Some sensible comments on Iran…in the ‘Morning Star’!
The Morning Star, organ of the remnants of the old Stalinist Communist Party of Britian, is usually a reliable source of “my enemy’s enemy” fake-”anti-imperialism” and “left” anti-semitism. Amazingly, they carried this very sensible piece about Iran. The explanation is, of course, that their comrades in the Tudeh Party – unlike the middle class “anti-imperialists” who frequent the MS letters column, SOAS academia and blogs like Seymour’s Tomb, have to live and operate under the clerical fascist regime.
Since his last “election,” Ahmadinejad has postured around the world as a great leader, boasted of his conversations with God, denied the nazi Holocaust, trampled on human rights in his country and jailed his opponents.
But above all, he is a willing and enthusiastic representative of the Iranian theocratic and mercantile class.
This is the same class that has trampled on the anti-imperialist ambitions of the ‘79 revolution, repressed working-class and student organisations, engaged in brutal tortures and executions and severely restricted the rights of women.
It now dresses in pseudo anti-imperialist clothes, but the reality is that the president has no clothes.
This must form the basis for any progressive assessment of Iran’s political reality.
Large sections of the Iranian population have taken this as their starting point and are expressing their outrage on the streets.
Their experiences have informed and motivated the protests and this dictatorship, like others before it, has responded with violence and tragedy.
Now it is the Iranian masses and their autonomous organisations which require support.
The clerical regime is continuing with its posturing, hiding behind its trade links with other nations, claiming conspiracies, seeking scapegoats and responding with its customary iron fist.
There are many parallels to be found in international politics. Whatever subtleties of difference there may be, the theocratic regime in Iran has demonstrated that it is on the wrong side of history.
Supporters of the movement for peace, independence, freedom and liberty in Iran should not be dragged alongside.
Navid Shomali is the British representative of the Tudeh Party of Iran
entdinglichung said,
July 17, 2009 at 8:09 am
it is similar with the coverage of the movement in Iran in the Unsere Zeit (UZ) weekly of the German CP, … generally, many CPs are relying on correspondents of sister organizations for the coverage on affairs in other countries which is not always bad
Andrew Coates said,
July 17, 2009 at 11:12 am
Actually Jim you may know that the Morning Star has Mary Davis on its board. See theoretical journal of the Party. She supports the Iraqi Communist Party – that is in oppostion to the StWC line, loathes a certain Galloway, and well, is a bit towards our kind of the left.
Plus one of the journos for the Morning Star is an Ipswich anarchist.
I kid you not.