soL English

Has being leftist ever been easy? But, nowadays being leftist in Iran is even more difficult.

It’s not just the pressures that I am talking about. In 1970’s, when the left, especially communist TUDEH, became one of the forces to determine the fate of the country, it was struggling against the terror of the despotic Shah regime. To a certain extent, one of the factors behind 1979 Revolution which gave birth to today’s reactionary mullah regime was the massive anger against torture methods of SAVAK and extrajudicial executions.

It was difficult to be leftist, but there was the left in the country, and it did exist predominantly.

Rest is well known to all of us. Revolution becomes a counter-revolution within a short time; communists and leftist forces allying with the mullah are subjected to a bloody liquidation operation.

This great tragedy is still being discussed. Some beat around the bush saying, “It was a Soviet strategy,” some others say “They shouldn’t have trusted the Islamists”; “The communists were unprepared” is another judgment that people utter most. Nobody denies that there was a calculation mistake.

Where was then the calculation mistake?

Being a part of the growing social movement against the Shah? Was it a mistake?

Forming an alliance with Islamist movements? How can a social movement, a real social movement, be classified with an arbitrary approach? Should the communists who devotedly carried out a struggle against the pro-American Shah regime for several years say “I don’t like this thing ” and step aside when a massive revolt against the Shah was prompted?

There is a rule: every revolutionary situation results either in a revolution or a counter-revolution. Here, Iran lived through both of these one after another. The general populist characteristic of the movement and the leftist forces inside it were attributing a revolutionary character to the movement; the hegemony of mullahs suffocated this character.

Anti-US struggle, so on, so forth, all mean nothing after a certain point. It was an obvious counter-revolution that took place under the leadership of Khomeini. You cannot call this transformation which politically, ideologically, organizationally and physically liquidated the progressive forces of the country with another name.

Of course, this was a unique counter-revolution. This is almost the sole example that the USA was unable to keep under control. Iran is certainly a great country, neither the green belt projects of the CIA, nor timid Soviet strategies could buy it; a unique political power emerged.

Let’s put the development of this political power, the last 30 years aside.

What we said was "It’s difficult to be leftist in Iran”. We stated this for today. Yes, but why?

Well, because the “uniqueness” in 1979 still goes on! Iran Islamic Republic owes its exixtance to the Soviet Union which it hates to death! More accurately, to the gaps created by the struggle between the Soviets and the USA. The Saddam regime of Iraq was of the same kind. These could manage to find a space of action in the bi-polarized world. Soviets collapsed, imperialists declared the states which survived as they were indirectly benefited from the Soviets unlawful and put pressure on our region. Those who were under direct Soviet effect were easily dealt with. The Gorbachevist betrayer gang liquidated socialist Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and German Democratic Republic with the support of KGB forces in these countries. More autonomous Romania resisted for a while. A bloody war was necessary to disintegrate Yugoslavia which always stood closer to the West and distant to Moscow. Iraq was invaded while mullah power continues to govern in Iran. It continues benefiting from its ideological character and once more, from the international balances.

This is where the difficulty of being leftist begins. Imperialist countries, the USA in the lead, try all and every way to “overthrow” Iran. Looking from this perspective, being a leftist means to oppose the imperialist intervention and the imperialists projects. In Iran, it’s legitimate to call those who appeal to the USA or to the Europe in the name of “democracy” as traitors rather than leftist as it’s the case in everywhere.

On the other hand, the movement rising in Iran today can neither be the product of “the moderate Islamists” nor of “the USA conspiracies” alone. Right, Mousavi is no-different, moreover the blood on his hands is thicker than that of Ahmedinejad. Right, with all their secret services, mass media, Soros organizations, and of course with their lies, the imperialists are everywhere in "the opposition". But, as we told, Iran is a great country… Of course, a reaction against the bloody dictatorship of religious fanatics would develop and of course this reaction would flow to a channel at the first opportunity.

Left also means to stand against reactionism and despotism. On all occasions!

This is why it’s difficult.

But, not impossible to overcome.

Along with the difficulties, there is a “facilitating” part as well. Because, an “out”sourcing movement has a very little chance in Iran. Patriotism has amazingly deep roots in Iran. That is why they could not draw Iran Azeris into a pro-American set up against Tehran.

However, arrow is already off the bow. Trying to explain what happened so far solely as an “American conspiracy” means to ignore the 30 years of bloody period of mullah regime. We don’t have the liberty of opening an unlimited credit for a regime which wiped thousands of activists, patriots, communists, democrats, scientists! Some states can do so; the balances and complex calculations in the field of international politics may lead Chavez or another person to a reckless mullah support.

But communists, leftists, cannot do so.

Iran must be protected and defended against imperialist interventions. But one must also say that if there were a strong left in Iran or if the left were to find a anchor point to get stronger, then such a left movement would have to endeavor with full strength in order not to let the USA, France and England take the control of the social reaction against the mullahs in the specificity of Iran. Let’s not forget, the US’ managing to place the struggle against the mullahs at a liberal axis is equally dangerous as its seizure with a plain intervention. The Mullah regime took 30 years of Iran away. A “Pro-American Green Revolution” would take another 30 years away if other counterweights don’t come out.

Are these too academic? In my opinion, they are not. But beyond a certain point, one must be in Iran, be Iranian and hold an Iranian struggle, to be able to speak. Difficulties are their difficulties at first.

Let’s wish good luck to them, and; we stand by them…