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(Published in "Nameh Mardom", Central Organ of the Tudeh Party of Iran No. 888, 13 February 2012)
The events in the recent weeks, such as the news about the turmoil in Syria and “nuclear” program of the Islamic Republic of Iran are signs of unprecedented tensions in the region and the risk of starting a disastrous and bloody war that could easily expand and take global dimensions.
Explicit threats of the policy-makers of the U.S., Britain and France about the necessity to heighten actions against Iran and Syria have created a dangerous situation in the region and particularly with respect to our country, which could not be ignored. Extension of sanctions against the IRI has undoubtedly created definite economic disarray in Iran. Unprecedented increase of the prices of foreign currencies, in other words the devaluation of Iran’s currency, and consequently the increase of the prices of commodities and consumer goods, at a time when unemployment is at all time high and manufacturing plants and factories are shut down one after another, has disrupted the livelihood of large sections of the populations and is driving masses of people toward ever increasing poverty and destitution. And this is only the beginning of an all out economic war which is being imposed on our people just as it was done to the people of Iraq before the bloody military invasion of NATO forces to that country. Not being able to sell oil nor to import the much needed strategic goods will be a colossal economic disaster for a country in which mercantile capitalism on one hand, and adapting the policies of the World Bank in the past years on the other hand, have drastically devastated domestic production and tuned its economy to a mere exporter of oil and importer of all necessary consumer goods. The global organizers of these sanctions, especially the United States, Britain and France, have planned these sanctions knowing those problems.
These anti-human plans have pretty clear objectives:
• Forcing Islamic Republic to react violently as the last resort to dodge, and therefore creating a scenario to lay the grounds and convince other world major powers that an all out war is necessary.
• Exhausting anti-war popular movement to surrender to any scenario to stop the very hard current condition.
• Provoke and mobilize rightwing and uncertain segments of the movement and some of the passive ex-left forces, and encourage them to support the so-called “humanitarian” invasion as the only remaining option for the political developments in the country.
Long term goals of this military adventure and possibly a regional war are clear: spilling the world economic crisis; restructuring of the global economic policies based on concentration of astronomical capitals more than ever; forming the Greater Middle East in order to expand the political and economical circle of influence and dominance over an energy-strategic-region; diverting the massive protest power of the people from Tunisia and Egypt in North Africa, to Syria and Iran and other Arab and Persian Gulf countries and ending the progressive movements in the region and establishing “stable political islands” that can secure imperialism’s short- and long-term interests in the region. Unfortunately, the recent events show signs of the advancement of this pre-planned scenario by the global military industrial complexes.
The leaders of the repressive and medieval regime of Islamic Republic believe that there is no room to retreat, and instead of thinking of ways to alleviate the tension, are proceeding with the nuclear energy programs and have increased the military threats, in reaction to the economic sanctions. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, speaking in the Friday mass on February 3rd, while expressing that Iran will not recoil, explicitly stated Iran’s readiness for war and pointed out the experience of the “33-day war of Lebanon” in face of the enemy. In response to Israeli threats, he mentioned the threats that “will be delivered in appropriate time”. Iranian ambassador to Russia also spoke of targeting US and West interests around the world. And after these comments, it was Mahmud Ahmadinejad who in a speech after the marches of Revolution Anniversary in Tehran, promised that “soon the world will hear about a few great achievements of Iran in nuclear technology”. These comments are made at a time when military maneuvers to close the Strait of Hormuz and official and clear threat against the US and British aircraft carriers to leave the Persian Gulf, have already shown their very concerning consequences and have expanded the ranks of the forces that are willing to join the NATO military invasion of Islamic Republic. Iran’s threats clearly “justify” the concentration of massive marine fleet under the NATO command in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, and the huge sale and dispatch of armament in unprecedented volumes to the countries of the region, such as kingdom states, and create a worldwide “hysteria” called danger of “Islamic Republic”.
The recent news indicate laying dangerous grounds for a disaster which is becoming more imminent:
• The Pentagon has ordered the new generation of very heavy bunker buster bombs from the U.S. military industry.
• The Al-Arabia newspaper, quoted the Washington Post, that the discussion among the ruling circles in the United States and other NATO countries is not about whether, but when and how to inflict the preemptive strike against Iran.
• Extensive public relations campaigns are being waged against Iran and Syria, and reports about the involvement of the (Iranian) Revolutionary Corps in the violence against the people of Homs (in Syria), including the report of Russia Today about the possible preparation of 15,000 troops of the Revolutionary Corps for deployment in the Syrian war fronts, and
• Radio Israel has indicated that tens of thousands of American troops are rapidly setting up Israel’s anti-missile systems.
