
- شورای نگهبان قوانین را بررسی میکند. (shurâ-ye negahbân qavânin râ barrasi mikonad.) “The Guardian Council reviews laws.”
- انتخابات شورا ماه آینده است. (entekhâbât-e shurâ mâh-e âyande ast.) “The council elections are next month.”
- این تصمیم را به شورا بردند. (in tasmim râ be shurâ bordand.) “They took this decision to the council.”
Cultural note
The concept of شورا has deep roots in Islamic governance theory, where collective consultation (shurâ) is considered a religious principle for community decision-making. In post-revolutionary Iran, شورا was woven into the names of major state institutions to signal legitimacy through consultation. Local شوراهای شهر و روستا (city and village councils) were reestablished in 1999 and now hold elections alongside national votes, making شورا a word ordinary Iranians encounter in civic life as well as high politics.