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» Option 1: Develop a Social Democracy
Ahmad Faroughy, Iranian Journalist, March 16, 1975
"The struggle for freedom of expression in Iran should...be seen as a struggle to uphold the nation's cultural identity, the outcome of which will determine the country's national sovereignty , and economic independence."
Letter to the shah, author unknown, 1977
"...the only way...to reestablish national cooperation, and to escape from the problems that threaten Iran's future, is to abandon authoritarian rule , to submit completely to constitutional principles, to revive people's rights, to respect the constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to abandon the single-party system , to permit freedom of the press and freedom of association, and to establish a popularly elected government based on the majority will."
Prime Minister Bahktiar, January 1979
"Martyrs who recently fell in Iran did not die so that one rotten dictatorship would be replaced by another as a new repression."
Prime Minister Bahktiar, January 1979
"But one mullah is not a government. It's notthe job of one mullah to direct a government."
Karim Sanjabi, leader of the National Front, January 10, 1979
"What the people want is a fundamental change in the apparatus of power. For once and for all they want to be involved in shaping their political destiny and to prevent outside interference."
Abdel Karim Lahidji, founding member of the Human Rights Committee, January 17, 1979
"...after 25 years of dictatorship, what a chance for democracy and freedom. I'm waiting for tomorrow when the real struggle starts for democracy—tolerance for ourselves, prevention of anarchy , the start of a democratic life under the rule of law."
Prime Minister Bahktiar, January 1979
"...some people have become accustomed to dictatorship. They accepted Mohammad Reza Shah's dictatorship and maybe another future dictatorship would be to their satisfaction too. However, I am in favour of freedom and liberty in this country and nothing else."
Prime Minister Bakhtiar, February 3, 1979
"Any change in the form of government of Iran should be through free elections and not through demonstrations by an emotional crowd in the streets."
Ayatollah Taleqani, February 5, 1979
"We, the Islamic leaders, do not have a claim on government."
Prime Minister Bakhtiar, in address to Parliament, February 5, 1979
"The Iranian nation and Iranian state are indivisible entities: one country, one government, one constitution, or nothing else.... We will tolerate this thing about anybody forming its own government until it is a joke and in words only, but if they take actions in this regard, we shall reply with our own actions.... If blood is spilled and if aggression is committed against the people, I will expose the aggressors without regard to their name or position right here [in parliament].... I shall remain in the position of the legitimate prime minister of this country until future free elections are held.... Whoever enjoys a majority, shall then govern."
Ali Shayegan, February 24, 1979
"No dictatorship of any kind must be established by any side. People of any ideology must be free to express their views."
Anonymous Iranian professor, April 15, 1979 "I only hope the present and future government will let people be free to think and say what they like. Right now there are signs that give you hope and signs that make you fear."
» Option 2: Build a Socialist Future
Ali Shariati, Iranian intellectual, 1976
"God looks more favorably on a 'materialist man ' who does not pray to God, yet, having realized his social responsibility, serves the people, than a believer in God, who prays, yet, not sensing his social responsibility, does not serve the people."
Tudeh Party statement, February 1979
"The Iranian society needs a fundamental change —a revolution which should change all the different aspects of life for the benefit of the masses . The only way to achieve the popular and democratic revolution is by the participation of the masses in the struggle and not by the heroic actions of either individuals or a single political group and party."
Twenty-six-year-old Iranian architect, February 1979
"It's inevitable that in four or five months there will be a fight between the communists and the government. The government is moving toward some sort of fascism ."
Tudeh Party supporter, February 1979
"I'm not opposed to Khomeini, but I'm afraid he will be trapped in the Bourgeoisie and the struggle of the people will be ruined."
Tudeh Party statement, February 1979
"The history of true revolutions shows that reaction and economic domination by Imperialism can not be overcome by only achieving political independence and dismissing some of the most criminal officials of the old regime. The untouched economic position of Imperialism and reaction poses serious threats to the future of the revolution. The undisputable demands of millions of deprived working people can only be fulfilled by crushing and destroying these positions...."
