On international workers day students, workers and women are gathering in Laleh Park, Tehran and across Iran to protest against imperialism, the economic crisis and the authoritarian theocratic state. The regime has done everything in it can since coming to power to put an end to the demonstrations, arrests, torture and the threat of executions are common place.

News has also reached us that Delara Darabi a young Iranian women was executed today after being found guilty of murder that she never committed. She was forced to admit to murder to save a family member as she was under the execution age, however, she quickly retracted her confession but was still executed. We oppose the use of execution and it is not coincidental that the regime carried out this execution on international workers day.

Ten union activist were arrested in the East of Iran in Sanandaj. Some of the comrades arrested are Sediq Karimi, Sharif Saedpanah, Majid Hamidi, Xalid Hosayni and Jyan Sobhani and were arrested for celebrating Mayday. In Tehran’s Laleh Park 70 comrades have been arrested and 30 arrested in Tabriz.

In the prisons of Iran, many activists from the movements are rotting and being abused. As we have reported before Mohammad Pour Abdullah a student leader and a student at Tehran University is in great danger. His comrades in Iran are being threatened with the continued ill treatment of him, if they continue political dissent.  Apart from being tortured comrade Abdullah has been kept in solitary confinement for most of his incarceration. He is now being held in Qezel Hesar prison near Karaj, just outside of Iran.

Communist Students stand absolutely with the Students for Freedom and Equality (Daneshjouyan-e Azadi Khah va Beraber Talab, DAB)  group and all of those who are struggling for liberation in Iran; from imperialism and theocracy. We call for Mohammad Pour Abdollah to be immediately released along with all political prisoners in Iran. We further call on the workers movement to do the same. You can help by sending messages demanding his release and the release of all political prisoners to the Iranian consulate whose details are below:

Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
16 Prince’s Gate London SW7 1PT
Tel: 0207 225 3000
consulate@iran-embassy.org.uk

The people of Iran are also suffering at the hands of imperialism and the ever tightening sanctions. Unemployment, inflation and basic commodity shortages are all damaging the ability of millions of workers to live a decent life and fight back. Sanctions are merely a prelude or a form of soft war against Iran, which are hurting the working class and not the regime. The threat of military assault has given the regime excuses to attack dissidents under the guise of “national security”. You can read how sanctions effect the people of Iran here. CS supports the HOPI campaign against sanctions and war and would urge readers to send messages demanding an immediate end of sanctions to the Foreign Office whose details are below and your local MP:

Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
020 7008 1500

More important than this is to begin building an anti sanctions movement in the workers movement. You can help by getting your local trade union branch or your organisation affiliated to the campaign and help build the May speaking tour which will be touring across the country. You can find a template motion here.

Below is the Mayday Statement of Workers Left Unity – Iran.

Workers Left Unity – Iran
May day leaflet  1st May 2009

Workers throughout the word celebrate this year’s May day under exceptional circumstances. The crisis of finance capital has engulfed international capitalism leading to an unprecedented economic recession. The culmination of successive attempts to delay the economic crisis, at a time when the parasitic characteristics of contemporary capitalism was reaching new dimensions, have worsened the situation.  An analysis of this order and its practises in the economic , political and military spheres including wars in Afghanistan, Iraq , sanctions and a state of conflict  with Iran , attacks on innocent civilians in Gaza all indicate that the capitalist order is facing four major crises: financial crisis,  world shortage of food,  disreputable leadership and a transition from a unipolar world lead by the US to an unknown era.  Yet imperialists and the reactionaries are a minority who impose their rule through military might and economic domination, only the unity of workers can confront them.

First of May is a reminder of working class international solidarity, that is why it is hated by capitalists. Workers throughout the world have forced governments to recognise this day through constant struggle. For many years, Iranian workers have tried to organise independent celebrations of this day and every year they have faced the violent repression of the Islamic regime. Workers have been arrested,  lashed by security forces, forced to pay financial penalties and threatened with execution all for trying to organise independent May Day celebrations. During the last twelve months a number of workers from Vahed Tehran Bus Company, Haft Tapeh sugar cane workers syndicate and labour activists form Kurdistan have been sent to prison. The Iranian working class, currently counting for more than 70% of the population, is aware and conscious of its historic role and will reinforce its ranks in the struggle against the capitalist Islamic state  and for setting up independent workers organisations. Last year saw some victories in this area amongst Sugar Cane workers and teachers.

For 1st of May 2009 Iranian workers have united and called for support of   the following demands :

-1st of May must become a public holiday and the state must remove restrictions on gatherings and demonstrations to celebrate May Day.
-Increase in wages in line with the rate of inflation agreed in negotiations with genuine workers representatives.
-Payment of unpaid wages and bonuses
-A democratic labour legislation based on workers participation
-Provision of social security and insurance
-Equal pay for women workers
-An end to child labour and support for street children
-An end to temporary contracts
-Decent pension  for retired workers
-Solidarity with Afghan immigrant workers in Iran our class allies
-Call for immediate and unconditional release of workers currently held as political prisoners.

Iranian workers have also used 1st of May to express support for other social movements in Iran in  particular the women’s movement and the students movement, and solidarity with the International workers movement.

On this 1st of May, activists of Workers Left Unity Iran will do all in their power to defend Iranian workers demands and to distribute news of the struggles of the Iranian working class to non Farsi speakers .

Long Live Revolution
Long Live Socialism

Coordinating committee of Workers Left Unity Iran
April 2009