Authoritarian and ideological regimes resulting from the revolution or coup, after the revolutionary atmosphere has passed and faced with the realities and democratic demands of the domestic and foreign environment, in order to save themselves, they are forced to choose one of two ways; Either they continue to suppress the opposition and act in a suffocating atmosphere and fall with a new revolutionary uprising, or they start reforms and take the potential of the revolution from the society. The political and economic reforms of the former Soviet Union and the reforms known as the White Revolution of the Pahlavi regime were examples of this necessity of reforms. The Islamic Republic of Iran, observing the external pressure and the internal revolutionary potential in the seventieth years, also has a period known as reforms in its history. After the repressions, social suffocation and executions of the sixties, the reformist discourse of this period,with some condescension could represent the new Persian-speaking middle class, but the government could not fulfill it due to the fear of falling. The reforms failed, the society became disillusioned and the leaders of the regime thought of returning to the beginning of the revolution. But this thought was not practical and with every experience, the cost of return has been much higher. Rebellions and street protests have gradually covered all social classes, women, Oppressed nations, teachers, retirees and even school students. According to the research resulted from government sources, more than seventy percent of Iranian people are against the regime. Fundamentalism, reformism and elections have no attraction for the people.
In such a situation and at a time when the poverty of the people is increasing day by day due to the adoption of the regime’s adventurous policies and related sanctions, the regime wants to regain its lost legitimacy by resorting to elections and promising partial reforms. The regime can attract a small part of the social forces that have no hope of the people’s struggle or consider the relative opening of the political atmosphere of the society as a spoil.
The regime of the Islamic Republic of İran, which no longer has a bullet in its rhetorical arsenal, as a new tactic, by creating national confrontation, has caused a part of the Turkish nation in South Azerbaijan and other Turkic regions of Iran to consider this election as a kind of identity issue. They imagine humiliated character of themselves in the image of a candidate and consider its victory a source of pride, but the majority of the society and even the majority of Azerbaijanis and Turks do not have this view. The democratic nationalists of Azerbaijan and other colonized nations know very well that the election and even the appointment of a person from the colonies themselves is only a tool for the continuation of colonialism. Otherwise, in a system that does not have the minimum necessary elements for a legal and parliamentary struggle, forming a party is a crime, propaganda against the established system is a criminal act, and the formation of gatherings and demonstrations results in heavy punishment, Elections are not a tool of democracy but a tool of deceiving people and false legitimacy.
As organizations that defend the national and democratic rights of the oppressed nations in Iran, taking into account the political structure and laws of the ruling regime of Iran and the past experiences of reforms, we believe that the current regime cannot be reformed and until an institution such as the Guardian Council and the Expediency Council exist, and every candidate and every approved law must pass through the filter of this institution, Elections are not a tool for reforms. Therefore, we consider participation in any election, including the 14th presidential election, useless and playing on the regime’s ground.
At the same time, we respect the approach of some activists from Azerbaijan and other nations who have decided to participate in the elections, and we believe in the establishment of unity among all members of the people to achieve our people’s high goals. In the end, we ask the political and social forces of non-Persian nations who still hope to influence through participation in the regime’s elections, at least in this action, refrain from diminishing the demands of the people. The reduction of national demands creates a vicious circle, the result of which is not the creation of an opening for the main demands, but the deidentification of the movement and its death.
Democratic Coalition of Nations in Iran
Arab Struggle Movement of Ahwaz – ASMA
Azerbaijan Center Party – AMP
Azerbaijan National Resistance Organization – Diranish
Azerbaijan Student Movement – AZOH
Baluchistan Raji Tapaki Gal
Qashqai Freedom Path Party – QAI
South Azerbaijan Democratic Party – GADP
23/06/2024
