Dear James,

We really appreciate the fact that you know so much about the various ideas in Iran and your readers will also understand the various mindsets in Iran by reading your article. Most western journalists have this black and white idea about the opposition movement in Iran. Its either Moussavi and the Green or nothing.

And I totally agree with you. As we move forward in our struggle, we’re seeing the revolutionary side of the opposition emerging as the stronger side. Of course, the majority of the people were never reformists. And the so-called reformist movement finished with Khatami’s first four years in power. We have to remember that it was Khatami, the so-called reformist, who brutally suppressed the 18 Tir students uprising in 1999. So the problem with the so-called reformist movement in Iran is that it cannot exist. The fascist, clerical, reactionary regime which has a leader it says is the representative of God on earth cannot be reformed. A reform would amount to its demise. That is the very nature of the clerical regime. A person would have to understand its nature to know that if it takes one step back, especially now that’s its so weak (both internally and externally) it has to go all the way back! And when it goes all the way back, it will not have its current form with a Supreme Leader, RGC and other current structures so we cannot say that it has been reformed because the Islamic Republic would have completely died then. So currently we are witnessing the Islamic Republic desperately clutching at its last chances of staying in power. That is why, the majority of the people have lost all hope in the so called reform movement. They’ve realized that there is actually no such thing. Because if there was and if there was a chance of a reform, no one would be willing to take the revolutionary stance, which obviously needs more blood and sacrifice. They would simply try to reform it. But unfortunately, we are not dealing with a regime that can be reformed. Too bad…. Many lives would have been saved if we were.

So once we understand the nature of the clerical dictatorship in Iran, we know exactly how to deal with it. And that is the most important thing. To actually know and understand your enemy.

Unfortunately, Moussavi does not seem to understand his enemy. That is to say, if he even considers them to be his enemy because he was once part of the Islamic Republic and still believes in the Supreme Leader. And he has proven that he is not a competent leader for the opposition. He moves behind the people, and most of the time, he doesn’t move at all. So it seems that his main goal is saving himself, rather than saving democracy and freedom. And we have to remember that he played a major part in the massacre of political prisoners; More than 30,000 political prisoners who were mostly supporters and members of the PMOI.

Speaking of the PMOI, you wrote in your article that they are an ‘Islamist Marxist’ organization which is a widespread misconception in western media and used as a demonizing tool in Iranian state run media. What an irony!

I would like to explain as much as I can about this misconception as a supporter of the PMOI, and where it all started from. In the government of the Shah, the PMOI were called ‘elteghati’ which meant that they are mixed. A little of Marxism and a little of Islam. Of course this was used as a tool to defame the PMOI who had a widespread popular base in Iran.

After the revolution and under Khomeini, the PMOI were labeled as ‘monafeghs’ which literally means hypocrites for the same reasons that they were called ‘elteghati’ by the Shah. All of these labels were used to defame the PMOI because they had a broad-based support among the people who were mostly faithful Muslims.

As a Muslim and supporter of the PMOI in Iran, I know that one cannot be a Muslim and a Marxist at the same time. Because, a Marxist doesn't believe in God and religion. In fact it’s kind of funny. And if an organization believed in two contradictory doctrines, well it would never have been able to survive and still have so many Muslim followers in Iran and all over the world. Despite the fact that the members of the PMOI are all Muslims, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, its parliament in exile, are made up of people with various religious beliefs, because they believe in democracy and a free Iran.

You said in your article that ‘Not all of these groups get along, not all of them are represented by the most visible leaders (Moussavi, Karroubi, former president Khatami, ect.), and no one knows what a post IRI government would look like’. As you probably know, the PMOI and the National Council of Resistance of Iran, its parliament in exile have a clear platform for the future government of Iran. An interim government which would last only 6 months before free and fair elections under the supervision of the UN would be carried out. So as the main opposition to the Iranian regime, they do have plans for the future or Iran after the Islamic Republic is overthrown.

We hope you take our comments into account.

Again we wanted to thank you for your great article, and tell you we really respect what you are doing for our movement.

Regards,
Iran Students Committee

0900 GMT: 4 June Fall-Out. Another cleric denounces the uproar at last week’s ceremony for Ayatollah Khomeini and comments on the heckling of the Ayatollah’s grandson, Seyed Hassan Khomeini: Hojatoleslam Hossein Ebrahimi said the “events have caused sorrow for all“.

1920 GMT: Parliament v. President (cont.). The most intriguing move, however, comes from “principlist” MP Ali Motahari. Having been warned for saying that the disturbance at last Friday’s ceremony for Ayatollah Khomeini was due in part to the President’s election, Motahari said that he would welcome his removal from the party. He declared that this would prepare the ground for the establishment of an independent faction composed of moderate reformists and principlists.

1920 GMT: Parliament v. President (cont.). The most intriguing move, however, comes from “principlist” MP Ali Motahari. Having been warned for saying that the disturbance at last Friday’s ceremony for Ayatollah Khomeini was due in part to the President’s election, Motahari said that he would welcome his removal from the party. He declared that this would prepare the ground for the establishment of an independent faction composed of moderate reformists and principlists.