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The Worker-Communist Party of Iran (Persian: حزب کمونیست کارگران ایران) is a political party that seeks the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the establishment of a 'Socialist Republic of Iran' in its place. The party's primary slogans are "Liberty, Equality, Workers' Rule" , "Down with the Islamic Republic", "For a Socialist Republic", and "The Basis of Socialism is the Human Being".
WPI was formed in 1991 as a splinter group from the Communist Party of Iran. The Party was formed by Mansoor Hekmat, Koorosh Modarresi, Iraj Azarin and Reza Moqaadam. Hekmat remains an icon for the party, even though he died in 2002, and his picture is shown on top of every publicataion of the party.
The current leader is Hamid Taqvaee, Other important figures are Ali Javadi and Azar Majedi.
The official newspaper of the party is Anternasional, which (means: International). It is published in Persian once a week, on Fridays. The editor is Mohsen Ebrahimi. THe WPI also has a newspaper published in English called WPI Briefing, and there are occasional publications in German and Dutch.
The WPI is banned in Iran as are other parties opposed to the Islamic Republic.
The party claims to have numerous members in Iran and is especially powerful in the Kurdistan area.
The WPI owns a radio station named “Radio International”, which broadcasts in Persian and can be heard throughout Iran. There is also a 24 hour TV station called “New Channel” which is mainly in Persian but also broadcasts some programs in English (and previously in Kurdish). The WPI claims that New Channel is the first 24 hour communist TV in the world.
The Communist Youth Organisation is the Youth Wing of WPI.
Current Leadership and Organs
The Current leaders and organs of WPI Are:
Leader, the Secretary of Centeral Committee: Hamid Taqvaee
Central Committee: chosen in Fifth Congress, September 2004: Mohamad Asangaran, Mohsen Ebrahimi,Mina Ahadi,Homa Arjomand,Siamak Amjadi,Nazanin Boroomand,Siamak Bahari,Sima Bahari, Fateh Bahrami, Fariborz Pooya, Hamid Taghvaee, Amir Tavakolli, Keivan Javid, Ali Javadi, Satar chimantoo, Farshad Hosseini, Bahman Khani, Shahla Daneshfar, Siavash Daneshvar, Nasrin Ramezanali, Bahram Soroosh, Mahboobe Siahmardi, Soheila Sharifi, Nader Sharifi, Mohammad Shokoohi, Issam Shukri, Mostafa Saber, Soosan Saberi, Hasan Salehi, Iraj Farjad, Mansoor Farzad, Ali Farhnag, Parvin Kaboli, Asqar Karimi, Maryam Koosha, Khalil Keyvan, Heidar Goyli, Azar Majedi, Ali Mohseni, Shiva Mahboobi, Khebat Majid, Siavash Modaressi, Shahnaz Moratab, Esmayil Moloodi, Maryam Namazie, Samir Noori, Kazem Nikkhah, Babak Yazdi
Political Bureau: Chosen in 25th plenom of Central Committee: Azar Majedi, Mohammad Asangaran, Fateh Bahrami , Shahla Daneshfar, Siavash Daneshvar, Issam Shukri, Khalil Keyvan, Siavash Modaressi, Maryam Namazie, Mohsen Ebrahimi, Ali Javadi, Kazem Nikkhah, Mostafa Saber, Asqar Karimi, Mina Ahadi, Keivan Javid, Nasrin Ramezanali, Bahram Soroosh, Hasan Salehi
Chairperson of Political Bureau: Azar Majedi
Secretary of Communist Youth Organisation: Mostafa Saber
Secretary of inside the Iran Committee: Shahla Daneshfar
Chairperson of Central Office: Shahla Daneshfar
Kurdistan Committee: Chosen in Kurdistan Cadres Conference in Summer 2005: Mohammad Asangaran, Mansoor Farzad, Samad Ahmadi, Hasti Rahmati, Omid Zamani, Khosro Shad, Reza Fathi, Nima Moradi, Mehrdad Ahmadi, Veria Ahmadi, Abdollah Asadi, Abas Ayagh, Bahman Khani, Siavash Daneshvar, Hadi Rahimi, Razgar Rezayi, Nasrin Ramezanali, Karim Shah Mohammadi, Monir Sharif poorian, Soheila Sharifi, Shame Salavati, Abdolah SeidMoradi, Saleh Falahi, Iraj Farjad, Parvin Kaboli, Asqar Karimi, Mohamadamin Kamangar, Abdol Golparian, Heidar Goyli, Yadi Mahmoodi, Fereshteh Moradi, Shahnaz Moratab, Esmayil Moloodi, Saber Noori, Satar Noorizad, Rahim Yazdanparast
Secretary of Kurdistan Committee: Mohamad Asangaran
Secretary of Outside the Iran Committee: Khalil Keivan
Secretary of International Relations Committee: Maryam Namazie
Secretary of Germany Committee: Nazanain Boroomand
Secretary of Sweden Committee: Siamak Bahari
Secretary of Britain Committee: Shiva Mahboobi
Secretary of Canada Committee: Mitra Danesh
Secretary of Netherlands Committee: Bahman Zakeri-Nejad
Publications and Papers
The WPI's main newspaper is “Anternasional” (in Farsi: International), which usually extends to around four pages and is published in Persian every Friday.
