The political landscape of the Middle East is an increasingly complicated place. In this video, Yassamine Mather of Hands Off the People of Iran looks at the conflicting interests that have driven the United States and Iranian governments to seek some form of modus vivendi with each other and the implications this may have both… Continue reading Solidarity with the Iranian working class
Author: y.mather
Iran: Step up solidarity
After weeks of speculation about Iran-US relations and the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme, Iran’s foreign minister and his deputy finally made their initial proposals clear on October 15-16 in closed talks with the ‘P5+1’ countries in Geneva. Those proposals will come in stages, coinciding with a gradual reduction of western sanctions. Despite Iran’s denials it… Continue reading Iran: Step up solidarity
Telephone diplomacy riles Israeli hawks and Iranian conservatives
Last week’s phone conversation between the presidents of the United States and Iran, the first direct talks between the two heads of state in more than 30 years, has been the cause of major controversy amongst conservatives both in the US and the Islamic Republic. Although both countries have declared a willingness to work together… Continue reading Telephone diplomacy riles Israeli hawks and Iranian conservatives
Edging towards a settlement: US sanctions appear to have produced results for imperialism
As Iranian president Hassan Rowhani addressed the UN general assembly on September 25, there seemed to be no end to the charm offensive unleashed by the new government in Tehran. Following a number of conciliatory articles in US papers1 and a TV interview during which he emphasised Iran’s commitment to “peaceful nuclear development”, the Iranian… Continue reading Edging towards a settlement: US sanctions appear to have produced results for imperialism
Rowhani’s visit to US
The events we are now witnessing in the Middle East, the “United States’ accidental diplomacy” regarding Syria1 and renewed talk of the resolution of Iran’s nuclear programme were unexpected a few weeks ago. Having declared that the use of chemical weapons was the “red line” the Syrian leadership should not cross, the US has now… Continue reading Rowhani’s visit to US
Vazir Fathi ( Rahyaab)
A Brief Personal History and poem Translated from Farsi by: Ali Atash. ***** Vazir Fathi ( Rahyaab) was born in April 1963. He was a political prisoner during “the Decade of Sixties”- 1980’s- and is a survivor of the massacre of “sixty seven”. He was arrested in February of 1983 and was formally released in… Continue reading Vazir Fathi ( Rahyaab)
Rowhani and Sanctions
How long after the inauguration of the new president before disillusionment sets in? Yassamine Mather discusses the limitations of Hassan Rowhani Iran’s new president, Hassan Rowhani, will take office on August 3. He faces major internal as well as international problems. It will be interesting to see how a man who describes himself as a… Continue reading Rowhani and Sanctions
‘Iran and the Middle East’
Hands Off the People of Iran fringe meeting at Marxism 2013 ‘Iran and the Middle East’ Speakers: Moshe Machover & Yassamine Mather Location: University of London Union, Bloomsbury Suite Starts: 17:15, Sunday 14 July 2013 Ends: 19:30, Sunday 14 July 2013 Contact Email: office@hopoi.info Phone : 075904416922
Iran election: Not a victory for progressives
On Friday June 14, Iranians voted in large numbers for ayatollah Hassan Rowhani, a regime insider who was elected as Iran’s president with 50.71% of the vote. A centrist, not a ‘reformist’, he became the candidate of an unofficial coalition between ‘reformists’ and ‘centrists’ forged three days before the vote, after green leader and former… Continue reading Iran election: Not a victory for progressives
Iran: Boycott sham elections
Yassamine Mather advocates a boycott and stresses the need for regime change from below On May 22, the US moved closer to imposing a full trade embargo against Iran, as the Senate reaffirmed US support for Israel – should it be “compelled to attack Tehran’s nuclear programme in self-defence”. The Senate voted unanimously to adopt… Continue reading Iran: Boycott sham elections