In this atmosphere and by the invitation of the peace organizations, the first wave of protests against war has started in the streets of Canada, the Unites States and England. Even though these demonstrations had been organized hastily, but they received proper coverage in the media, as well as support among the people. On the other hand, the Islamic Republic which has methodically repressed all the domestic peace organizations and has not permitted any demonstrations against war has specifically attempted to misrepresent the goals and deceitfully taken advantage of the protests in depicting them as actions in support of the policies of IR of Iran. The true and progressive peace organizations oppose any intervention by the imperialists in the internal affairs of any country even under the guise of “humanitarian” intervention, and resolutely and clearly oppose such interventions, and unlike some seminars that take place behind the closed doors, do not remain silent about these interventions. The Islamic Republic’s path, however, is clear. Interpreting this unequivocal opposition to any foreign interference as the support of the peace-loving forces of the world for the cruelty and crime, and oppression of the people by regimes such as the theocratic regime of the Islamic Republic, requires an insolence that one can only find in the likes of the leaders of the Islamic Republic. The reality is that the major organizers of these protest movements have consistently opposed the policies and actions of the theocratic regime in our country, and their opposition to imperialism’s military adventures in the region stands in solidarity with the working people of our country…
In its February 7th statement, the World Peace Council analyzed the imperialist plots to forms a Greater Middle East and reviewed the current situations in Iran and Syria, the extensive deployment of U.S. military forces in the Persian Gulf, the alignment of the Persian Gulf Sheikhdoms with the West, and Israel’s constant provocation against Iran, and stated the position of this progressive organization about the democratic rights of the people and the foreign interventions: “We express our support to the complex struggle of the Iranian people for peace, democracy and social justice and reject any interference in the internal affairs of Iran under any pretext. We state once more the inalienable right of every nation to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes... We support the genuine and peaceful social, political and economic demands of the Syrian people but we state once again that no power has the right to decide for another people or nation. Mankind cannot tolerate foreign interference into the internal disputes of a people. The sovereignty of a country is the sole responsibility of each people.” The statement continues: “The democratic, anti-¬imperialist, peace loving forces of the world should break the silence and denounce the treacherous campaigns of imperialism that pave the way to this new aggression... We commit ourselves to continue the struggle and mobilize forces worldwide in order to create the bases for a new stage of anti imperialist struggle, in the defense of peace, solidarity and the self-determination of peoples. We are confident that with the peoples struggle peace will prevail!”
The experience of the above-mentioned protests shows that combining the slogans for peace and the movement against the war with the progressive struggle of our people for democracy is a necessity and must be emphasized by the peace organizations of our nation. Decisive days and weeks are ahead of us. The Persian Gulf region and the Middle East are at the brink of a destructive war that could expand and take a global dimension. We must not leave the reaction to such dangerous adventures after the fact. Today, we must not lose any opportunity to oppose war and warmongers and to prevent the disaster before it happens
============
Terrorism, adventurous policies of Iran’s theocratic regime, and the risk of escalation of imperialism intervention in Iran
(Editorial of "Nameh Mardom", Central Organ of the Tudeh Party of Iran No. 886, 16 January 2012)
Assassination of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, a specialist working in Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz on January 11th in Tehran, is a new sign of destructive interventions of imperialism and its agent in Iran. Although no state directly took the responsibility for this assassination, but all the evidences suggest the involvement of Israeli security forces and intelligence services of imperialism in this horrendous criminal act. Many of the political analysts and media deemed this assassination similar to the previous actions of “Shin bet” (Israel Security Agency) thugs in recent decades. Tudeh Party of Iran strongly condemns this savage act of the agents of ISA and its cohorts in other imperialist states. These criminal acts also prove the false claims of imperialist states in denouncing terrorism, and signify the double-standards in their policies related to the sensitive region of the Middle of East. The peace activists in Iran and around the globe are currently witnessing the shaping of a dangerous crisis and escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf which could be a pretext for disastrous military conflicts in the Middle East.
The escalation of tensions between the US policy-makers and the authorities of the Iranian theocratic regime in the recent weeks, and the danger of expansion of these clashes and irresponsible threats on both sides threatens the peace in the region and the interests and future of the working people of Iran, has been the subject of numerous discussions and analyses. The fact and the matter is that a direct encounter between the US and its allies on one side and the theocratic regime of Iran on the other, for both sides would be a transition stage to a yet much more dangerous phase which could have disastrous consequences for the entire region. In the past few months, the US and its allies have raised certain reasons and files, with maximum media coverage, as pretext and justification for any possible strategy against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In threatening words that were reproduced in the British media on January 16th, William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, announced that if necessary, the West utilize its military power to deal with Iran and to curb its nuclear program.
The current escalation of tensions is imposed on our country at a time when our people have been completely denied of any kind of decision-making about their own future. For instance, under the current prevailing circumstances [of domestic suppression and monopoly], the ninth parliamentary elections [since the establishment of IRI] in March, will not present any opportunity for the people to impact the political orientation of the ruling forces, including the catastrophic consequences of the economic sanctions and the risk of war. The entire political superstructure of the ruling dictatorship, and above all the Supreme Leader, is continually and more than ever driving our country toward a horrifying abyss. The question to be answered is: what are the objective pretexts of this escalation of tensions?
In recent years we have pointed out time and again- and the course of events has proved us right- that the consequences of the adventurous policies of the leadership of the theocratic regime of Iran have had disastrous consequences and socio-economic devastations of substantial scale.
