Abdolfazl Ghadiani's Warning to Reformists: Do Not Retreat from People's Rights

Abdolfazl Ghadiani, a political prisoner, issued a statement warning reformists to be cautious not to retreat from the democratic rights of the Iranian people under the pretext of engagement with the regime. Ghadiani, a senior member of the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution and a political prisoner following the 2009 presidential elections in Iran, urged reformists and supporters of the Green Movement to 'instead of repeating tedious arguments about the necessity of silence as a form of support for the government and meaningless engagement, each should present something new to society according to their capacity and strength.' He warned that yielding to the rights and demands of the people 'brings the government closer to the desired point of the authoritarian faction.' Ghadiani compared the current situation in Iran to the years following the 1953 coup and the overthrow of Mohammad Mossadegh, stating that the regime after the 2009 coup attempts to compensate for lost legitimacy through what he calls 'white reforms of the leader and the nation,' which resemble the 'white revolution of the Shah.' In his statement, Ghadiani noted that 'today, although the oppressive Supreme Leader and his aides have always tried to deceitfully show the situation as normal and a result of people's trust in the government, the reality is nothing but the sinking of the ship of fraud and the 2009 coup and its comprehensive exposure.' According to Ghadiani, 'the call of the coup leader for people to participate in elections, which at one point took on a tone of supplication and begging, was made with the hope of dragging his limping donkey out of the infamous and disastrous Ahmadinejad era, and then he, who was the mastermind of the fraud and coup, would again sit on the throne with a temporary concession.' He warned reformists that 'Green reformism, as I have previously stated, is that reformism which ultimately does not concede an authoritarian and absolute role to any holder of power, and although it may accelerate or decelerate its movement towards the desired point depending on the circumstances, it will never retreat from the rights of the people and will not be behind the general public.' He added that history and experiences show us that the front of despotism does not limit itself to arresting freedom-seekers and sometimes employs constructive methods as well. Thus, the despot publicly boasts about the legitimacy of political factions and party work while secretly conspiring to form controlled and nurtured parties. Ghadiani stated that 'it has now become clear to us that the absolute ruler and the extensive security apparatus of his court desire to establish parties of 'yes sir' and 'yes master.' According to Ghadiani, the significant danger currently threatening reforms and reformists is their transformation into a buffer layer and justifier of the established government, and that 'unfortunately, it is said that people's demands should not be raised or even mentioned, which is a wrong strategy that leads to misdirection. Our point is that our people's demands are their rights. If they are high, it returns to the relationship of people as rightful owners and rulers in the position of those who have obligations. Can we overlook the rights of the nation?' In the conclusion of his statement, Ghadiani mentioned that 'the esteemed leaders of the Green Movement have declared that the uncompromising implementation of the current constitution, with all its deficiencies, is a national demand, the same constitution that the rights of the nation are an inseparable part of, and the president is the executor, responsible, and sworn to safeguard it. Therefore, responsible and irresponsible politicians, if they cannot do anything for the demands of the people, are not obliged to suppress them either.' Abdolfazl Ghadiani had previously accused Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, of despotism in a critical letter.