Ayatollahs with no way forward

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pport grows for pre-conteren The political turmoil within Iran is passing through stages of deepening confusion as the forces and factions, both inside and outside the country, bring their pressure to bear on the development of the revolutionary crisis.

Khomeini's regime staggers on from one day to the next, increasingly dependent on mass mobilisations which denounce US imperialism as they hail the 'truths' of Islam.

In reality, the 'Revolutionary Council' is sustained fundamentally only by the absence of a clear principled revolutionary alternative which can place the working class at the head of struggles against religious reaction and bourgeois 'democracy' to lay the basis for socialism through the building of workers and peasants government in Iran.

Khomeini is beseiged on all sides. Carter and the agents of US imperialism have been thwarted for the moment in their bid to impose economic sanctions on Iran through the United Nations.

But the threat of direct military intervention still remains, and poses revolutionary socialists within Iran with the necessity of preparing Discussions took place at the weekend to make final preparations for the international pre-conference convened by the WSL, being held in Britain on December 28-31.

Talks were held with leading members from the GBL of Italy, the LOB of Chile and the Fourth Internationalist Tendency.

Each of these organisations will be sending representatives to the pre-conference and will join the eleven other organisations already doing so.

The discussion with the GBL showed that they share many common positions with the WSL. They have also presented documents for the pre-conference.

The meeting with the LOB marked the first real discussions between our organisations, although they already have a close relationship with the GBL.

It was agreed that the exchange of documents between the WSL and the FIT would continue, and further discussions take place.

Leading members of the Workers Socialist League on 15 united defensive action against such attacks, combined with a determined offensive against the forces of reaction which are working to chain the Iranian revolution in the bonds of Islam and capitalism.

The 'left' nationalists of the Iraqi regime are playing an increasingly bold game with border raids-supposedly directed against the bases of the Kurdish militants,, but actually designed to make an intervention among the dissident Arab minority in the oil-producing province of Khuzestan.

The feudal leaders of the south-eastern Baluchi tribes are organising opposition to the. central government in the hope of restoring the Shah to power.

As the truce in Kurdistan nears its expiry, Khomeini has been forced to treat with the forces fighting for the right of the oppressed Kurdish people to self-determination, yet has shown littie willingness to enter real negotiations.

the latest test to his insecure power.

The rising in Tabriz displayed the same tragic political confusion which prevails throughout Iran.

At its head were the followers of the Ayatollah Shariat-Madari-a "moderate' December also visited the Parity Commission, at the offices of the OCI in Paris.

The Parity Commission was set up jointly between the Botshevik Faction, the Leninist Trotskyist Faction and the OCRFI following the recent split in the United Secretariat of the Fourth International.

The Commission has been • in permanent session, apparently organising the "Open Conference" to be called by the three groupings.

But it begins to look as if the conference may not be as "open" as it appeared and certainly that it will not take place for some time.

The purpose of the WSL visit to the Commission was to apply for membership of the Commission on the basis of a genuinely open conference with thorough discussion in line with a recent policy decision of the movement.

But WS representatives were quickly told by the Commission's permanent representatives, Ernesto Gonzalez and Pierre Lambert, that this was not so simple. (There was no LTT representative in attendance).

They were informed that full membership of the Parity Comwhose tactical differences with imperialism are absolutely dwarfed by his total opposition to the independent political strength of the revolutionary proletariat.

The movement was directed against the dictatorial powers assumed by Khomeini under the new constitution of the Islamic Republic'.

'Apparently on this basis, the 'Marxist-Leninist' Fedayeen seem to have supported the rising at first, before rapidly changing to a stance oi opposition.

For all that it revealed of the hostility from workers to fundamental aspects of Khomeini's regime, there was nothing progressive about the rising itselt.

The leadership of ShariatMadari does not offer the workof trans and oppress freedoes from the want and oppression perpetrated in new forms by Khomeini.

That future can be won only by the revolutionary struggles of the proletariat for socialismstruggles rooted in the rich experience of the international communist movement, and led by a revolutionary party that is founded on the basis of Trotsky's Transitional Programme and fight for the reconstruction of the Fourth ce mission would be restricted entirely to the three convening organisations.

Associate membership, which would carry only a consultative vote, was possible but would require the unanimous vote of the three convening organisations.

- This would require prior political agreement that the other members were all Trotskyists.

The rules of the Parity Commission, which were agreed on October 29 but not made public, discourage polemical discussion between member organisations.

• Effort to They urge that political statements made by the member organisations, as opposed to signed articles, should not be made without efforts being made to reach prior agreement between the Parity Commission organisations. This is also to be done at a national level.

It was also made clear that the three organisations would be first holding conference among themselves. This seems to us to relegate the importance of the Open Conference' , Which in our view should go ahead as soon as possible.

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And in Tabriz, capital of Azerbaijan, Khomeini has faced

'enlightened' Islamic bigot com'ere