User:Comrade Elephant/Response On Iran

Should we under current conditions support the Iranian government because of its role in the anti-imperialist struggle?

Reading List

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJLPE5Ja0qU

https://libcom.org/article/class-struggle-autonomy-and-state-iran

https://newpol.org/beyond-the-tragic-nature-of-contemporary-uprisings-in-iran/

https://newpol.org/is-it-islamophobic-to-support-iranian-protesters/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basij

[Draft/Incomplete] No.

- The history of Iran in the 20th century is one of constant struggle. From being a small player (Qajar dynasty) in the imperial period between Russia and Britain (early 1900s), to Reza Khan (1921) (from the Cossack brigades) being appointed as Imperial puppet, to the national front led by Mossadegh (51), to the return of the monarchy in 1953, and then the Islamic Republic in 1979. For details, highly recommend this piece: https://libcom.org/article/class-struggle-autonomy-and-state-iran

- With each struggle, we can observe various political forces forming, re-forming and being destroyed. However, one thing remains, the concentration of power and capital in the hands of a few.

- The political economy during the Qajar period is tribal-feudalistic - Monarch rules through a network of nobles, landowners, etc.

- Strong ties between Bazaaris and clergy - relations in marriage, mosques funded by bazaaris. Important to understand this relationship to understand 1979.

- Reza Khan takes over and not much changes in agriculture, but oil fields are controlled by British forces since Soviet Russia leaves the war.

- 2nd world war, Allies invade Iran, Reza 1 abdicates, Reza 2 becomes monarch (although once again a puppet)

- War ends, Tudeh becomes a force, Mossadegh leads National Front with a goal to nationalise oil. CIA coup in 1953 brings back Reza Shah. SAVAK is setup.

- Communists are repressed and left movements destroyed. But nationalist movements remain through the network of mosques, and large land holdings in the hands of the clergy.

- Ayatollah Khomenei comes to power in 79. He has legitimacy, Reza does not.

- He creates a new form of government Vilayat-e-faghi, and declares that "preserving the Islamic state is the most obligatory of obligations"

- Creates the IRGC (commonly known as Sepah) and the Basij . These entities morph into what begins to look like state capitalism. They control means of production and also means of repression and hegemony.

- Struggles post revolution

- 1999 student protests (crushed by Hezbollah and Basij)

- 2003 student protests (crushed by government forces)

- 2009 green revolution (against Ahmedinejads rigged election, crushed)

- 2011-12

- 2016-17

- 17-19

- 2022 Jin, Jiyan, Azadi

- until today.

- All the struggles post 79, have been fighting for the right to dissent, for the right to have a say in the political process and fundamentally against the hegemony of the Islamic Republic.

- Irans government is repressive af. The political economy has devolved into an economy controlled by the IRGC and supporting this brutal system only because it is anti-imperial, is quite literally throwing the Iranian people under the bus, because we think anti-imperialism is more important than their voice!