Soviet Translation, 'Open Letter of the Central Committee of the People's Party of Iran to the Central Committee of the National Resistance Movement Regarding the Current Situation' (Attachment)

Translation from the Persian

OPEN LETTER OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE PEOPLE'S PARTY OF IRAN TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL RESISTANCE MOVEMENT REGARDING THE CURRENT SITUATION AND the pressing need for alliance and solidarity in the ranks of the organizations and anti-colonial elements of Iran to defend the freedom and independence of the country.

[to the] The Central Committee of the National Resistance Movement!

The Central Committee of the People's Party of Iran, taking into consideration the current situation and having considerable responsibility with regard to the anti-colonial struggle and the defense of the freedom and independence of the motherland, considers it necessary to again clarify and confirm its definite view about the need to create unity and cooperation in the ranks of the organizations and anti-colonial elements of the country which it has often repeated in statements, articles, and open letters.

A study of the current situation of our country and an observation of the dark clouds which have covered the sky of our motherland, and also the presence of great danger to the independence and existence of Iran show to what degree we were right in stressing this vital question, that is, the need to unite the fighters against colonization and a joint struggle against the foreign and domestic enemies of our motherland. At the present time enemies have begun a strong attack against all those who support the independence, freedom, and existence of the Iranian people, externally and internally. The Anglo-American imperialists and their hirelings, who have carried out a coup d'etat, have criminally trampled on all the gains and successes of the Iranian people in the nationalization of the oil industry and imposed a perfidious and servile treaty on our motherland which hands over the oil wells and oil industry of Iran to an international oil consortium consisting of eight predatory companies of America, France, and the Netherlands for 40 years.

At the present time the international oil thieves have returned to Gulistan with hundreds of their advisers, specialists, and spies, and with undisguised insolence are performing the rapacious role of the former oil company, undermining the independence of our country.

With each day ever more espionage institutions, American and British consulates, appear in our country. Various political, economic, and military missions constantly examine our country. American and British bureaucrats rule in all sectors of Iranian life, political, economic, and social. The onerous economic loans of America and Britain and the so-called American military and financial aid, accompanied by gross interference in Iranian affairs, are strengthening the foundations of foreign colonial dominance. The American and British imperialists are striving to pull our motherland into military groups, the goal of which is the fomenting of a third world war and turning the countries of the Middle East into a breeding ground of aggression. They are directing all their political, economic, and military means of interference in Iran at the achievement of this sinister goal, entailing the destruction and threat to the existence of our homeland.

At the present moment the traitorous government of the Shah and Zahedi have sold 100% of the interests of our country to foreign colonizers and turned Iran into a political, economic, and military colony of the Anglo-American expansionists. The despicable apparatus of the anti-national coup d'etat of the 28^th of Mordad headed by the two capitulators to the foreign colonizers, the Shah and Zahedi, has started to brutally oppress all patriotic people of Iran. To accommodate the preservation of the interests of their American and British masters with the aid of brainless officials of the army staff, the military governorate, judicial investigation, and the police, that is, with the aid of Batmanklichis, Azmude, and Bakhtiari, the Shah and Zahedi have committed such terrible crimes against the Iranian people which can be compared with the crimes of the Nazis against humanity. They have brutally trampled on all the principles of humanity, the Declaration of Human Rights, and all the articles of the Iranian Constitution. Brutal mass murders, barbaric inhuman tortures, mass deportations to regions with a poor climate, massive and constant arrests, a "purge" of ministries and various institutions of honest people and patriots are being committed in large numbers.

In present conditions any person who expresses his disagreement with the imperialists and conspirators and who belongs to an organization, party, or group holding any political and public views, whether he be a member of the People's Party or the National Resistance Movement, or is unaffiliated, is not protected against oppression by the mercenary conspirators. The conspirators have begun a terrible "purge" of the army, gendarmerie, and police: more than 650 patriotic officers have been arrested and subjected to the most brutal and barbaric tortures. They have been and being convicted in groups, without the right of defense, in secret military courts without any grounds or legal evidence. Up to the present time 32 of these people have been criminally executed, dozens of others have been sentenced and are being sentenced to death or life imprisonment or 10 or 15 years in prison. Hundreds of Iranian families have become miserable.

Doctor Fatemi, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mossadegh's government and a member of the National Front, was sentenced to death by a secret military court for the defense of the nationalization of the oil industry, for exposure of the crimes of the traitorous Shah, and for cooperation with Doctor Mossadegh and, in spite of the fact that he was ill, was criminally executed.

