This article is missing information about left-wing guerrilla groups in Iran after the revolution. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.(February 2016)
Several left-wingguerrilla groups attempting to overthrown the pro-Western regime of ShahMohammad Reza Pahlavi were notable and active in Iran from 1971 to 1979. The groups shared a commitment to armed struggle, but differed in ideology. Most were Marxist in orientation, but the largest group — People's Mujahedin of Iran — was founded as an Islamic socialist organization. The left-wing movement is meant to overthrow conservative or capitalist systems and replace them with Marxist–Leninist, socialist, or anarchist societies.
While the guerrilla movement did not lead the revolution that overthrew the Pahlavi regime, four guerrilla organizations — the Feda'i, the pro-Tudeh Feda'i Munsh'eb, the Islamic Mujahedin and the Marxist Mujahedin — are said to have "delivered the regime its coup de grace," in the street fighting of February 9–11, 1979.[1]
the Marxist offshoot from the Mujadedin, known as the Marxist Mujahedin or Peykar;
small Islamic groups on the whole limited to one locality: Gorueh-i Abu Zarr (Abu Zarr Group) in Nahavand, Gorueh-i Shi'iyan-i Rastin (True Shi'i Group) in Hamadan, Gorueh-i Allah Akbar (Allah Akbar Group) in Isfahan, and Goreueh-i al-Fajar (Al-Fajar Group) in Zahedan;
small Marxist groups. These included both independent groups, such as the Sazman-i Azadibakhshi-i Khalqha-yi Iran (Organization for the Liberation of the Iranian Peoples), Gorueh-i Luristan (Luridtan Group), and Sazman-i Arman-i Khalq (Organization for the People's Ideal); and cells belonging o political parties advocating armed struggle —the Tofan group, the Revolutionary Organization of the Tudeh party, the Kurdish Democratic party, and a new left organization named Grouh-i Ittehad-i Komunistha (Group of United communists). Moreover, some of the feda'is had at the time of their death joined the Tudeh party.[2]
Guerrilla groups formed it is believed, because the non-armed, mass-based communistTudeh Party was under such intense repression it was unable to function, while in the outside world guerillas Mao Zedong, General Võ Nguyên Giáp and Che Guevara were having, or had had, much success. The Iranian guerrilla strategy has been described by Abrahamian as "heroic deeds of violent resistance to break the spell of government terror".
In a situation where there are no firm links between the revolutionary intelligentsia and the masses, we are not like fish in water, but rather like isolated fish surrounded by threatening crocodiles. Terror, repression, and absence of democracy have made it impossible for us to create working-class organizations. To break the spell of our weakness and to inspire the people into action we must resort to revolutionary armed struggle...[3]
The background of the guerrillas was overwhelming educated middle class. From 1971 to 1977 an estimated 341 of them were killed, of whom over 90% of those for whom information could be found were intellectuals.[4]
The guerrilla organizations were quite active in the first half of the 1970s.[6] In the two and half years from mid 1973 through 1975, three United States colonels, a Persian general, a Persian sergeant, and a Persian translator of the United States Embassy were all assassinated by guerrilla groups. In January 1976 eleven persons sentenced to death for these killings.[7]
By the second half of the 1970s, however, the groups were in decline, suffering from factionalism and government repression.[8]
The People's Mujahedin of Iran (Sazman'i Mujahedin-i Khalq-i Iran) was in the middle of an internal debate over whether to continue armed struggle, and the group's own publications report few actions in 1978 and a `relative silence` as the number of actions decreased after June 1978.