The threatening tone of the commanders of the Revolutionary Corps in recent weeks, the large-scale military maneuver of the Revolutionary Corps Navy, and the threats of the regime leaders to close the Hormuz Strait, could not be viewed as anything but a policy of playing with fire and giving excuses to imperialist states for extensive interfering in the internal affairs of our country. The counter-threats of the US and Britain, and the announcement of US-Israel joint military exercise in the Persian Gulf are serious threats against our nation and the interests of the people of the region. The rhetoric of Khamenei and other regime leaders that the US and NATO “cannot do anything”, reminds us of the rhetoric of dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the disaster in that country following the military invasion and occupation of Iraq by imperialist states.
Khamenei’s recent speeches and his comparison of the current situation in Iran with the circumstances that existed in Arabia during the crusades of “Badr and Kheybar” not only has nothing to do with the current reality in our country and the region, but also should be deemed as political charlatanism of regime leaders and their dangerous game with the future and destiny of the people and the nation. The lies of the regime leaders about the ineffectiveness of economic sanctions, while the sanctions are suffocating the nation increasingly- one of its consequences being the steep devaluation of the national Rial versus foreign currencies- indicates the deeply anti-popular and anti-national nature of a regime that has brought our country to the brink of disastrous developments.
The root cause of the current tensions should be sought in the intensification of the wide-ranging crisis of the theocratic regime and serious developments in the policies of imperialism in our region.
Despite its extremely retarded and outdated social outlook, the superstructure of the theocratic regime of Iran consists of various influential political factions that are in conflict with each other in the power structure. These factions represent the interests of grand capitals that dominate and control the core of the economy. With the diversion and failure of the ’79 revolution, these key factions in the political superstructure of the country have been able to gain concrete experience and formulate specific principles in the past 3 decades to protect the joint interests of various oligarchic strata of grand capital within the economic substructure of the country. This superstructure in its entirety has repeatedly shown such level of maturity that to solve to alleviate its internal contradictions, it is able to make particular changes in the form of the regime, while preserving the dictatorial content of the regime, in order to save and protect the its key interests and its overall unity. These common substantial interests have woven broad spectrum of bureaucratic capitalism and mercantile bourgeoisie and various political groupings of “fundamentalists”. The fundamental and intertwined common denominators of major factions in the political superstructure of the country are: (1) the necessity of a powerful dictatorial regime in order to practically eliminate the people from the scene; and (2) obligating the government administration and the parliament to execute and implement such an economical program that could keep a large part of the national wealth and the labour force of the country in possession of the bourgeoisie layers and oligarchies within the power structure.
Therefore, the inherent dialectic of the present structure will logically align any vital decision and move, such as formulating international relations and resolving the crisis of relations with the US, in a way that secures the aforementioned common denominators. Based on this analysis, the main contradiction of the ruling dictatorship is with the materialistic and moral interests of the working people and urban petit bourgeoisie. The Achilles heel of the ruling regime is its inability to wipe out the popular movement, which despite its internal and external challenges will continue its struggle against dictatorship in various forms, until the end. In other words, the political superstructure of the regime- as the events of the recent decades has proven (from acquiring weapons from Israel and the US and making deals with Reagan administration and the “Iran-Gate” fiasco, to practical collaboration in military occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq in recent years)- could resolve or alleviate its external contradictions through maneuvers and making deals with imperialist powers. However, the contradiction between this deeply reactionary and despotic structure with the majority of the people is antagonistic, and could not be resolved with just decorating its form. Only a qualitative and fundamental change, i.e. discarding the dictatorial content of the regime could resolve the contradiction with the people. In recent years, the theocratic regime of Iran has exploited international tensions or their intensification as a means to “externalize” the contradiction and crises, so that it could lessen the threats against it as a result of the illegitimacy of the regime and the consequences of the anti-popular economic plans, and divert the attentions and prioritize the fight against the “imperial power”.
The fact is that the economic substructure of Iran is capitalism, and its core activities entails the interests and profiteering of mercantile capitals, private and quasi-private manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors, such as establishments under the umbrella of “the office of the Supreme Leader”, and investments of the Guards Corps. Exploitation of the labour, plundering the national natural resources through tenderpreneurship and brokerage, whether legal or illegal, and taking advantage of the cancerous growth of all kinds of banks and concentration of financial capital, are among the common methods to gain astronomical wealth. Based on the recent report of the visit of IMF delegation to Iran (June 2011)- which was welcomed by the Iranian regime- the economic programs of the our country, and particularly the shock therapy of “purposeful subsidies” plan, are implemented in line with the economic neo-liberalism model. Since the late 19080’s, major factions of the political superstructure of the country, including the Ahmadinejad government, have been actively pursuing policies of “economic adjustment” under various guises, and preparing the economy of the country for widespread ties with the global capitalism. Extensive privatization, creating a huge bank and financial sector, “flexible” job market, wrecking the rights of working people, promoting and supporting the finest neoliberal theories of Chicago School through mainstream media and state scholars behind the smoke screen of such slogans as “justice-oriented” or “justice-seeking” policies, and economic shock [therapy] are already being implemented. Anti-capitalism rhetoric of the likes of the Supreme Leader and Ahmadinejad is deceitful, has only domestic use, and not worth a penny. In the year named as “the year of economic effort (Jihad)” by the Supreme Leader, Ahmadinejad took the working people under the “economic surgery” by means of the most painful economic tools and formulations sanctioned by the global capitalism. These common threads, and particularly the theoretical and practical influence of the global capitalism in the fabric of the our country’s economy, and especially the influence of economic neo-liberalism among the highest ranks of the Iranian regime, cannot be discounted in the analyses and decisions of imperialism regarding our country.
