The following is a June 21 statement from the Central Committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran.
Following the speech of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader and the commander of the coup d’état, in the Friday prayers in Tehran – which Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called “authoritative and unraveling” – the armed thugs of the regime, including the forces of the Basij militia, Intelligence Ministry and units of the Revolutionary Corps brutally attacked peaceful and righteous-seeking demonstrations of the people.
According to the latest reports by news agencies around the world, tens of people were killed and injured.
Khamenei’s June 19 sermon in Friday prayers should be considered a declaration of war against the reform and popular movement by reaction’s leaders. It also reveals the tactics and strategies of the regime for the brutal suppression of the struggle of Iranian people with bloodshed.
Khamenei’s position also is a sign of the reactionaries’ serious concern about the deepening cracks within their inner circle and forces around the ruling regime and about total damage to the credibility and authority of Khamenei as the Supreme Leader of the regime.
It also indicates the will of the regime to move towards putting an end to the “Republic” system and establishing an Islamic Caliphate with absolute rule and reliance on military forces.
The reactionaries are very well aware that continuance of mass demonstrations and rallies, and its spread to the cities across the country, would tremble the pillars of the regime more than ever and would tend to shape another ’79 revolution in the country.
It is not coincidental that Khamenei’s regime, like Shah’s regime, claims that millions of Iranians from various walks of life, i.e. women, youth, students and working people who are present in the scene of recent events, are “agents of foreign countries,” and by exploiting spurious anti-West slogans, it tries to cover up the anti-human and brutal suppression of the people’s protests.
The militant people of Iran
At the same time that mass demonstrations of people were happening, and despite the increasing pressure exerted by the regime, Mir Hussein Mousavi issued his political statement on June 20. This statement, which is considered the official position of Mousavi and his reformist fellows after the speech of the Supreme Leader, is of utmost importance in the present critical moment. Mousavi’s emphasis on continuing the struggle and the demand of annulling the election results and recognizing people’s rights, demonstrates the irreversibility of the current movement of people and its might and strength. This is an effective and sensible policy under the current circumstances. Therefore, everything possible should be done to support, brace and promote this position. Iranian people have supported this position by all means, and will continue to do so.
The vigilant people of Iran
The intention of coup perpetrators in mobilizing and organizing the suppression is to degrade, deteriorate and discourage the will of people for any kind of victory. Reaction’s goal is to intimidate and terrorize and to create a violent atmosphere of bloody suppression, and to force the popular movement to retreat and to retire.
Among the moves and actions that could strengthen the people’s movement and nullify the plots of reaction are the ever broadening of the alliance among various components of the social movement that are present in the scene of current events, closer ties with the working class and working people and escalating the public protests.
The experience of the ’79 revolution proved that with continuation of large rallies and demonstrations against the repressive forces of the Shah’s regime, eventually a crushing majority of the social forces reached a level of awareness and readiness that broke the backbone of the Monarch despotic regime with a sweeping general strike.
In the coming days, and considering the resistance and position of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Karoubi and other reformist activists, like Mrs. Zahra Rahnavard who has played a significant role in resisting against the coup perpetrators, the ruling reactionaries will undoubtedly try to exert more pressure on them, and perhaps arrest them. It is imperative that the movement be prepared to confront and counteract these moves.
In the present critical and historic moments, staying alert and united in solidarity and continuing the struggle are the foremost tasks of the popular movement.
--Founded in the 1940s, the Tudeh Party of Iran represents the interests of the Iranian working class and people for peace, democracy and socialism.
