People's Democracy

CPI(M) Greets Tudeh Party of Iran

THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) greets the Tudeh Party of Iran on its 70th anniversary. On this momentous occasion we greet the leadership and all the members of the party and reiterate our heartfelt solidarity.

The Tudeh Party, which was formed in 1941, was a successor of the Communist Party of Iran that was banned by the King of Iran Reza Shah in 1934. Carrying on the traditions of Marxism-Leninism, the Tudeh Party is steadfastly fighting for the rights of the Iranian people. The party played an exemplary role in the fight against imperialism, its control on the oil industry and also against all forms of reaction in the society. Applying the Leninist maxim of 'concrete analysis of concrete conditions', the Tudeh Party had for the first time given the call for building a united front in the struggle against oppression and exploitation and this attracted wide sections of the society – workers, peasants, artists, writers, poets and intellectuals – to the party. It was this growing popularity of the party that had frightened the ruling classes in Iran and made them ban the party and also unleash one of the brutal repressions ever witnessed in the history.

It is to the credit of the party that inspite of the brutal killing of many leaders and thousands of its members being declared illegal, the party still continues to work among the people of Iran. It is this unbowing, courageous attitude of the Tudeh Party of Iran – withstanding all forms of repression and oppression – that inspires the world communists.

In today's world situation with imperialism trying hard to ensure its hold over the resource rich West Asian region, the struggle carried out against such nefarious designs acquires even more importance, more so, in the period of global economic crisis that is threatening the world economy. The US led imperialist forces have imposed inhuman sanctions on Iran on the pretext of ensuring that it doesn't develop nuclear weapons. As always, the sanctions are causing immense hardships to the people of Iran rather than the ruling classes.

The wave of protests sweeping across various countries in the region is a positive development that needs to be welcomed. At the same time, imperialism is using these very protests to interfere in the internal affairs of various countries in the region and affect a regime change. This should not be allowed. It is upon the people of the respective countries to decide on the governments they want in their countries. The people of the region should be vigilant and thwart all such designs attempted by the US and its lackeys.

We are confident that the Tudeh Party of Iran will live up to the high expectations among the people of Iran and resist all the efforts of the ruling classes and imperialism.

On this joyous occasion of the 70th anniversary of the formation of the Tudeh Party of Iran, we once again reiterate our solidarity and affirm that the CPI(M) will stand shoulder-to-shoulder in its struggle against imperialism and for a society free from exploitation.