The foreign policy of the regime in the region, particularly the remarks of the regime leaders about creating “Islamic Empire” and the “concerns” of the US imperialism of Iran’s meddling in the affairs of the countries of the region to expand its circle of influence, is unacceptable for some of imperialist groups and is a backdrop of intensification of tensions that could have dire consequences. It should be noted that from the point of view of the US imperialism and their strategic ally Israel, the hegemony of the United States over the Middle East region is not a negotiable matter. The imposition of this monopolistic hegemony of the US over the region even concerns the influence of greater powers than Iran such as Russia, China and the EU. This in turn will be one of the decisive and significant factors in the future developments and equations related to the theocratic regime of Iran. Based on its patriotic responsibility and commitment to the interests of the working people and the working class of Iran, and in order to advance the popular movement in Iran, Tudeh Party of Iran acts should to shoulder of other activists and militant forces to overcome the dictatorship of the Supreme Leadership and to defend peace and national sovereignty of Iran. It is only through united action and joint plan of all progressive forces and launching an international campaign against the military conflict in the region that the disaster could be prevented
============
World’s Communists in Solidarity with the Struggle of the Iranian People for Peace and Progress!
11th December 2012
Statement in opposition to the threats of military intervention in Iran
The participants of the 13th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties taking place on 9-11th December 2011 in Athens, Greece express their solidarity with the working class of Iran in their complex struggle for peace, sovereignty, democracy and social justice.
We view with grave concern the moves by the NATO powers, following their intervention in Libya, to extend their program of regime change across the entire Middle East. The policies, statements and concrete actions adopted by the US, the EU and Israel in the region all indicate an active intent to shift the balance of power across the entire Middle East in favour of imperialism. Communists believe that Imperialist policies in the Middle East are designed to guarantee the control of the massive energy resources and untapped markets of this geopolitically strategic region for monopolies and oil transnationals.
The recent heightening of tensions in relation with Iran following the Israel’s threat of a nuclear strike against that country, the publication of a damaging Atomic Energy Agency’s report on Iran’s nuclear program, the new series of punitive economic and financial sanctions adopted by the UK, Canada, the US and supported by other EU countries, the withdrawal of the British diplomatic mission from Iran and the ordering out of the Iranian diplomatic mission in London is a serious concern about the future developments in relation with Iran.
We therefore reiterate our opposition to all such interventions against sovereign countries as violations of the United Nation’s founding charter. Communists believe that it is the right of the Iranian people themselves to determine the direction of future developments in their country and to achieve peace, democracy and progress. Threats of external imperialist intervention strengthen the hands of the most reactionary sections of the ruling class.
We resolutely condemn any intervention in Iran by imperialist states and their allies, which are trying to advance their plan for the creation of a “Greater Middle East”.
We believe that it is the right of the Iranian people themselves to determine the direction of future developments in their country and to achieve peace, democracy and social progress
The Parties supporting:
1. CP of Albania
2. PADS, Algeria
3. CP of Azerbaijan
4. CP of Australia
5. CP of Bangladesh
6. WP of Bangladesh
7. WP of Belgium
8. CP of Brazil
9. Brazilian CP
10. CP of Britain
11. NCP of Britain
12. CP of Bulgaria
13. CP of Canada
14. SWP of Croatia
15. CP of Cuba
16. AKEL, Cyprus
17. CP of Bohemia and Moravia
18. CP in Denmark
19. CP of Denmark
20. CP of Egypt
21. CP of Finland
22. French CP
23. CP of Macedonia, FYROM
24. UCP of Georgia
25. German CP
26. PPP, Guyana
27. KKE
28. Hungarian CWP
29. CP of India
30. CP of India [Marxist]
31. Tudeh Party of Iran
32. CP of Ireland
33. WP of Ireland
34. Party of the Italian Communists
35. Communist Refoundation Party
36. Jordanian CP
37. Lebanese CP
38. Socialist People’s Front, Lithuania
39. CP of Luxembourg
40. CP of Malta
41. CP of Mexico
42. NCP of the Netherlands
43. CP of Norway
44. Palestinian CP
45. Palestinian People’s Party
46. CP of Pakistan
47. Paraguayan CP
48. CP of Peru [Patria Roja]
49. Peruvian CP
50. Philippine CP (PKP-1930)
51. CP of Poland
52. Portuguese CP
53. Romanian CP
54. CPSU
55. CP of the Russian Federation
56. RKRP-RPC
57. Party of the Communists of Serbia
58. NPC of Yugoslavia
59. South African CP
60. CP of Spain
61. CP of the Peoples of Spain
62. Party of the Communists of Cataluna
63. CP of Sri-Lanka
64. CP of Sudan
65. CP of Sweden
66. Syrian CP
67. Syrian CP [Unified]
68. CP of Turkey
69. CP of Ukraine
70. Union of Communists of Ukraine
71. CPUSA
72. CP of Venezuela
Tudeh News
International Bulletin of the Tudeh Party of Iran–Feb 2012 - No. 276
International Dept. Address: BM Box 1686 London WC1N 3XX
Fax: (Berlin: 324-1627) (London: 208-392-2653)
Full-power Against War and Military Adventures in the Persian Gulf Region and the Middle East!
