Contract workers in Iranian oil and gas projects and petrochemical plants have gone on strike in Iran demanding better wages, an end to systematic non-payment of wages, better living conditions and an end to the dominance of unscrupulous contractors. The strike was initiated by workers employed by subcontracting companies, who impose short-term contracts on workers… Continue reading Mass strikes by oil workers in Iran
The strike continues until our demands are met
Second statement of the Council for Organising Protests by Oil Contract Workers – Iran We, the contract oil workers in refineries, petrochemical and power plants, went on strike on June 20, as we had announced. Tens of thousands of our colleagues are currently on strike, and our colleagues who are permanent employees in the oil… Continue reading The strike continues until our demands are met
Same old, same old
The election of Ebrahim Raisi hardly signals a major change, writes Yassamine Mather. Yet, while the left remains confused, opposition to the regime is palpable The result of Iran’s presidential elections, held on June 18, came as no surprise. In a low turnout of just 48.8%, 62% voted for Ebrahim Raisi, while there were an… Continue reading Same old, same old
Highlights of ‘democracy’
Not only are the candidates useless: the pundits are worse. Yassamine Mather reports on the presidential election campaign, as it enters its closing straight The most depressing side of watching the third TV debate between the remaining candidates in Iran’s presidential elections on June 18 and the analyses and comments both inside and outside the… Continue reading Highlights of ‘democracy’
Seven are the doors to hell
Yassamine Mather reports on the new restrictions, the disqualifications and what passes for debate in the presidential election campaign Looking at current developments in the run-up to Iran’s June 18 presidential election, one could easily come to the conclusion that the leaders and institutions of the Shia republic are either extremely confident of their regime’s… Continue reading Seven are the doors to hell
Principle, confusion and hope
Having looked at the birth and early years of the guerrillaist left in her first article Yassamine Mather turns to the internal struggles within the Fedai Splits in the Fadai started in 1979, following the Islamist revolution, and are still going on. It is impossible to cover every one of them, but the main ones… Continue reading Principle, confusion and hope
From symbol to failure
On February 8 1971, 50 years ago, the geurrillaist left began its armed struggle by attacking a gendamerie post at Siahkal. Three police were killed and two comrades rescued. Yassamine Mather spoke to Ardeshir Mehrdad. He was a member of the Organisation of Iranian People’s Fadai until 1980 and later became editor of Iran Bulletin… Continue reading From symbol to failure
Video from meeting on the anniversary of the Siakhal uprising
Held online due to the coronavirus pandemic, HOPI chair Yassamine Mather speaks about the incident in 1971 which marked the beginning of guerrilla struggles against the Shah’s regime.
Preparing for revolution
Yassamine Mather says that the Siahkal incident 50 years ago marked a break with the passivity of ‘official communism’, but the guerrillaist left was hopelessly outmanoeuvred when it came to the reality of revolution in Iran Fifty years ago this week, the town of Siahkal in northern Iran was the scene of an armed uprising… Continue reading Preparing for revolution
Limits of guerrillaism
Mohamad Reza Shalgouni was a founder-member of the Organisation of Revolutionary Workers of Iran (Rahe Kargar). He spoke to Yassamine Mather about his strategic reassessment as a prisoner of the shah and experience of the revolutionary years of 1978-79 How long were you a prisoner during the shah’s reign? I was in prison from January… Continue reading Limits of guerrillaism