1-09-07, 9:14 am

Finally, after weeks of tension and commotion, municipal elections and mid-term parliamentary elections were held in Iran.

Disqualifying hundreds of independent and dissident candidates, along with intensifying the suppressive pressure on labour and student movements in Iran over the weeks prior to election, and also wide-spread propaganda of media which are controlled mainly by the dark-minded rulers and pro-Supreme Leader groups, had developed a highly tensioned political atmosphere in the country.

Speeches by Ahmadi-Nejad (the President) supporters on the days before the elections claiming that '30 millions' votes will be cast for them had made the elections like a referendum around the policies of Ahmadi-Nejad's and his reactionary supporters [among the ruling officials].

A hard test and political battle was before the popular movement. The reactionary forces did everything they could to dissuade the masses away from this political battle ground so that they can pull out their own puppets from the polls through extensive vote scams, just like what they did in the last presidential elections.

However, the people showed up meticulously and with admirable vigilance at those polling centers where there was a chance to knock out the reaction candidates, and gave a fascinating lesson to the ruling despots and also to the nation's political forces.

The disgraceful defeat of the coalition of Ahmadi-Nejad's supporters in the municipal elections all over the country, despite all the swindling efforts by the Interior Ministry, Revolutionary Guard and the government backed forces, indicated the fact that in spite of all these efforts and all the retreats of last year, the popular movement continues its struggle against the tyrannical ruling regime, by all means, however limited.

Another important aspect of the elections was the broad and vigilant presence of masses and social forces, and also re-evaluation of the political position that some of the social forces had taken during presidential elections.

For instance, pointing out the continuation of tyrannical rule and ignoring the rights of citizens, part of the student movement called upon the people not to vote for the candidates of dark-minded and despotic forces if they participate in the elections.

Previously, Tudeh Party of Iran had also stated that: 'Thus, when in numerous cities and towns only puppets of reactionary forces are left as candidates, a nation-wide participation in the municipal elections is out of question. However, the other factor to consider is to take advantage of the elections to organize the political struggle against the ruling despots' (From 'Nameh Mardom' No. 572).

People's victory in defeating the reactionary candidates in the municipal elections is only a small step in the complicated and hard political struggle against the ruling despots. Moving towards organizing social forces, and in particular developing close ties between the labour movement, the student movement and the heroic struggle of women in the country is a fundamental task in front of all the progressive forces of the country. Efforts towards building this broad anti-despot union in order to get rid of the Supreme Leader regime and to establish freedom, democracy and social justice have to be fortified.

--Abridged From 'Nameh Mardom,' Central Organ of the Tudeh Party of Iran No. 754, 21st December 2006