(Published in "Nameh Mardom", Central Organ of the Tudeh Party of Iran No. 888, 13 February 2012)
The events in the recent weeks, such as the news about the turmoil in Syria and “nuclear” program of the Islamic Republic of Iran are signs of unprecedented tensions in the region and the risk of starting a disastrous and bloody war that could easily expand and take global dimensions.
Explicit threats of the policy-makers of the U.S., Britain and France about the necessity to heighten actions against Iran and Syria have created a dangerous situation in the region and particularly with respect to our country, which could not be ignored. Extension of sanctions against the IRI has undoubtedly created definite economic disarray in Iran. Unprecedented increase of the prices of foreign currencies, in other words the devaluation of Iran’s currency, and consequently the increase of the prices of commodities and consumer goods, at a time when unemployment is at all time high and manufacturing plants and factories are shut down one after another, has disrupted the livelihood of large sections of the populations and is driving masses of people toward ever increasing poverty and destitution. And this is only the beginning of an all out economic war which is being imposed on our people just as it was done to the people of Iraq before the bloody military invasion of NATO forces to that country. Not being able to sell oil nor to import the much needed strategic goods will be a colossal economic disaster for a country in which mercantile capitalism on one hand, and adapting the policies of the World Bank in the past years on the other hand, have drastically devastated domestic production and tuned its economy to a mere exporter of oil and importer of all necessary consumer goods. The global organizers of these sanctions, especially the United States, Britain and France, have planned these sanctions knowing those problems.
These anti-human plans have pretty clear objectives:
• Forcing Islamic Republic to react violently as the last resort to dodge, and therefore creating a scenario to lay the grounds and convince other world major powers that an all out war is necessary.
• Exhausting anti-war popular movement to surrender to any scenario to stop the very hard current condition.
• Provoke and mobilize rightwing and uncertain segments of the movement and some of the passive ex-left forces, and encourage them to support the so-called “humanitarian” invasion as the only remaining option for the political developments in the country.
Long term goals of this military adventure and possibly a regional war are clear: spilling the world economic crisis; restructuring of the global economic policies based on concentration of astronomical capitals more than ever; forming the Greater Middle East in order to expand the political and economical circle of influence and dominance over an energy-strategic-region; diverting the massive protest power of the people from Tunisia and Egypt in North Africa, to Syria and Iran and other Arab and Persian Gulf countries and ending the progressive movements in the region and establishing “stable political islands” that can secure imperialism’s short- and long-term interests in the region. Unfortunately, the recent events show signs of the advancement of this pre-planned scenario by the global military industrial complexes.
The leaders of the repressive and medieval regime of Islamic Republic believe that there is no room to retreat, and instead of thinking of ways to alleviate the tension, are proceeding with the nuclear energy programs and have increased the military threats, in reaction to the economic sanctions. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, speaking in the Friday mass on February 3rd, while expressing that Iran will not recoil, explicitly stated Iran’s readiness for war and pointed out the experience of the “33-day war of Lebanon” in face of the enemy. In response to Israeli threats, he mentioned the threats that “will be delivered in appropriate time”. Iranian ambassador to Russia also spoke of targeting US and West interests around the world. And after these comments, it was Mahmud Ahmadinejad who in a speech after the marches of Revolution Anniversary in Tehran, promised that “soon the world will hear about a few great achievements of Iran in nuclear technology”. These comments are made at a time when military maneuvers to close the Strait of Hormuz and official and clear threat against the US and British aircraft carriers to leave the Persian Gulf, have already shown their very concerning consequences and have expanded the ranks of the forces that are willing to join the NATO military invasion of Islamic Republic. Iran’s threats clearly “justify” the concentration of massive marine fleet under the NATO command in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, and the huge sale and dispatch of armament in unprecedented volumes to the countries of the region, such as kingdom states, and create a worldwide “hysteria” called danger of “Islamic Republic”.
The recent news indicate laying dangerous grounds for a disaster which is becoming more imminent:
• The Pentagon has ordered the new generation of very heavy bunker buster bombs from the U.S. military industry.
• The Al-Arabia newspaper, quoted the Washington Post, that the discussion among the ruling circles in the United States and other NATO countries is not about whether, but when and how to inflict the preemptive strike against Iran.
• Extensive public relations campaigns are being waged against Iran and Syria, and reports about the involvement of the (Iranian) Revolutionary Corps in the violence against the people of Homs (in Syria), including the report of Russia Today about the possible preparation of 15,000 troops of the Revolutionary Corps for deployment in the Syrian war fronts, and
• Radio Israel has indicated that tens of thousands of American troops are rapidly setting up Israel’s anti-missile systems.
