Statement by Joudat, Chairman of the People's Party of Iran, at the 2nd Party Conference

Translation from the Persian

[CPSU CC stamp:

14056

24 March 1957

Subject to return to the

CPSU CC General Department]

Dear comrades!

Permit me in the name of the CC of the People's Party of Iran to send greetings to all members of the DPA [Democratic Party of Azerbaijan] and the leading fighters of the Azerbaijani people, and also to the comrades present there.

The brave sons of the Azerbaijani people, Satarhany, Haydar Amu Ogly, Heyabani, and Erani, have always held high the banner of struggle with the slogan of freedom for the Iranian people and this remarkable tradition has been supported by all the peoples of Iran. In reality, the Azerbaijani people, like the other peoples of Iran, well understand that it is impossible to get rid of the yoke of imperialism and reaction without the genuine unity of all those who oppose reaction and oppression and who are supporters of the liberation of Iran. The just demands of the Azerbaijani people have always found the support of the other workers of Iran. From the moment of its appearance the NPI has raised the banner of proletarian internationalism and has always defended the rights of all the peoples of Iran.

Since I participated in underground work in Iran until recently and dealt with Azerbaijan at the instruction of the NPI CC I think that the comrades will be interested to find out about the progress of the revival of the DPA organizations in Iran.

After December 1947 thousands of comrades from the DPA were sent into Iranian prisons and exile. In spite of torture, the majority of them did not bow their heads to the enemy. The mingled blood of different peoples of Iran shed in the name of the defense of the rights of the Iranian peoples has stained the land of Azerbaijan.

After release from prison the majority of comrades from the DPA continued work in the ranks of the NPI. The DPA organizations in Azerbaijan were dealt a heavy blow, but a part of their members nevertheless did not leave the movement and established contact with the NPI at the very first opportunity.

Comrades from the DPA have turned to the NPI CC with a request to put an end to such an abnormal situation where the Azerbaijani people stayed out of the national liberation and anti-imperialist movement after the establishment of the rule of reaction in Azerbaijan. This request was considered by the NPI CC, and in 1951 in Tabriz, and then DPA organizations were created under the leadership of the NPI in Urmia, Maragheh, Ardebil, Marand, and Khoy. At the same time DPA organizations were created in Kurdistan: in Mahabad and Sanandaj at the same time. These organizations developed rapidly. Thousands of people joined together in the underground organization. The newspaper "Azerbaijan", the DPA publication, began to be published again. This newspaper was initially printed in Tehran in the NPI printing plant and sent to Tabriz. After 19 August the NPI CC managed to create a printing plant in Tabriz which was in operation until the beginning of 1955.

When the DPA organizations were more or less firmly established, trade union, youth, and women's organizations were also created, and later a number of legal organizations.

The revival of DPA organizations in Azerbaijan did not occur without a fight with the hypocritical group of Doctor Javid, who betrayed the Azerbaijani people. This group, inspired by reactionary and imperialist circles, tried to kindle the fire of double-dealing among the Iranian peoples and wanted to interfere with the NPI's efforts to revive the activity of the DPA organizations in Azerbaijan by pursuing this hostile policy. However, their plans were defeated. The defeat of Javid and his assistants was completely natural. The Azerbaijani people together with all the peoples of Iran fought for the nationalization of the oil industry, for the achievement of democratic freedoms, against imperialism and reaction, which the Azerbaijani working masses could have supported were there genuine unity.

After the 19 August coup at the bidding and with the direct intervention of the imperialists of American and Britain the most reactionary elements of the ruling circles of Iran, making use of the weakness, disunity, and vacillation of the forces opposing oppression handed over our national oil enterprises to the imperialist consortium, and drew Iran into the aggressive Baghdad Pact; thanks to them American advisers dominate in all sectors of the economy of our country, all democratic freedoms have been taken away from the people, a regime of fascist terror, executions, and torture has been established in the country, and pressure has been increased on the peoples of Iran, including on the Azerbaijani people. Dozens of brave fighters against oppression have been executed, and thousands of the best sons of our motherland are in prisons and exile. These prisoners of imperialism and reaction fought for common ideas and goals, that is, for the ideas and goals which are the same for all the peoples of Iran. Our sacred obligation is to never forget about this common goal.

Unquestionably the triumph of reaction will not be forever. The people's growing hatred for the anti-national ruling circles, the increase of differences between the imperialists, the glorious victories of the great front of peace, democracy, and socialism headed by the USSR are a guarantee of a future upsurge of the democratic and anti-colonial movement.

In order for us to be able to meet the future upsurge of the movement in accordance with the responsibility entrusted to us as we should, we ought to be able to unite all the forces which are capable of fighting for the national independence of Iran, and against internal reaction and the destructive forces of imperialism, and especially right now, when American imperialism is directing its aggression against the countries of the Middle East.

Of course, it cannot be that a united national anti-imperialist front led by the working class is formed without complete unity of the working class.

The NPI CC thinks that it is necessary to create such a complete unity with the combined effort of the DPA, DPK [Democratic Party of Kurdistan], and NPI as soon as possible. Our Party thinks that it is possible and necessary to put an end to the current abnormal situation which is causing great harm to the national liberation movement in our country, and to accomplish the organizational unity of the working class in an atmosphere of sincerity, friendship, and mutual understanding with complete observance of the principles of Marxism-Leninism.

The NPI does not have and cannot have any other positions regarding the national issue except Leninist, and thinks that the Azerbaijani people and the other peoples of Iran should determine their fates themselves. Our Party constantly fights to achieve this goal. Our Party thinks that complete and thorough unity of the working class of Iran is needed for victory over the enemies of the Iranian people to be more assured and rapid. The NPI considers it necessary in the name of the friendship of the peoples of Iran and the assurance of the thorough unity of the leading fighters of these peoples to wage a struggle both against great power chauvinism as well as against local nationalism.

To solve various problems with which we and the DPA are faced the leadership of our Party favors solving them in an atmosphere of sincerity, coordination, and mutual understanding. Possibly we did not have a common opinion on a number of issues, possibly we ought to hold a friendly discussion on some issues. In any event we consider it our duty to achieve mutual understanding, but to do this it is necessary and obligatory of maintain strong links and to find a common language. This is our international mission. Great damage will be inflicted on the national liberation movement in Iran without this.

We boundlessly respect the services of DPA members which have fought and are fighting for the liberation of the peoples of Iran shoulder to shoulder with the other fighters of the Iranian people. We are confident that the strengthening of the friendship of the peoples of Iran is a sacred obligation, but any sort of discord in any form whatsoever harms the national liberation movement in Iran.

I consider it my duty to explain the point of view of the NPI leadership to you, dear comrades, for openness and clarity are a condition which we followers of the cause of Lenin are obliged to observe in dealings among ourselves.

Comrades!

Through the "Eisenhower Doctrine" the American imperialists have revealed their sinister goals, including an increase of the subjection of the peoples of the Middle East and a consolidation of their complete hegemony in this region.

In the face of the broad offensive of the imperialists of America and Britain, in the face of their plots against the peoples of the Middle East we, the Iranian people's fighters, are obliged to strengthen our unity in every possible way and not disregard this very important responsibility of ours. This requirement of history and our peoples is a guarantee of the assurance of our freedom and independence and also the best response to the intrigues of imperialism and reaction.

There is no doubt that the fighters of Iran will not shirk from the performance of this responsibility.

Let the common struggle of the peoples of Iran against imperialism and reaction prevail!

Translated: [signature] (V. Savel'yeva)

1lk

[the Persian-language original follows]