Members of a faction of the National [Resistance] Movement, Doctor [Shayegan] and engineer [Rezavi], were sentenced to 10 years in prison for the defense of the nationalization of the oil industry and for the defense of Dr. Mossadegh's government! Right now thousands of patriots, military and civilian, men and women, and old and young people who belong to various political and social organizations, are languishing in prison and exile.

In order to show that they are not permitting exhibitions of the slightest resistance to their traitorous actions by anyone at all and that they will not stop at any measure in this way, no matter with what disgrace it is accompanied, the Shah and Zahedi have expelled many of the most prominent professors from universities for signing an open letter of protest against the oil treaty.

Criminal elements like [Jemal] Imami, brazenly demand blood and a "purge" in institutions and ministries. It is interesting that among those who were purged, besides members of the People's Party, who are the main target of their attacks, are also members of other anti-colonial organizations like the "Iran" Party. These people are forcing the government to expel members of this party and other anti-colonial organizations from institutions and ministries. The criminal unconstitutional bill of the Zahedi government, which provides the death penalty for members and supporters of the People's Party of Iran and members of any part or organization which is designated by the government, clearly shows that foreign imperialism and its hirelings who call themselves Iranians want to turn our country into a silent cemetery.

All freedom-loving patriots of Iran belonging to any party or organization and having any political or social convictions who see the current condition of the country should understand the following unvarnished truths:

1. The efforts of the enemies are directed at destroying us, trampling on our independence and sovereignty, categorically putting an end to all the freedoms of the Iranian people, and removing all honest and patriotic people from any group and society. Implacable enemies, sensing their impunity, are taking ever more vigorous steps and foreign imperialists and their hirelings have never been unrestrained to such a degree. Never has our independence, freedom, and our existence been so strongly threatened, never to such a degree has the criminal face of the foreign and domestic enemies of Iran been so openly displayed.

2. The unprecedented oppression is directed not only against the People's Party of Iran but is also directed against all patriotic public organizations and people who do not agree with the current hated regime. Of course, the enemies are persecuting the People's Party of Iran more strongly because our Party is more consistent, more vigorous, and more uncompromising in fighting the enemies. However, the more that parties, organizations, and other people exhibit persistence, decisiveness, and an uncompromising attitude in fighting the enemies the stronger they will be persecuted. This situation is confirmed by the execution of Doctor Fatemi and the reprisals against Doctor Mossadegh, Doctor [Shayegan], engineer [Razavi; SIC, previously spelled "Rezavi"], and the recent purge of the university. The threat of the enemies had taken on a ubiquitous character and all parties and patriotic organizations are in common danger.

3. It is absolutely clear right now that the imperialist government of the US, hand in hand with the British colonizer government and traitorous Shah together with the venal Zahedi, are the main conspirators against the freedom and independence of Iran. Right now it is more distinctly seen that American spies are closely cooperating with their British collaborators in all their measures directed against our freedom and national independence, and are the ringleaders and initiators of these crimes and anti-people measures. All these atrocities and acts of treason are being done under their direct control. Every trick to cover the criminal interference of the American government, which is the bitterest enemy of our people, is regarded as a policy meeting our national interests.

At the present time incorrect, optimistic views regarding the role of American imperialism in foreign policy and regarding the role of the traitorous Shah in domestic policy should be vigorous rejected because only crazy or sick people cannot notice that the American imperialists and the traitorous Shah are mixed up in all the conspiracies, crimes, murders, and acts aimed at destroying the freedom and independence of the Iranian people.

What conclusion can be drawn from the above facts? What is the goal of the fighters for freedom and patriots of Iran? The facts described can set and in reality do set only one task before all fighters for freedom and patriots of Iran, namely: in the face of the danger threatening the freedom, independence, and life of our homeland, the goal of which is the destruction of all patriots and fighters for liberty and all anti-colonialist organizations and parties, first, intensify the struggle and, second, join together with one another, coordinate your own fight, get rid of the enmity and differences in your midst so it is possible to actually counter the enemy's intrigues, relying on the strength of the people, in order to save the freedom and independence of our motherland and repel the attacks of the foreign and domestic enemy.

