This study aims to identify and analyze the components of political education in Iran’s upstream educational policy documents and to explain their policy implications from the perspective of educational governance processes. The research examines how the cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of political education are represented in two key documents: the “National Curriculum Document” and “Islamic Revolution Studies in the Lower Secondary Curriculum.” Through this analysis, the study seeks to clarify the educational and policy approaches embedded in these documents.

The research method combines qualitative analysis with quantitative content analysis. The unit of analysis consisted of statements and concepts related to political education in the two selected documents. The indicators were coded according to three dimensions: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. Data analysis was conducted based on the frequency of indicator occurrence, the degree of realization measured on a five‑point scale, and value orientation categorized as positive, neutral, or negative. The findings were interpreted within a policy analysis framework to identify their implications for educational governance in the field of political education.

The results show that the National Curriculum Document provides relatively comprehensive coverage of all three components of political education and demonstrates a high level of presence and positive value orientation across many indicators. This document adopts a comprehensive approach by linking political knowledge with national and revolutionary values as well as practical and behavioral skills and emphasizing the development of informed, responsible, and participatory citizens. In contrast, the Islamic Revolution Studies document places greater emphasis on cognitive and value‑based dimensions and offers more limited coverage of political skills and behaviors. The findings suggest that integrating the comprehensive approach of the National Curriculum Document with the value depth of the Islamic Revolution Studies document could support a more balanced policy design for political education in Iran’s education system.