In this atmosphere and by the invitation of the peace organizations, the first wave of protests against war has started in the streets of Canada, the Unites States and England. Even though these demonstrations had been organized hastily, but they received proper coverage in the media, as well as support among the people. On the other hand, the Islamic Republic which has methodically repressed all the domestic peace organizations and has not permitted any demonstrations against war has specifically attempted to misrepresent the goals and deceitfully taken advantage of the protests in depicting them as actions in support of the policies of IR of Iran. The true and progressive peace organizations oppose any intervention by the imperialists in the internal affairs of any country even under the guise of “humanitarian” intervention, and resolutely and clearly oppose such interventions, and unlike some seminars that take place behind the closed doors, do not remain silent about these interventions. The Islamic Republic’s path, however, is clear. Interpreting this unequivocal opposition to any foreign interference as the support of the peace-loving forces of the world for the cruelty and crime, and oppression of the people by regimes such as the theocratic regime of the Islamic Republic, requires an insolence that one can only find in the likes of the leaders of the Islamic Republic. The reality is that the major organizers of these protest movements have consistently opposed the policies and actions of the theocratic regime in our country, and their opposition to imperialism’s military adventures in the region stands in solidarity with the working people of our country…
In its February 7th statement, the World Peace Council analyzed the imperialist plots to forms a Greater Middle East and reviewed the current situations in Iran and Syria, the extensive deployment of U.S. military forces in the Persian Gulf, the alignment of the Persian Gulf Sheikhdoms with the West, and Israel’s constant provocation against Iran, and stated the position of this progressive organization about the democratic rights of the people and the foreign interventions: “We express our support to the complex struggle of the Iranian people for peace, democracy and social justice and reject any interference in the internal affairs of Iran under any pretext. We state once more the inalienable right of every nation to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes... We support the genuine and peaceful social, political and economic demands of the Syrian people but we state once again that no power has the right to decide for another people or nation. Mankind cannot tolerate foreign interference into the internal disputes of a people. The sovereignty of a country is the sole responsibility of each people.” The statement continues: “The democratic, anti-¬imperialist, peace loving forces of the world should break the silence and denounce the treacherous campaigns of imperialism that pave the way to this new aggression... We commit ourselves to continue the struggle and mobilize forces worldwide in order to create the bases for a new stage of anti imperialist struggle, in the defense of peace, solidarity and the self-determination of peoples. We are confident that with the peoples struggle peace will prevail!”
The experience of the above-mentioned protests shows that combining the slogans for peace and the movement against the war with the progressive struggle of our people for democracy is a necessity and must be emphasized by the peace organizations of our nation. Decisive days and weeks are ahead of us. The Persian Gulf region and the Middle East are at the brink of a destructive war that could expand and take a global dimension. We must not leave the reaction to such dangerous adventures after the fact. Today, we must not lose any opportunity to oppose war and warmongers and to prevent the disaster before it happens
============
Terrorism, adventurous policies of Iran’s theocratic regime, and the risk of escalation of imperialism intervention in Iran
(Editorial of "Nameh Mardom", Central Organ of the Tudeh Party of Iran No. 886, 16 January 2012)
Assassination of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, a specialist working in Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz on January 11th in Tehran, is a new sign of destructive interventions of imperialism and its agent in Iran. Although no state directly took the responsibility for this assassination, but all the evidences suggest the involvement of Israeli security forces and intelligence services of imperialism in this horrendous criminal act. Many of the political analysts and media deemed this assassination similar to the previous actions of “Shin bet” (Israel Security Agency) thugs in recent decades. Tudeh Party of Iran strongly condemns this savage act of the agents of ISA and its cohorts in other imperialist states. These criminal acts also prove the false claims of imperialist states in denouncing terrorism, and signify the double-standards in their policies related to the sensitive region of the Middle of East. The peace activists in Iran and around the globe are currently witnessing the shaping of a dangerous crisis and escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf which could be a pretext for disastrous military conflicts in the Middle East.
The escalation of tensions between the US policy-makers and the authorities of the Iranian theocratic regime in the recent weeks, and the danger of expansion of these clashes and irresponsible threats on both sides threatens the peace in the region and the interests and future of the working people of Iran, has been the subject of numerous discussions and analyses. The fact and the matter is that a direct encounter between the US and its allies on one side and the theocratic regime of Iran on the other, for both sides would be a transition stage to a yet much more dangerous phase which could have disastrous consequences for the entire region. In the past few months, the US and its allies have raised certain reasons and files, with maximum media coverage, as pretext and justification for any possible strategy against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In threatening words that were reproduced in the British media on January 16th, William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, announced that if necessary, the West utilize its military power to deal with Iran and to curb its nuclear program.
The current escalation of tensions is imposed on our country at a time when our people have been completely denied of any kind of decision-making about their own future. For instance, under the current prevailing circumstances [of domestic suppression and monopoly], the ninth parliamentary elections [since the establishment of IRI] in March, will not present any opportunity for the people to impact the political orientation of the ruling forces, including the catastrophic consequences of the economic sanctions and the risk of war. The entire political superstructure of the ruling dictatorship, and above all the Supreme Leader, is continually and more than ever driving our country toward a horrifying abyss. The question to be answered is: what are the objective pretexts of this escalation of tensions?
In recent years we have pointed out time and again- and the course of events has proved us right- that the consequences of the adventurous policies of the leadership of the theocratic regime of Iran have had disastrous consequences and socio-economic devastations of substantial scale.
