Open Letter

to Supporters of Democracy, Secularism, and Human Rights

in Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, Algeria, Yemen, Sudan, and Syria

Dear friends and colleagues:

We are watching with great delight the expansion of popular movements in your countries for the removal of dictatorial and corrupt regimes.  At the same time we are worried about the difficulties and problems during the transition from dictatorship towards democracy.

Our worries are rooted in the great neglect and experiences that we had 32 years ago in Iran, which resulted in another dictatorship.  Due to the mistakes which were committed by our activists, Ayatollah Khomeini was able to use deception and lies to impose a new tyranny under the name of the “Islamic Republic”. The Iranian people were prevented from establishing democracy, popular will, and separation of clerics and the state based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Iran, goals for which the Iranian people had struggled for. The regime Khomeini created that has for the past 32 years has systematically brutalized our people is far more reactionary, tyrannical, corrupt, immoral and repressive than the previous dictatorial regime of the Shah. Torture and executions have been far more extensive and far worse under Khomeini’s dictatorship than under the Shah’s dictatorship.

It is our hope that the horrendous disaster which befell the Iranian people would not also become your future. It is our message to you to be aware of the dangers of a fundamentalist regime. Like Islamist groups in your midst, Khomeini too used religious symbols such as mass prayers. However, Khomeini lied to and deceived the Iranian people. Khomeini claimed that he supports human rights, freedom of thought and expression, promised to eliminate corruption, and promised to provide free electricity and water to the people. Khomeini repeatedly promised that under his Islamic regime, people would be free to express their opinions and the press would be free. But after coming to power, Khomeini engaged in great bloodshed and massive purges. Under Khomeini’s rule, the eight year war began with about 1 million dead and injured, which began after taking of American hostages, all of these have caused economic and political isolation of Iran. The many UN Security Council resolutions and economic and political sanctions are the result of the policies of the regime which have brought Iran to the precipice of collapse and destruction.

On gross violations of human rights, let us mention that in 1988 alone, the regime mass executed at least 4,000 political prisoners, and that in the past two years engaged in horrendous crimes against the Iranian people including rape of male and female political prisoners. One has to ask: why a country like Iran that has huge oil and natural gas reserves, great natural and human wealth, is suffering from poverty, unemployment, and inflation.  One has to examine the promises and lies that Khomeini made before coming to power with the actual deeds which he committed afterwards.

Dear friends,

From the perspectives of us, the supporters of Dr. Mossadegh who have gathered in the Iran National Front, democracy is not a phenomenon that can be created in one day in a society which has been suffering under prolonged brutal dictatorship. Among the pre-conditions of democracy are the coming to power of government that is supportive of human rights and is democratic, and secular, which enjoys the trust of the people and could establish calm and security in the society and prepare the ground for truly free and fair elections. The duty of this government is to hold free elections for a Constituent Assembly to write a Constitution based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a constitution which would go into effect after a referendum whereby the people have voted for it. These tasks require time and could not be achieved instantaneously and under a volatile atmosphere. During these perilous times, one should not underestimate dangers of demagoguery. Political charlatans who want to ride the wave of popular discontent at whatever price, should be isolated. 

It is our hope and wish to see the complete victory of you over dictatorship. We are of the belief that your victory over dictatorship will have a positive effect on the struggles of the Iranian people against the ruling religious dictatorship in Iran.

We express our solidarity and support to you in the struggle for democracy.

Executive Committee of the Iran National Front - Organizations Abroad
Engineer Kambiz Ghaemmagham, Engineer Bahman Mobasheri, Dr. Homayoun Mehmaneche
February 3, 2011

Contact Europe: Dr. Homayoun Mehmaneche, Tel. 00498974029525, Germany

Contact USA: Mr. Kambiz Ghaemmagham, Tel. 0019092449425, CA, USA

E-Mail Address: info@iranazad.info

Internet: www.iranazad.info

Address: Iran National Front – Organizations Abroad (INF-OA); P.O. Box 136, Audubon Station, New York City, N. Y. 10032, USA

original text in Farsi