At the present time increasingly common points are appearing between the fighters for freedom and the patriots of Iran. They all see and cannot fail to see the dangers threatening the existence of their homeland; they all feel that they have a common enemy which is acting mercilessly and without any distinction against all the fighters for freedom. They all clearly see that their enemy in foreign policy is the colonizing, thieving governments of Britain and America. These aggressive governments are the ringleaders of all the plots and thefts, crimes and murders in our country. They all clearly observe that they enemy in domestic policy is the existing regime of conspirators, headed by the traitorous Shah and the venal government of Zahedi. At the same time they should all know that there is no other way except a vigorous struggle with these foreign and domestic enemies. A conciliatory policy is the result of capitulation to the enemy. Only cowardly and selfish people can place hope on merciless enemies and refrain from a vigorous struggle with them.

Perhaps there aren’t enough points of tangency which exist between the fighters for freedom and the patriots of Iran and the new lessons which we have drawn from recent events and which put these events more into relief and make it clearer to say that there exists a common goal and common path between us? Yes, they exist without any doubt. Both the People's Party of Iran and the National Resistance Movement, and all the organizations and individuals fighting against colonialism want to dispel the dark, gloomy clouds forming over our country and threatening the independence, freedom, and existence of Iran, to repel the attack of foreign imperialists and their hirelings, to overthrow the government of the monarchist-fascist Zahedi; expel the international consortium; again consolidate the victory achieved in the nationalization of the oil industry; punish the people responsible for handing over Iranian oil to foreign robbers; root out the economic, political, and military influence of the colonizers in our country; prevent Iran from joining military groups; open the doors of the prisons and exiles, and release the patriots; strictly punish the murderers of the patriots and heroes of Iran; and strengthen democratic liberties and put the Declaration of Human Rights into effect in our country.

Perhaps these are not the common goals of all fighters for freedom and patriots of Iran? Perhaps there is another way to achieve these ends except joint struggle against the common enemy?

In your past reply to our open letter you tried to rely on the points of difference between us and you and repeated the accusations which the enemies of Iran usually raise at our Party especially persistently. We do not want to dwell here on this issue in detail since we have given a detailed reply dozens of times in publications, newspapers, and our own statements.

We only want to say that if you have actually realized the current situation, if you have correctly understood the danger which threatens the freedom and independence of Iran right now, if you recognize the foreign and domestic enemies of Iran and the need to fight them, if you recognize that a conciliatory policy harms the independence of the motherland and plays into the hands of the enemy, and if you understood the goals of all the fighters for freedom and will fight for them, then in such an event you will not strive to distort the facts and repeat the accusations of the enemies against us to justify your refusal to shake the hand of alliance which we sincerely extend to you.

Our People's Party is a real patriotic party and a real supporter of the independence, sovereignty, and prosperity of our homeland. Members of our Party have shown that they are ready to heroically give their lives for the cause of the defense of the motherland, its freedom, and independence. Members of our Party have shown heroic examples of resilience before the enemy to all the fighters for freedom.

Such persistence and genuine stubbornness by our Party in unifying the ranks of all fighters for freedom and the patriots of Iran and the creation of a single national anti-colonial front is the most solid evidence that we are paying no attention to anything else but the interests of our homeland and want to repel the attack of an enemy made on our independence and mobilize all the anti-colonization forces.

We are convinced that, in spite of the increase of enemy pressure and the comparatively heavy losses incurred by the organizations fighting for the freedom and by the patriots of Iran, the forces of the Iranian people and their ability to resist enemy intrigue are inexhaustible.

A united national anti-colonial front will be able to mobilize these forces, root out fruitless pessimistic sentiments, fan the flame of struggle, join together and include broad masses and new strata of people in [its] ranks fighters who are uncoordinatedly exhibiting strong dissatisfaction with the enslavement of their motherland, and gather the necessary forces to provide a common goal for all the fighters for freedom and the patriots of Iran.

Undoubtedly, this single anti-colonial front will meet with the full support of the entire Iranian people and also serious support from international public opinion and all progressive and honest people of the world who right now are already raising their voices of protest against the yoke of imperialism and reaction in Iran and sincerely sympathize with the Iranian people.

Not only the People's Party of Iran, but also an overwhelming majority of the members of the National Resistance Movement and patriots of Iran want you to accept the repeated appeals of our Party for alliance and solidarity of the anti-colonial forces at this critical moment, and to create a single national anti-colonial front.

We await your positive reply and are confident that this time the Iranian people will follow your behavior and your assessment of the sincere proposal of our Party with great attention and watchfulness, and in the event you do not attach importance to this critical problem of our motherland your responsibility to the public opinion of Iran will increase by several times compared to the past.

THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE PEOPLE'S PARTY OF IRAN

Translated: [signature]  /F. Zharikov/

6-ru

12 January 1955