Tudeh Party Statement, February 1979
"Tudeh Party of Iran calls on all the forces participating in the people's struggle to agree to form a united front on the basis of a joint programme which reflects the demands and aspirations of millions of working people and middle strata of our society as soon as possible. Our Party also emphasizes that this programme has to be the basis of a joint and united action in our future struggle for the compilation of a new constitution, election of the people's assembly and the adoption of the constitution and election of members of parliament and national government."
Tudeh Party statement, February 1979
"The content of the revolution is to eliminate the domination of Imperialism 's monopolies from the economic and natural resources of our country, to secure total economic and political independence, to remove all the remnants of the pre- capitalist social system and adopt the socialist orientation of development, to democratize the political and cultural life in the country. At this stage, the necessary condition for revolutionary development in Iran is the overthrow of the old monarchist regime, to break down the reactionary machinery of the government, to end the rule of the big capitalists and landowners and transfer power from these classes."
Tudeh Party statement, May 1979
"You must attack the Yankee imperialists because this is the only language they understand."
Mardom, Tudeh Party Newspaper, May 11, 1979 "[Prime Minister] Bazargan's tone is conciliatory toward the rich and angry toward the masses ."
» Option 3: The Guardianship of the Jurist
Ayatollah Khomeini, Veleyat-e Faqih 1970
"The administration of the country, the issuing of judicial decrees , and the approving of legislative programs, should actually be entrusted to religious scholars who are guardians of the rights of God and knowledgeable about God's ordinances concerning what is permitted and what is forbidden."
Ayatollah Khomeini, December 1978
"…our religion associates politics with social problems and prayers.... From the beginning, [Islam] represented a political power, not limiting itself to problems of religious practice. In fact, if one refers to the books of Sunna [the practices of Mohammad], which are the main Muslim texts, one sees that they deal as much with politics, government, the struggle against tyrants, as with prayers."
Ayatollah Khomeini, December 1978
"We want to exploit the country's riches — mines, farming, petroleum—and to devote the revenues to the general interest. Our plan is not to protect the rich. We will work to help the poor and to oversee the fortunes of the rich class in order to balance social differences."
Ayatollah Khomeini, December 1978
"We are for an Islamic system, that is to say a democratic regime founded on popular consensus and Islamic law. Western democracy is incomplete. Our democracy will resemble it but be perfected. ...[A]ll citizens of such an Islamic democracy, from the leaders to those at the bottom of the social ladder, are equals before the law. They are equals. There are no legal differences among them. Thus it is a democracy based on divine law which should be applied to humanity. It is really perfect. It is not a sham democracy or a dictatorship in practice, as are some other governments."
Ayatollah Khomeini, February 1, 1979
"We will not let the United States bring the shah back. This is what the shah wants. Wake up. Watch out. They want the country to go back to what it was previously."
Ayatollah Khomeini, February 1, 1979
"I must tell you that Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, that evil traitor, has gone. He fled and plundered everything. He destroyed our country and filled our cemeteries. He ruined our country's economy. Even the projects he carried out in the name of progress, pushed the country towards decadence. He suppressed our culture, annihilated people and destroyed all our manpower resources. We are saying this man, his government, his Majlis are all illegal. If they were to continue to stay in power, we would treat them as criminals and would try them as criminals. I shall appoint my own government. I shall slap this government in the mouth. I shall determine the government with the backing of this nation, because this nation accepts me."
Ayatollah Khomeini, December 1978
"All rights given to men are given to women. They shall have the right to vote. They shall be allowed to run for office. They shall be able to own their own goods. All those rights will be the same for men as for women. If there are things forbidden for men, they will also be forbidden for women. For example, the law on corruption will be the same for all. As for woman, anything that damages her decency and her honor is forbidden. Islam has insisted on protecting woman so that she would not become an object in the hands of men. The propaganda that Islam is hard on women, that they are mistreated in comparison to men, is false propaganda. Such lies are not accidental. They are deliberately spread by persons who find advantage in doing so."
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