The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) Boycotts the Sham Presidential Elections in Iran and Demands Democratic Rights and Freedom for the People!

According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, president of the country is elected by the direct popular votes and not by the parliamentary representatives. The presidential elections in Iran will take place on June 14, 2013.

Every 4 years, the Iranian authorities appeal to the citizens for their vote in order to nationally and internationally legitimize their rule. During the election campaigns, the Islamic authorities promise to improve the economic conditions of the masses and to make the future better for the citizens, but the economic- social- political conditions have been worsening for the working people year after year. When the people take to the streets and protest the intolerable living conditions, when the masses challenge the authorities, they are given the response that the “Supreme Leader” is not bound to the votes of the people, that the pillars of the Republic are based on Islam and not on the observance of democratic principles, wills, or votes of the citizens.

This lack of respect for the opinion, wills, and votes of the people has existed since the first year of the establishment of the Islamic Republic. The repetition of the farce, hypocritical, and deceptive shows by the Islamic regime has caused the people to laugh at and ridicule the Islamic Republic.

The candidates for the presidential elections have gone through filters by the “Guardian Council” and by the “Supreme Leader”. Each candidate is worse, more corrupt, more involved in embezzlement, more reactionary, and more criminal than the other. Furthermore, the Iranian masses will not make a choice between bad and worse.  Making a choice between bad and worse is a vicious circle that can continue forever. As long as the Islamic Republic has been in power, there have been factions and inter-quarrels between the factions. All factions have full adherence to the reactionary Constitution of the Islamic Republic and to the rule of a “Supreme Leader”. All factions and all candidates for presidential elections supported the slaughter of the political prisoners in 1988, supported all political executions and assassinations, participated in the repression of the workers activists, opposed to the freedom of expression and assembly and formation of independent labour organizations, etc.

The strategic line of the Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) is to overthrow of the criminal, corrupt, despotic, and theocratic regime of the Islamic Republic. Removing the Islamic Republic from the power will eliminate obstacles for the development of a democratic Iran, and will pave the way for the participation of the working people in the political life of the country.

At the present situation, we call on all Iranian people not to participate in the presidential elections. Through this active and vigorous call, we fully boycott the elections. The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) demands the freedom of all political parties and organizations, equality of men and women in all spheres of life, elimination of censorship, the freedom of expression and assembly, the freedom of all political prisoners, the freedom of trade union and guild activities. These just and logical demands have wide spread support in the society and will corner the regime and the “Supreme Leader”. Theoretically, these demands could be met in any ordinary bourgeois state. But the Islamic regime’s surrender to these demands- a regime with a three- decade history of corruptions and embezzlement and execution and … - is a big defeat for the “Supreme Leader”. These demands will build a powerful movement independent from the factions of the regime that puts an end to the hesitation of the masses in making a choice between bad and worse.

The recognition of the democratic rights and freedom of the masses is a pre-condition and prerequisite to any free elections.

Boycott the Presidential Elections in Iran!

No to the Regime of the Islamic Republic!

No to Imperialist Sanctions and Threats against Iran!

 

The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)

May 2013

 

WWW.Toufan.org

Toufan@toufan.org