With the seminaries politicized and their independence greatly reduced, the religious establishment is no longer in a position to confer political legitimacy on the regime. Nor can it exercise its traditional functions in the religious sphere to provide support to civil society in the country.
具有讽刺意味的是，似乎正是伊朗的神权理论导致了神权政治的衰微。随着神学院的政治化及其独立能力日益减弱，这些宗教组织已经不能在政治上赋予政府合法的地位。同时，神学院也已经无法在宗教领域履行自己的传统职能，为国内的民间团体提供支持。