The Iranian People's Sacrificing Guerrillas (Cherik'ha-ye Feda'i-ye Khalq-e Iran), according to one of the group's leaders, `disintegrated and disappeared` after `the blows of 1976`, `set itself principally to protecting itself,` and engaged only in `scattered actions` to show that it still existed. Only a few dozen members remained at large. Ideologically, the group decided that objective conditions for revolution didn't exist, and as the Islamist movement escalated, the organization claimed credit for relatively few actions - one in the summer 1977, two in early 1978, and five in the summer of 1978, according to the group's pronouncements. At the end of the year, with membership presumably growing, the organization picked up its pace, claiming credit for a half-dozen actions in December 1978 and a dozen in January 1979.[8]
Iranian Revolution
By late 1978 however, the massive demonstrations, return of oppositionists from abroad, and pressure on the monarchy's security forces from the revolutionary movement revived the groups. Guerilla groups became active "both in killing Iranian military and police leaders and participating in oppositional demonstrations ... in the course of 1978 ... the Fedaiyan and the Mojahedin were able to ... become sizable movements, largely of young people."[9]
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This article is missing information about left wing guerrilla groups in Iran after the revolution Please expand the article to include this information Further details may exist on the talk page February 2016 Several left wing guerrilla groups attempting to overthrown the pro Western regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi were notable and active in Iran from 1971 to 1979 The groups shared a commitment to armed struggle but differed in ideology Most were Marxist in orientation but the largest group People s Mujahedin of Iran was founded as an Islamic socialist organization The left wing movement is meant to overthrow conservative or capitalist systems and replace them with Marxist Leninist socialist or anarchist societies While the guerrilla movement did not lead the revolution that overthrew the Pahlavi regime four guerrilla organizations the Feda i the pro Tudeh Feda i Munsh eb the Islamic Mujahedin and the Marxist Mujahedin are said to have delivered the regime its coup de grace in the street fighting of February 9 11 1979 1 Contents 1 Background 2 History 2 1 Iranian Revolution 3 Groups 4 See also 5 Sources 6 References and notes 7 External linksBackground EditAccording to Ervand Abrahamian a scholar of the subject In terms of political background the guerrillas can be divided into five groups the Sazaman i Cherikha yi Feda i Khalq i Iran The Organization of the Iranian People s Guerrilla Freedom Fighters known in short as the Marxist Feda i the Sazman i Mujahedin i Khalq i Iran or the People s Mujahedin of Iran the Marxist offshoot from the Mujadedin known as the Marxist Mujahedin or Peykar small Islamic groups on the whole limited to one locality Gorueh i Abu Zarr Abu Zarr Group in Nahavand Gorueh i Shi iyan i Rastin True Shi i Group in Hamadan Gorueh i Allah Akbar Allah Akbar Group in Isfahan and Goreueh i al Fajar Al Fajar Group in Zahedan small Marxist groups These included both independent groups such as the Sazman i Azadibakhshi i Khalqha yi Iran Organization for the Liberation of the Iranian Peoples Gorueh i Luristan Luridtan Group and Sazman i Arman i Khalq Organization for the People s Ideal and cells belonging o political parties advocating armed struggle the Tofan group the Revolutionary Organization of the Tudeh party the Kurdish Democratic party and a new left organization named Grouh i Ittehad i Komunistha Group of United communists Moreover some of the feda is had at the time of their death joined the Tudeh party 2 Guerrilla groups formed it is believed because the non armed mass based communist Tudeh Party was under such intense repression it was unable to function while in the outside world guerillas Mao Zedong General Vo Nguyen Giap and Che Guevara were having or had had much success The Iranian guerrilla strategy has been described by Abrahamian as heroic deeds of violent resistance to break the spell of government terror In a situation where there are no firm links between the revolutionary intelligentsia and the masses we are not like fish in water but rather like isolated fish surrounded by threatening crocodiles Terror repression and absence of democracy have made it impossible for us to create working class organizations To break the spell of our weakness and to inspire the people into action we must resort to revolutionary armed struggle 3 The background of the guerrillas was overwhelming educated middle class From 1971 to 1977 