The threatening tone of the commanders of the Revolutionary Corps in recent weeks, the large-scale military maneuver of the Revolutionary Corps Navy, and the threats of the regime leaders to close the Hormuz Strait, could not be viewed as anything but a policy of playing with fire and giving excuses to imperialist states for extensive interfering in the internal affairs of our country. The counter-threats of the US and Britain, and the announcement of US-Israel joint military exercise in the Persian Gulf are serious threats against our nation and the interests of the people of the region. The rhetoric of Khamenei and other regime leaders that the US and NATO “cannot do anything”, reminds us of the rhetoric of dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the disaster in that country following the military invasion and occupation of Iraq by imperialist states.
Khamenei’s recent speeches and his comparison of the current situation in Iran with the circumstances that existed in Arabia during the crusades of “Badr and Kheybar” not only has nothing to do with the current reality in our country and the region, but also should be deemed as political charlatanism of regime leaders and their dangerous game with the future and destiny of the people and the nation. The lies of the regime leaders about the ineffectiveness of economic sanctions, while the sanctions are suffocating the nation increasingly- one of its consequences being the steep devaluation of the national Rial versus foreign currencies- indicates the deeply anti-popular and anti-national nature of a regime that has brought our country to the brink of disastrous developments.
The root cause of the current tensions should be sought in the intensification of the wide-ranging crisis of the theocratic regime and serious developments in the policies of imperialism in our region.
Despite its extremely retarded and outdated social outlook, the superstructure of the theocratic regime of Iran consists of various influential political factions that are in conflict with each other in the power structure. These factions represent the interests of grand capitals that dominate and control the core of the economy. With the diversion and failure of the ’79 revolution, these key factions in the political superstructure of the country have been able to gain concrete experience and formulate specific principles in the past 3 decades to protect the joint interests of various oligarchic strata of grand capital within the economic substructure of the country. This superstructure in its entirety has repeatedly shown such level of maturity that to solve to alleviate its internal contradictions, it is able to make particular changes in the form of the regime, while preserving the dictatorial content of the regime, in order to save and protect the its key interests and its overall unity. These common substantial interests have woven broad spectrum of bureaucratic capitalism and mercantile bourgeoisie and various political groupings of “fundamentalists”. The fundamental and intertwined common denominators of major factions in the political superstructure of the country are: (1) the necessity of a powerful dictatorial regime in order to practically eliminate the people from the scene; and (2) obligating the government administration and the parliament to execute and implement such an economical program that could keep a large part of the national wealth and the labour force of the country in possession of the bourgeoisie layers and oligarchies within the power structure.
Therefore, the inherent dialectic of the present structure will logically align any vital decision and move, such as formulating international relations and resolving the crisis of relations with the US, in a way that secures the aforementioned common denominators. Based on this analysis, the main contradiction of the ruling dictatorship is with the materialistic and moral interests of the working people and urban petit bourgeoisie. The Achilles heel of the ruling regime is its inability to wipe out the popular movement, which despite its internal and external challenges will continue its struggle against dictatorship in various forms, until the end. In other words, the political superstructure of the regime- as the events of the recent decades has proven (from acquiring weapons from Israel and the US and making deals with Reagan administration and the “Iran-Gate” fiasco, to practical collaboration in military occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq in recent years)- could resolve or alleviate its external contradictions through maneuvers and making deals with imperialist powers. However, the contradiction between this deeply reactionary and despotic structure with the majority of the people is antagonistic, and could not be resolved with just decorating its form. Only a qualitative and fundamental change, i.e. discarding the dictatorial content of the regime could resolve the contradiction with the people. In recent years, the theocratic regime of Iran has exploited international tensions or their intensification as a means to “externalize” the contradiction and crises, so that it could lessen the threats against it as a result of the illegitimacy of the regime and the consequences of the anti-popular economic plans, and divert the attentions and prioritize the fight against the “imperial power”.
The fact is that the economic substructure of Iran is capitalism, and its core activities entails the interests and profiteering of mercantile capitals, private and quasi-private manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors, such as establishments under the umbrella of “the office of the Supreme Leader”, and investments of the Guards Corps. Exploitation of the labour, plundering the national natural resources through tenderpreneurship and brokerage, whether legal or illegal, and taking advantage of the cancerous growth of all kinds of banks and concentration of financial capital, are among the common methods to gain astronomical wealth. Based on the recent report of the visit of IMF delegation to Iran (June 2011)- which was welcomed by the Iranian regime- the economic programs of the our country, and particularly the shock therapy of “purposeful subsidies” plan, are implemented in line with the economic neo-liberalism model. Since the late 19080’s, major factions of the political superstructure of the country, including the Ahmadinejad government, have been actively pursuing policies of “economic adjustment” under various guises, and preparing the economy of the country for widespread ties with the global capitalism. Extensive privatization, creating a huge bank and financial sector, “flexible” job market, wrecking the rights of working people, promoting and supporting the finest neoliberal theories of Chicago School through mainstream media and state scholars behind the smoke screen of such slogans as “justice-oriented” or “justice-seeking” policies, and economic shock [therapy] are already being implemented. Anti-capitalism rhetoric of the likes of the Supreme Leader and Ahmadinejad is deceitful, has only domestic use, and not worth a penny. In the year named as “the year of economic effort (Jihad)” by the Supreme Leader, Ahmadinejad took the working people under the “economic surgery” by means of the most painful economic tools and formulations sanctioned by the global capitalism. These common threads, and particularly the theoretical and practical influence of the global capitalism in the fabric of the our country’s economy, and especially the influence of economic neo-liberalism among the highest ranks of the Iranian regime, cannot be discounted in the analyses and decisions of imperialism regarding our country.
