Union of Iranian Communists (Sarbedaran)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Union of Iranian Communists" Sarbedaran – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Political party in Iran

Union of Iranian Communists (Sarbedaran)

اتحادیه کمونیست‌های ایران

Founded| 1976
Dissolved| 2001
Merger of| OCRML
Pooya Group
Succeeded by| CPIMLM
Ideology| Communism
Marxism-Leninism
Maoism[1]
Political position| Far-left
International affiliation| RIM (defunct)

* Politics of Iran
* Political parties
* Elections

The Union of Iranian Communists (UIC), unofficially translated as the League of Iranian Communists (Persian: اتحادیه کمونیست‌های ایران, romanized: Ettehâdiyye-ye Komunist-hâ-ye Irân, lit. 'Union of the Communists of Iran') and simply known by its former armed branch's name Sarbedaran (/ˌsɑːrbɪdəˈrɑːn/; Persian: سربداران, romanized: Sarbedârân, lit. 'the head-on-gallow mass'), was a Maoist organization in Iran. The UIC(S) was formed in 1976 after the alliance of a number of Maoist groups carrying out military actions within Iran. The group prepared an insurrection starting in 1981, but it was dismantled by 1982.[2]

Although it has gone through several ideological changes, it has maintained a general Maoist viewpoint advocating that Iran is not a capitalist society but a "semicolonial-semifeudal" one. In 2001 the UIC(S) became the Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist).

## History

[edit]

### Foundation

[edit]

The Union of Iranian Communists was founded in 1976 after the unification of the "Organization of Communist Revolutionaries" and "Pooya Group" (a remnant of “Palestine Group”). The term "Sarbedaran" was used later in 1981 after the organization armed its members in the forests near Amol in northern Iran in preparation for its armed uprising against the Islamic regime.[3]

This union was a minor group and mainly operated in student movements abroad. Theoretically, due to their Maoist stance, the UIC(S) backed the People's Republic of China in the Sino-Soviet Split and opposed currents such as those held by the Tudeh Party who backed the USSR.

The UIC(S) expanded its activities inside Iran after the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and some other groups such as "Group of struggle in the path of working class liberation" and "Red Battle" also joined.

The UIC(S) did participate in some workers struggles at this time, such as "project syndicate of Abadan" and "Union of worker councils of Gilan" and also joined the war against the Islamic Republic in Kurdistan (and formed a guerrilla organization in Kurdistan named "Tashkilate Pishmargeye Zahmatkeshane Kordestan"). UIC(S) did also participate in peasant struggles in Turkaman, Sahra and Arab protests in Khuzistan. It also formed front organization such as "Militant Women Society" and "SETAD (Revolutionary Mass Organization of university and school Students)".

### Armed uprising

[edit]

Main article: 1982 Amol uprising

Group of Sarbedaran guerrillas in forest, during the Amol Uprising 1982

1982 was an important year in the history of the UIC(S) and the history of Maoism in Iran in general. In this year the UIC(S) mobilized forces in forests around Amol and launched an armed campaign against the Islamic Republic. It eventually organized an uprising on 25 January 1982. The uprising was eventually a failure and many UIC(S) and Maoist leaders were killed.[3]

### Aftermath

[edit]

After the failure of the “Amol Uprising” the group went through a difficult period with most of its leadership and cadres arrested or killed.[4] It also experienced various theoretical and political crises.

In 1985 they again tried to organize militant struggle against the Islamic Republic but, again, this ended in failure. After this year they mainly operated in Kurdistan and against currents such as the Communist Party of Iran which they called "reformist" and "liquidationist".

In the late '80s they dropped some of their old slogans and strategies such as "Peoples’ war in rural areas and uprising in cities", "Revolution Path" etc. Instead they launched a new strategy and their slogan became "Protracted People's War: siege the cities via Villages". They also formulated their current "Marxist-Leninist-Maoist" stance.

### Rebranding

[edit]

In April 2001 they held the 'Founding Congress of Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)' and after some debates they established the Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) on May Day, 2001. The Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) is seen as a continuer of the Union of Iranian Communists (Sarbedaran).

## See also

[edit]

* Communist Party of Iran (Marxist–Leninist–Maoist)
* Communist Party of Iran

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Mirsepassi, Ali (2004), The Tragedy of the Iranian Left, RoutledgeCurzon, Table 10.2 Characteristics of principal secular left-wing organizations, 1979–83
2. ^ Gustavo Gorriti (1999). The Shining Path: A History of the Millenarian War in Peru. The University of North Carolina Press. p. 128. ISBN 978-0807846766.
3. ^ a b ketab1131 Archived 2008-11-23 at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ Milani, Mohsen M. (1994). The making of Iran's Islamic revolution: from monarchy to Islamic republic. Westview Press. p. 190.

* v
* t
* e

Historical political organizations in Iran

Politics of Iran

Qajar monarchy|

* Social Democratic Party
* Socialist Revolutionary Party
* Democrat Party
* Moderate Socialists Party
* Union and Progress Party
* Progressives Party
* Unified Socialist Party
* Social Reformers Party
* Learned Council
* Revival Party
* Reformers' Party
* Socialist Party
* Communist Party
* Young Communist League
* Armenian Revolutionary Federation
* Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
* Revolutionary Republican Party

Pahlavi monarchy|

* New Iran Party
* Progress Party
* Justice Party
* Peykar Party
* Motherland Party
* Jungle Party
* Azure Party
* National Union Party
* National Will Party
* Azerbaijani Democratic Party
* Democrat Party
* Movement of God-Worshipping Socialists
* United Front of Progressive Parties
* Iran Unity Party
* Comrades Party
* SUMKA
* Aria Party
* Society of Muslim Warriors
* Toilers Party
* Third Force
* League of Iranian Socialists
* Organization of Communist Revolutionaries
* Islamic Nations Party
* JAMA
* Union of Communist Militants
* Union of Iranian Communists
* Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas
* People's Democratic Front
* Organization of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class
* Organization of Working-class Freedom Fighters
* Nationalists' Party
* New Iran Party
* People's Party
* Iranians' Party
* Rastakhiz Party

Islamic Republic|

* Coalition of Islamic Parties
* Quintuple Coalition
* Grand coalition
* Office for the Cooperation of the People with the President
* Eponym Group
* Muslim People's Republic Party
* National Democratic Front
* Radical Movement of Iran
* People's Revolutionary Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran
* Azadegan Organization
* Front for the Liberation of Iran
* Islamic Republican Party
* Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization
* Coalition of the Oppressed and Deprived
* Coalition of Imam's Line groups
* Association for Defence of Revolution Values
* Islamic Reconciliation Party
* Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Organization
* Islamic Iran Participation Front

Active parties
*[lit.]: Literal translation
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template