On Sunday 19 May,a panel discussion was organised by the Left Party of Iran (Fadaian-eKhalq) to which Comrade Mohammad Omidvar, Politburo member and spokesperson of the Central Committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran, was invited to participate in. On behalf of the Left Party of Iran, Comrade Behrouz Khaliq, a member of its Political-Executive Bureau, participated. The theme of the panel discussion was the current critical situation and the dangerous tensions in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East region, the high risk of a military conflict, and the position of the Iranian opposition forces on the subject matter.

Comrade Omidvaremphasised that all efforts should be made, and all fronts utilised, to prevent the US from starting a new devastating war in the Middle East.  In his speech and comments the leading Tudeh representativeemphasised that a coordinated political leadership and steer provided by left forces which offers concrete popular and progressive policies and correct, appropriate and motivating slogans in relation to peace and opposition to war, could attract the masses to the arena of struggle for human and democratic rights, progressive change and a better future.

Comrade Omidvarstructured his contribution to the discussion to present an account of the nature and plans of the entire Trump administration on the one hand and that of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the other, and to explain the situation in the Middle East region in order to lay the ground to determine the tasks of the left and progressive forces.

He opened his contribution by remarking: “Today it is clear that the US withdrawal from the JCPoA after Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia and his visit to [Israeli premier] Netanyahu early on in his term, was an adventurous move in line with the demands of these two reactionary states who the military option against Iran and turning Iran into another Syria.”

On the matter of Iran’s signing the JCPoA, he stated that: “Maintaining our Party’s position that the peaceful use of nuclear energy is the right of our nation, we welcomed the Islamic regime’s retreat and its signing of the JCPoA as it lessened the tensions in the region and the risk of military conflicts. That was why we assessed Trump’s withdrawal from this agreement as a very dangerous decision. We have always believed that preserving the JCPoA against the aggressive policies of the Trump administration and its regional allies is of the utmost importance.”

Comrade Omidvar then pointed out the Party’s recent statement about the critical situation in the region and reiterated that: “The warmongers on both sides of the world want a military conflict.” Referring to the plans of Mike Pompeo and John Bolton to instigate a military conflict with Iran, he emphasised upon the important task of the progressive forces to promote peace and to mobilise world public opinion against war and warmongers. We must never forget what happened in Iraq during the George W Bush Presidency [the two Bush presidencies]. He added: “The reality of today is that the warmongers on both sides of the world believe that war and military conflict,under any pretext, could reap significant political and financial benefits and profits for them.”

He then turned to the issue of the ruling theocratic regime in Iran and argued that “For the leaders of this regime the most important goal is to secure the survival of the current political regime at all costs.” He added: “It is a dangerous illusion to think that the positions and policies of the anti-people reactionary regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in line with the national interests… For example, the ongoing adventurous meddling of Iran in the region and its intervention in countries like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Yemen is not only not in the interests of the nation (nor even in defenceof the rights of the peoples of these nations) but also offers a ready-made pretext in the hands of the US imperialism and its allies to interfere in the domestic affairs of our country.”

The spokesperson of the Tudeh Party of Iran reiterated the position of the Party that the US imperialism and its allies do not want a democratic and people-oriented regime in Iran and their desired regime is something more akin to the anti-people and medieval ruling regime of Saudi Arabia which brutally suppresses the rights of the people in a manner not dissimilar to the modus operandi of the Islamist regime in Iran.

On the matter of looking to foreign regimes like those of Saudi Arabia or the state of Israel, or their patron in the US administration to promote change in Iran, Comrade Omidvar emphasised that “No patriotic, national or progressive force can advocate for nor go along with such anti-national policies in cooperating with the adversaries of our nation.”

The Tudeh Party of Iran has consistently emphasised that it is solely the people of Iran who have the right to determine their destiny and the future of political developments in Iran.

On the issue of the struggle of the people of Iran for fundamental democratic changes, Comrade Omidvar stated: “We have to strive to turn the substantial potential power of the dissatisfied people of Iran to an actual power in the arena of struggle against the tyrannical ruling regime. This would be impossible to achieve without a harmonised political leadership which could bring the masses to the forefront of the struggle and raise their hope for a better future by presenting concrete people-oriented programs and policies and by choosing proper slogans, including slogans in support of peace and against war.”

Comrade Omidvar concluded his remarks by expressing his optimism that in the current critical situation, “We see common positions from our comrades in the progressive left forces in dealing with the ongoing events and all progressive forces are intensifying their efforts in defence of peace and to avoid another war under any pretext from either side.” Comrade Omidvar deemed this common position a positive step in the right direction that, if continued in a more organised and harmonised manner, will undoubtedly have an impact domestically and globally.

He then closed his remarks by stating: “Our proposal, including to our comrades in the Left Party of Iran, is that considering the current critical situation and the dangers that are threatening our nation from all sides, let us together organise a joint and broad campaign to mobilise the public opinion in Iran and globally against the risk of war.”