The foreign policy of the regime in the region, particularly the remarks of the regime leaders about creating “Islamic Empire” and the “concerns” of the US imperialism of Iran’s meddling in the affairs of the countries of the region to expand its circle of influence, is unacceptable for some of imperialist groups and is a backdrop of intensification of tensions that could have dire consequences. It should be noted that from the point of view of the US imperialism and their strategic ally Israel, the hegemony of the United States over the Middle East region is not a negotiable matter. The imposition of this monopolistic hegemony of the US over the region even concerns the influence of greater powers than Iran such as Russia, China and the EU. This in turn will be one of the decisive and significant factors in the future developments and equations related to the theocratic regime of Iran. Based on its patriotic responsibility and commitment to the interests of the working people and the working class of Iran, and in order to advance the popular movement in Iran, Tudeh Party of Iran acts should to shoulder of other activists and militant forces to overcome the dictatorship of the Supreme Leadership and to defend peace and national sovereignty of Iran. It is only through united action and joint plan of all progressive forces and launching an international campaign against the military conflict in the region that the disaster could be prevented
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World’s Communists in Solidarity with the Struggle of the Iranian People for Peace and Progress!
11th December 2012
Statement in opposition to the threats of military intervention in Iran
The participants of the 13th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties taking place on 9-11th December 2011 in Athens, Greece express their solidarity with the working class of Iran in their complex struggle for peace, sovereignty, democracy and social justice.
We view with grave concern the moves by the NATO powers, following their intervention in Libya, to extend their program of regime change across the entire Middle East. The policies, statements and concrete actions adopted by the US, the EU and Israel in the region all indicate an active intent to shift the balance of power across the entire Middle East in favour of imperialism. Communists believe that Imperialist policies in the Middle East are designed to guarantee the control of the massive energy resources and untapped markets of this geopolitically strategic region for monopolies and oil transnationals.
The recent heightening of tensions in relation with Iran following the Israel’s threat of a nuclear strike against that country, the publication of a damaging Atomic Energy Agency’s report on Iran’s nuclear program, the new series of punitive economic and financial sanctions adopted by the UK, Canada, the US and supported by other EU countries, the withdrawal of the British diplomatic mission from Iran and the ordering out of the Iranian diplomatic mission in London is a serious concern about the future developments in relation with Iran.
We therefore reiterate our opposition to all such interventions against sovereign countries as violations of the United Nation’s founding charter. Communists believe that it is the right of the Iranian people themselves to determine the direction of future developments in their country and to achieve peace, democracy and progress. Threats of external imperialist intervention strengthen the hands of the most reactionary sections of the ruling class.
We resolutely condemn any intervention in Iran by imperialist states and their allies, which are trying to advance their plan for the creation of a “Greater Middle East”.
We believe that it is the right of the Iranian people themselves to determine the direction of future developments in their country and to achieve peace, democracy and social progress
The Parties supporting:
1. CP of Albania
2. PADS, Algeria
3. CP of Azerbaijan
4. CP of Australia
5. CP of Bangladesh
6. WP of Bangladesh
7. WP of Belgium
8. CP of Brazil
9. Brazilian CP
10. CP of Britain
11. NCP of Britain
12. CP of Bulgaria
13. CP of Canada
14. SWP of Croatia
15. CP of Cuba
16. AKEL, Cyprus
17. CP of Bohemia and Moravia
18. CP in Denmark
19. CP of Denmark
20. CP of Egypt
21. CP of Finland
22. French CP
23. CP of Macedonia, FYROM
24. UCP of Georgia
25. German CP
26. PPP, Guyana
27. KKE
28. Hungarian CWP
29. CP of India
30. CP of India [Marxist]
31. Tudeh Party of Iran
32. CP of Ireland
33. WP of Ireland
34. Party of the Italian Communists
35. Communist Refoundation Party
36. Jordanian CP
37. Lebanese CP
38. Socialist People’s Front, Lithuania
39. CP of Luxembourg
40. CP of Malta
41. CP of Mexico
42. NCP of the Netherlands
43. CP of Norway
44. Palestinian CP
45. Palestinian People’s Party
46. CP of Pakistan
47. Paraguayan CP
48. CP of Peru [Patria Roja]
49. Peruvian CP
50. Philippine CP (PKP-1930)
51. CP of Poland
52. Portuguese CP
53. Romanian CP
54. CPSU
55. CP of the Russian Federation
56. RKRP-RPC
57. Party of the Communists of Serbia
58. NPC of Yugoslavia
59. South African CP
60. CP of Spain
61. CP of the Peoples of Spain
62. Party of the Communists of Cataluna
63. CP of Sri-Lanka
64. CP of Sudan
65. CP of Sweden
66. Syrian CP
67. Syrian CP [Unified]
68. CP of Turkey
69. CP of Ukraine
70. Union of Communists of Ukraine
71. CPUSA
72. CP of Venezuela