an estimated 341 of them were killed of whom over 90 of those for whom information could be found were intellectuals 4 History EditThe event from which most historians mark the beginning of the guerrilla era in Iran was the February 8 1971 attack on a gendarmerie post at Siahkal on the Caspian Sea Guerillas killed three policemen and freed two previously arrested guerrillas 4 5 The guerrilla organizations were quite active in the first half of the 1970s 6 In the two and half years from mid 1973 through 1975 three United States colonels a Persian general a Persian sergeant and a Persian translator of the United States Embassy were all assassinated by guerrilla groups In January 1976 eleven persons sentenced to death for these killings 7 By the second half of the 1970s however the groups were in decline suffering from factionalism and government repression 8 The People s Mujahedin of Iran Sazman i Mujahedin i Khalq i Iran was in the middle of an internal debate over whether to continue armed struggle and the group s own publications report few actions in 1978 and a relative silence as the number of actions decreased after June 1978 The Iranian People s Sacrificing Guerrillas Cherik ha ye Feda i ye Khalq e Iran according to one of the group s leaders disintegrated and disappeared after the blows of 1976 set itself principally to protecting itself and engaged only in scattered actions to show that it still existed Only a few dozen members remained at large Ideologically the group decided that objective conditions for revolution didn t exist and as the Islamist movement escalated the organization claimed credit for relatively few actions one in the summer 1977 two in early 1978 and five in the summer of 1978 according to the group s pronouncements At the end of the year with membership presumably growing the organization picked up its pace claiming credit for a half dozen actions in December 1978 and a dozen in January 1979 8 Iranian Revolution Edit By late 1978 however the massive demonstrations return of oppositionists from abroad and pressure on the monarchy s security forces from the revolutionary movement revived the groups Guerilla groups became active both in killing Iranian military and police leaders and participating in oppositional demonstrations in the course of 1978 the Fedaiyan and the Mojahedin were able to become sizable movements largely of young people 9 Groups EditDemocratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan Kurdistan Democratic Party Komala Society of Revolutionary Toilers of Iranian Kurdistan Komala Kurdistan s Organization of the Communist Party of Iran Socialist Faction of Komala Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan Reunification Faction Organization of Communist Revolutionaries Marxist Leninist Union of Iranian Communists Sarbedaran Communist Party of Iran Marxist Leninist Maoist Organization of Iranian People s Fedai Guerrillas Iranian People s Fedai Guerrillas Organization of Iranian People s Fedaian Majority Organization of Iranian People s Fedai Guerrillas Majority Left Wing Organization of Iranian People s Fedai Guerrillas Minority Organization of Iranian People s Fedai Guerrillas Followers of the Identity Platform Organization of Iranian People s Fedai Guerrillas 1985 Fedaian Organisation Minority People s Mujahedin of Iran Peykar Islamic Nations PartyKurdistan Free Life PartyKurdistan Freedom PartyPeople s Democratic FrontUnion of Communist MilitantsWorker communist Party of Iran HekmatistWorker s WaySee also Edit Iran portalList of guerrilla movements Organizations of the Iranian RevolutionSources EditIran Between Two Revolutions By Ervand Abrahamian Princeton University Press 1982 Mottahedeh Roy The Mantle of the Prophet Religion and Politics in Iran One World Oxford 1985 2000References and notes Edit Iran Between Two Revolutions by Ervand Abrahamian p 495 Iran Between Two Revolutions by Ervand Abrahamian p 481 Iran Between Two Revolutions by Ervand Abrahamian Princeton University Press 1982 p 485 from a tract by A Poyan a b Iran Between Two Revolutions by Ervand Abrahamian p 480 Mottahedeh Roy The Mantle of the Prophet Religion and Politics in Iran One World Oxford 1985 2000 p 329 Kurzman Charles The Unthinkable Revolution in Iran Harvard University Press 2004 p 145 6 Fischer Michael M J Iran From Religious Dispute to Revolution Harvard University Press 1980 p 128 a b Kurzman The Unthinkable Revolution in Iran 2004 p 145 6 Modern Iran By Nikki R Keddie Yann Richard p 233External links EditCosroe Chaqueri collection of Iranian left wing materials 1960 1985 from Middle East Materials Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Left wing guerrilla groups of Iran amp oldid 1146572026, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
