Several Opposition Parties to the Islamic Republic: We Will Not Participate in the Elections

The National Front of Iran, the Iranian Nation Party, and the Pan-Iranist Party announced in statements outlining some obstacles to reforms and holding a free election in Iran that they will not participate in the upcoming elections. The National Front of Iran-Europe stated in a statement published on websites close to this group that due to the "widespread and inhumane repression" by the security organizations of the Islamic Republic, "any effort through participation in voting to achieve sustainable change in the balance of power among the ruling forces towards reform and improvement of economic and social conditions has been futile." This group recalled that it had previously invited people to participate in the elections in 2009, adding that it is "neither part of the professional boycotters nor part of the professional voting community in the Islamic Republic." The National Front of Iran-Europe emphasized that it will not participate in the upcoming elections, considering the "fundamental problem of reform" in Iran to be the "hard and complex structure of intertwined and powerful governmental-mafia-religious-intelligence centers" that "prevent reforms that threaten their interests." The group described the policy of "step-by-step reforms" under the current conditions as "a futile effort and joke" that will ultimately lead to despair, exhaustion, and social lethargy. The statement concluded that "the only force capable of pushing back and gradually removing these demons is solely the force of civil and social movements." Prior to the release of the National Front of Iran-Europe's statement, the National Front of Iran had also stated that "the minimum necessary conditions for holding a fair and healthy election, such as freedom of party activities, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom to run for candidacy, and freedom of expression of opinions and programs for candidates, have not been realized." The group stated that it has made "no decision to nominate its members, and if two or three individuals have done so, it was an individual action without organizational consensus that has nothing to do with the National Front." In this regard, Adib Boroumand, head of the leadership council of the National Front of Iran in Tehran, emphasized in an interview with Radio Farda the group's decision not to participate in the elections. Kourosh Zaeim, a senior member of the National Front, who had previously been reported to have registered for the elections, told Radio Farda, "The National Front will certainly not participate in elections whose conditions do not conform to democratic principles." He added that in protest against the methods and laws governing the elections, they organized a protest through "Solidarity for Democracy and Human Rights," which was formed in 1998. Mr. Zaeim described his presence at the election registration site for the tenth parliament as an action to publicize this protest. Besides the National Front of Iran, several other opposition groups have also announced a boycott of the upcoming elections. Among them, the Iranian Nation Party, in a statement listing some obstacles to holding a "healthy election" in the current situation in Iran, announced that if these obstacles are not removed, it "will not participate in an election that can only be seen as a stamp of approval on existing disorder." "Creating a political open space," "ensuring freedom of speech and writing and legal assemblies," and "preventing the interference of pressure groups and security and military institutions," "allowing organizations and opposition parties and civil institutions within the framework of the same constitution," and "freedom for political and civil prisoners" are among the conditions this party has set for holding a healthy election. The current Secretary-General of the Iranian Nation Party, Khosrow Seif, told Radio Farda that due to the two-stage nature of the elections, the Guardian Council comments on the candidates, and they believe that those who are elected are chosen by the Guardian Council. Mr. Seif emphasized that the Iranian Nation Party will not participate in the elections, reminding that due to the nature of the Guardian Council's oversight, "freedom in elections is annulled." He stated that the Iranian Nation Party has announced the reasons for the lack of freedom in elections in statements since 1979 and for this reason has not participated in any elections over the years. The former Secretary-General of the Iran Party, Dariush Forouhar, was murdered in 1998 during the chain murders in Iran. The Pan-Iranist Party is also another opposition party that has emphasized its non-participation in the elections. In this regard, Zahra Safarpour, Secretary-General of the Pan-Iranist Party, told Radio Farda that due to the pressures exerted on this opposition party, they "are not willing to participate in the elections." The tenth parliamentary elections, along with the fifth Assembly of Experts elections, will be held on Friday, March 7, and while the registration of more than 12,000 candidates for this election has been described as unprecedented, many candidates have been eliminated from the competition due to widespread disqualifications, especially by the supervisory boards and the Guardian Council. These disqualifications particularly affected many reformist candidates, but despite this, reformists and groups such as the Freedom Movement of Iran have stated that they will participate in the elections.