The Communist Youth Organisation also has an official paper named “Javanane Komonist” (in Farsi:Communist Youth) which is published every Tuesday in Persian.
The party has an official English paper namedWPI Briefing and sometimes they publish similar papers on German, Dutch and etc.
“Kargare Kommunist” (Communist Worker) is another persian paper of WPI covering workers' issues.
The party also publishes an English newsletter named “Workers in Iran” concerning latest news from the workers' movement in Iran.
The WPI Kurdistan Committee publishes its own paper called “Iskra” in Persian.
in March 2006 WPI started its Theoretical-Political Paper named "Besooye Socialism"(in Farsi: Toward Socialism).
Current editors of WPI Papers
Editor of “Anternasional” : Mohsen EbrahimiEditor of “Javanane Komonist”: Mostafa Saber
Editor of WPI Briefing: Fariborz Pooya, Maryam Namazie,
Editor of “Kargare Komonist”: Kazem Nikkhah
Editor of Workers in Iran newsletter: Naser Asqari
Editor of “Iskra”: Abdol Golparian
Editor of “Besooye Socialism”: Fateh Bahrami
Participation in allied groups and campaigns
Since the establishment of the party, WPI members and cadres have created and joined many organisations and campaigns on different issues. Such organisations are usually very close to the party. These are as follows:
The Communist Youth Organisation.
The Organisation for Women’s Liberation is close to WPI and is struggling for Women's rights. OWL's current chairperson is Azar Majedi, who is also head of the politburo of WPI.
The International Federation of Iranian Refugees, known as “Hambastegi” (solidarity) is a vast organisation that was formed before the establishment of WPI but today is close to party. IFIR is struggling for refugees' rights, especially those who are coming from Iran. IFIR has a weekly paper in Persian named “Hambastegi Haftegi” (Weekly Solidarity) and a monthly paper (also in Persian) named “Hambastegi Mahane” (Monthly Solidarity).
“Children First Now” emerged from “Children First” (which was formed by Mansoor Hekmat and Soraya Shahabi) and is a campaign for children's rights in Iran. it publish a Persian paper named “Koodakan Moqadamand” (Children are Precedent).
The Marx Society of London was formed By Mansoor Hekmat and Koroosh Modarresi after a long series of debates following the major split in the WPI in August 2004. It is working closely with WPI. The Society concentrates on theoretical issues in Marxism. Other Marx Societies (also close to WPI) have been formed in other countries, such as Canada.
Anjomane Zede din(Anti-Religion Society) is a secularist group formed in August 2005. it is very close to WPI and has its own paper, called in Persian, “Sekolar”.
Current Leadership of Close organistions to WPI
Secretary of Communist Youth Organisation: Mostafa SaberChairperson of Organisation of Women’s Liberation: Azar Majedi
Secretary of International Federation of Iranian Refugees: Mina Ahadi
Secretary of “Children First now” : Homa Arjomand
Chairperson of Marx Society: Ali Javadi
Speaker of “Anjomane Zede din” : Mohamadreza Pooya
Sister Parties
Leftist Worker-Communist Party of Iraq which was formed in 2004 after the major split in the WPI. It is a sister party to WPI.
LWPI Current Leader, Osam Shukri is a member of Central Committee and politburo of WPI.
History
Foundation
The founding declaration of the party has four signatures: Mansoor Hekmat,Koorosh Modarresi, Reza Moghadam and Iraj Azarin. The latter three individuals have since left the party.Deabate on Leadership
After the death of Mansoor Hekmat in 2002, there was a debate in the party over whether a new leader should be announced or not. This led to the formation of two factions, one centred on Hamid Taghvayee, who was defending "Collective Leadership"; the other around Koroosh Modaressi who belived that party should choose a leader immediately.The Central Committee subsequently voted for immediate election of the leader. Taqvaee and Modaressi nominated themselves and Koroosh Modaressi was chosen.
During the 4th Congress of Party, Modaressi did not nominate himself for leadership again saying that he would like stand down in favour of Hamid Taqvaee who, as the only candidate, was then appointed automatically.
Major Split in August 2004
The leadership debates eventually led to the exodus of more than half of the members of Central Commititee and most of the Kurdistan Committee in August 2004. The defectors chose the leadership of Koroosh Modaressi, who then was Chairperson of Political Bureau. This move was supported by the leadership of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq. Together they formed a new party called “Worker-Communist Party of Iran-Hekmatist”. They claim to be closer to the ideas of Mansoor Hekmat, though this is denied by the leadership of the WPI, who declare themselves to be the real followers of Hekmat's path.The conflict beetwen the two parties is still ongoing and the WPI leadership sometimes call the WPI-H as “Anti Hekmatist” in sarcasm. In return the WPI-H claims that WPI is a retreat to the "traditional left" and is a "populist" party.
External links
Communist parties in Iran | 1991 establishments
Arbeiterkommunistische Partei Irans | Partido Trabajador-Comunista de Irán | حزب کمونیست کارگری ایران | Parti communiste-ouvrier d'Iran
"Worker-Communist Party of Iran"