A View of the First Congress of The Left Party of Iran (People's Fadaian)

A View of the First Congress of The Left Party of Iran (People's Fadaian)

The first Congress of the Left Party of Iran (People's Fadaian) - LPI(PF) - was held in the Netherlands, and broadcast live online, on July 12-14, 2019. Proceedings were conducted under the banner “For Peace, Freedom, Social Justice, Democracy and Socialism”.

Over three days, the gathering agreed a statement of political positions, further refined its constitution, platform and programme, and elected the Party’s Central Council, key commissions and work groups. Its successful conclusion reaffirmed the Party’s significant role amongst the Iranian opposition, reinforcing the hopes of Iranians striving for peace, liberty, social justice, environmental protection, democracy and socialism at home and throughout the diaspora, as well as the hopes of our international allies.

The LPI(PF) was founded 15 months earlier through the concerted efforts of three political strands of the Iranian left: the Union of People’s Fadaian of Iran (Defenders of the Unity of the Left), the Organisation of the Iranian People’s Fadaian (Majority) and the network of Left Activists. This first Congress of the Party consolidated the unity achieved at the founding conference; both events have brought to fruition the decades-long fervent desire of members to heal the bitter splits in the People’s Fadaian dating from the years following the 1979 Revolution. The Congress marked the continuing evolution of this major current within the Iranian opposition towards a democratic and socialist party of the left.

The Congress was chaired collaboratively by rotation amongst an elected group of 5 members, which include 2 women.

The proceedings were transmitted live online, with many listening and participating digitally both from inside Iran and throughout the diaspora. The Congress was widely reported in Iranian online media, such as Akhbar Ruz, as well as by foreign media such as the BBC Persian Service, Deutsche Welle, Iran International Television and RFI (French Radio).

Representatives of Iranian and international parties who addressed the Congress included:

1. the Tudeh Party of Iran
2. the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan
3. the Kurdistan Democratic Party
4. the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan
5. the National Front of Iran-Europe
6. the Democratic Party of Iran
7. the United Republicans of Iran
8. the Iraqi Communist Party
9. Die Linke (the Left Party of Germany)
10. the German Marxist Left

Mr. Assad Keshtmand, a member of the Central Committee of the former People's Democratic Party of Afganistan, delivered a warm speech welcoming the formation and second congress of the LPI(PF), and the continuing solidarity of the people of Iran and Afghanistan. He also highlighted his unforgettable memories as host in Afghanistan to Iranian comrades forced to flee the brutal repression of the Islamic Republic in the nineteen eighties.

Additional messages of solidarity were received from:

• HDP: Halklarin Demokratik Partisi [People’s Democratic Party], Turkey
• Communist Party of France
• Izquierda Unida [United Left], Spain
• Communist Party of Spain
• Coordinating Committee for Democracy and Socialism – America [members include Noam Chomsky and Angela Davis]

Common themes in these messages were the imminent danger of an Iran-US war, and efforts to stop the war and to end economic sanctions against Iran. Many denounced imperialism and the capitalist system’s direct responsibility for the current dire situation.

The following Iranian non-member comrades also accepted invitations to address the Congress: Mehran Barati, Ahmad Hashemi, Ali Keshtgar, Amir Mombini, Farrokh Negahdar, Farhad Nomani, and Jamshid Taheripour. In addition, Abolhassan Bani Sadr (Iran’s first president following the 1979 revolution) sent a message to the Congress.

Over the course of the three-day Congress, the following topics were amongst those debated:

• how best to address the developmental needs of society to better the lives of the vast majority and reduce the grotesque imbalance between the richest and poorest sectors of Iranian society
• the nature of federalism most appropriate for Iran (whose population is divided amongst 7 major ethnic groups)
• the current international political and economic situation
• analysis of the effects of sanctions on Iran, and the critical state of relations between the US and Iran, and relations between Iran and regional powers such as Saudi Arabia
• the catastrophic effects of climate change and environmental degradation in Iran; discussion included the screening of a video entitled "In our Party, the preservation of the environment has priority over profitability."
• the nature and role of reformist forces within the regime, and what the Party’s relationship (if any) with them should be

The Congress observed a minute’s silence in honour of the huge number of fallen comrades of the Left and democratic mass movement in Iran. A moving tribute was paid, too, to family members (known as Mothers of Khavaran) who have sacrificed enormously to keep the memory and legacy of missing and executed loved ones alive, to fight for justice and to provide crucial, ongoing support for the ever-growing numbers families similarly suffering from the regime’s repression. Messages of solidarity were sent to all fighters of freedom and justice in Iran, including all political prisoners.

Evenings featured a panel discussion on the situation in Iran and live music by the Swedish-based Iranian group Alvand. On the final evening, the congress was celebrated in an atmosphere of joy and unity. ‘Alvand’ opened the night with live music; later, guests continued the celebration by reciting poetry, dancing and singing.