Honoring May 1st International Workers Day

In May 1st 1866 a new chapter was opened in world’s labor movement. In that day American workers in Chicago stood up to demand 8 hours limit per workday. In that historic day by resisting the government forces workers were able to impose their class determination on the capitalist system. From that day on workers of the world despite all the restrictions and pressures imposed on them every year take to the streets to celebrate May 1st.

For workers in Iran this day is not simply a regular holiday, this day represents workers’ solidarity and unity against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In this day workers not only show their international solidarity, but also hold rallies and demonstrations against the Islamic Republic in order to oppose the harsh working conditions, unemployment, dictatorship, and many other social injustices. Despite all the deceiving policies of the government to lure the workers towards its own sponsored rallies workers boycott these government sponsored gathering.

After 28 years of dictatorial theocracy in Iran, workers are banned from having their own organizations. Holding rallies and demonstration are illegal, and workers can end up in prisons, torture centers while demanding their very basic rights and while rejecting the regime.

As each day passes by, the socio-economic condition of the workers and the masses in Iran keeps deteriorating. Despite the intolerable economic conditions, the wealth of the heads of the regime keeps skyrocketing. Wealth and money owned by Ayatollahs, heads of the elite Pasdaran forces, members of the Interior Ministry (SAVAMA), other ministry officials, and high ranking elements of the regime is not comparable to the average income of the of the society. Heads of the regime are involved in such a lavish lifestyle which is simply unspeakable. Accumulation of enormous wealth on one side is taking place in a situation where poverty, misery, and economic suffering of the masses is getting worst and worst and people are becoming poorer and poorer.

In a situation like this public resentment towards the regime of the Islamic Republic keeps building up. A direct consequence of this is an increase in social uprising, workers’ strikes, and spread of revolutionary ideas in the society. Indeed regime sees no other option for its survival but to continue to crackdown in an unspeakable brutal fashion. Even though in last 28 years the regime has managed to secure its survival relying on suppression and heavy handed crackdown, but this cannot continue for ever. With mounting poverty and continued pressures on masses, relying on intimidation, brutal crackdown, and continuation of the old polices has lost its effectiveness. Throughout the country people are tired and frustrated, and see no other option left for them but to fight back the regime. The regime can no longer put down the people’s uprisings using its old methods of repression.


Fellow workers,

It is now more than four years, that the US has launched its military occupation against the ancient country of Iraq. Today, dark consequences of this medieval military intervention are felt by every Iraqi individual. We are witnessing disintegration of the country as an aftermath of the US occupation. Increase in poverty, crime rate, and daily massacres are some of the “gifts of democracy” exported by the Bush administration. It is not important for the US and its allies if Iraq is divided into Sunni, Shiite, and Kurdish regions. But it is important for the US that each of these smaller regions become a new colony for the US to continue to exploit and plunder the region. The US occupation has forced some of the neighboring countries of Iraq such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan to become more dependent on the US help. The US military and economic control over these countries has expanded enormously. This situation has helped the Islamic Republic to pursue and intensify its military ambitions, and assume a leadership position for itself among the world’s Shiite population. For many years the European Union pursuing its economic interests has established strong economic and political ties with the regime, and has helped the Islamic Republic to embark on expanding its military adventurism.

Acquiring scientific knowledge about new branches of science, and having nuclear technology is every country’s right, but this right has been abused by the rulers of the regime in Iran. It’s an historical fact that Iranians throughout the history have greatly contributed to the development and advancement of science. This historical role should not be attributed to Iranian nobles or kings, nor should be considered as part of the Ayatollahs’ achievements. This should not be attributed to Ayatollahs who have been “pioneers” in advocating some of the antiquated mentalities of the dark ages with the hope to prolong their grip on power for few more years. Islamic Republic has used the issue of nuclear technology to intimidate its Arab neighbors and Israel in order to expand and impose its regional hegemony. Where else in the world a president of a country almost on a daily basis gathers the villagers and the people of the remote small towns to talk about thousands of nuclear centrifuges being installed and operated in industrial level!! Giving speech after speech about a technology which he has no knowledge about its operation and design. This political advertising is being pursued by the regime only to keep the people guarded and to try to shore up support for the regime. Regime wants to create and expand regional crisis in order to ride on this wave of crisis and try to curtail the internal public resentment. In international front, regime wants to show itself as a major regional power. These types of adventurous policies have no impact in alleviating harsh realities that workers and masses are grappling with on a daily basis. Scientific achievements and access to nuclear technology is being used as a pretext to intensify dictatorship, attack women, arrest teachers, to hold back workers’ unpaid salaries, and at the end attack and violate people’s very basic rights. The only way out of this situation is to make every effort to unite and pave the path to topple the regime. Those forces, individuals, men and women, who are willing to endure the sacrifices and be part of this revolutionary path, must unite in order to dismantle the dictatorial apparatus of the ruling theocratic regime.

Long Live May 1st International Workers Day.