Participation Front: We Will Resume Our Activities with a Change in the Political Atmosphere

The Participation Front of Islamic Iran, one of the reformist parties, has stated in a statement that the dissolution of this party by the Revolutionary Court was illegal, and the party hopes to resume its activities with a change in the political atmosphere of the country and through legal processes. In this statement published on Friday, December 6, on 'Norooz', a website close to the Participation Front, it is mentioned that despite the coming to power of Hassan Rouhani's government, the cost of political activity in Iran remains high. The statement refers to reports regarding the dissolution ruling of the Participation Front by the Revolutionary Court in previous years, noting that 'the process of the trial has remained concealed from the officials and members of the Front, as they have not been given any information or right to defense, contrary to the explicitness of Article 168 of the Constitution and the Law on Political Parties.' The Participation Front emphasized: 'Therefore, the officials of the Front still hope that with a change in the political atmosphere and through legal processes, this party can resume its activities and fulfill its duties and roles in the political arena of the country as before.' Following the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election in Tehran and several cities in Iran, many senior members of the Participation Front and the Mojahedin of the Revolution, two major reformist parties, were arrested. In the courts known as the Velvet Coup, which were held after the 2009 presidential election, the Tehran prosecutor announced charges against the Participation Front and the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, calling for the dissolution of these two parties. Ultimately, the Attorney General announced that the Revolutionary Court had dissolved these two parties at the request of the 10-party commission, and they no longer have the right to political activity. The cost of political activity remains high. In another part of the Participation Front's statement, it is stated: 'Despite the change from an authoritarian government to the coming of Rouhani's government, known as the 'Government of Hope and Prudence', still three senior and young members of the Front are suffering in prison, and the security of political activities remains compromised, with heavy costs associated with political work.' Mostafa Tajzadeh, a member of the Central Council of the Participation Front; Mohammad Hossein Naeimi Pour, a member of the Participation Front's program commission; and Hossein Nourani Nejad, the head of the Participation Front's information committee, are still in prison. The Participation Front of Islamic Iran was established in 1998, one year after Mohammad Khatami's victory in the presidential election. This party achieved a significant victory in the sixth parliamentary elections.