Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization

Summary

Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (Persian: سازمان مجاهدین انقلاب اسلامی, romanizedSāzmān-e Mojāhedin-e Enqelāb-e Eslāmi, lit.'Holy Warriors of the Islamic Revolution') was an umbrella political organization in Iran, founded in 1979 by unification of seven underground Islamist revolutionary paramilitary and civil[4] organizations which previously fought against the Pahlavi monarchy.[6]

Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization
سازمان مجاهدین انقلاب اسلامی
Paramilitary wing commanderMohammad Boroujerdi[2]
Supreme Leader representativeHossein Rasti-Kashani[3]
FoundedApril 1979
DissolvedOctober 1986
Succeeded byMojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Organization (left faction)
Society of Devotees of the Islamic Revolution (right faction)
HeadquartersTehran, Iran
Membership (1979)<1,000[4]
IdeologyIslamism
Khomeinism[1]
Anti-communism[1]
Statism[5]
Political positionLeft-wing[4] to right-wing[4]
ReligionIslam
National affiliationIslamic Coalition (1979)
Grand Coalition (1980)

The organization was firmly allied with the ruling Islamic Republican Party and was given a share of power[7] and three of its members were appointed as government ministers under PM Mir-Hossein Mousavi: Behzad Nabavi (minister without portfolio for executive affairs), Mohammad Salamati (agriculture) and Mohammad Shahab Gonabadi (housing and urban development).[8]

History edit

Most members were among those formerly associated with the People's Mujahedin of Iran but left the organization after it declared ideology switch to Marxism.[6] The groups were:[6]

  • "United Ummah" (Persian: امت واحده; Ommat-e-Vahede)
  • "Monotheistic Badr" (Persian: توحیدی بدر; Towhidiye-Badr)
  • "Monotheistic Queue" (Persian: توحیدی صف; Towhidiye-Saff)
  • "Peasant" (Persian: فلاح; Fallah)
  • "Daybreak" (Persian: فلق: Falaq)
  • "Victors" (Persian: منصورون; Mansouroun)
  • "Monotheists" (Persian: موحدین; Movahedin)

Dissolution edit

The organization dissolved in 1986 as a result of tensions between the leftist and rightist members.[4]

Legacy edit

Left-wing members of the organization decided to resume activities in 1991 and established leftist Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Organization (adding the words “of Iran” to the name) which later emerged as a reformist party.[4] Some right-wing members founded Society of Devotees of the Islamic Revolution in late-1990s.[9]

Notable members edit

Name Original group Faction Later career Ref
Behzad Nabavi Ommat-e-Vahedeh Left Politics [6][10]
Mohammad Salamati Ommat-e-Vahedeh Left Politics [6][10]
Sadegh Norouzi Ommat-e-Vahedeh Left Politics [6]
Mohsen Makhmalbaf Ommat-e-Vahedeh Left Cinema [6]
Abdulali Ali-Asgari Right Media [10]
Ahmad Tavakoli Right Politics [11]
Alireza Afshar Right Military → Politics [12]
Abbas Duzduzani Left Military → Politics
Hashem Aghajari Left Academia [12]
Feyzollah Arabsorkhi Ommat-e-Vahedeh Left Politics [6]
Abdollah Nasseri Left Media [12]
Hossein Fadaei Towhidiye-Badr Right Military → Politics [6][10]
Safar Naeimi[a] Towhidiye-Badr Right Military → Politics [6]
Mohammad Boroujerdi Towhidiye-Saff Military [6]
Mojtaba Shakeri Towhidiye-Saff Right Military → Politics [6]
Mohsen Armin Towhidiye-Saff Left Politics [6][10]
Morteza Alviri Fallah Left Politics [6]
Mostafa Tajzadeh Falaq Left Politics [6][12]
Mohsen Rezaei Mansouroun Right Military → Politics [6][12]
Ali Shamkhani Mansouroun Left Military [6]
Hossein Nejat Mansouroun Right Military [6]
Esmaeil Daghayeghi Mansouroun Military [6]
Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr Mansouroun Right Military → Politics [6][10]
Gholam Ali Rashid Mansouroun Right Military [6]
Hosein Alamolhoda Movahedin Military [6]

Endnotes edit

  1. ^ Not to be confused with Safar Naeimi-Raz

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Afshon Ostovar (2016). Vanguard of the Imam: Religion, Politics, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Oxford University Press. pp. 50–54. ISBN 978-0190491703.
  2. ^ Forozan, Hesam (2015), The Military in Post-Revolutionary Iran: The Evolution and Roles of the Revolutionary Guards, Durham Modern Middle East and Islamic World Series, vol. 38, Routledge, p. 107
  3. ^ Moslem, Mehdi (2002). Factional politics in post-Khomeini Iran. Syracuse University Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-8156-2978-8.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Organization of the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran" (PDF). Iran Data Portal. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  5. ^ Pesaran, Evaleila (2011), Iran's Struggle for Economic Independence: Reform and Counter-Reform in the Post-Revolutionary Era, Taylor & Francis, p. 94, ISBN 978-1136735578
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Alfoneh, Ali (2013), Iran Unveiled: How the Revolutionary Guards Is Transforming Iran from Theocracy into Military Dictatorship, AEI Press, pp. 8–10
  7. ^ Hiro, Dilip (2013). Iran Under the Ayatollahs (Routledge Revivals). Routledge. p. 241. ISBN 978-1135043810.
  8. ^ Baktiari, Bahman (1996). Parliamentary Politics in Revolutionary Iran: The Institutionalization of Factional Politics. University Press of Florida. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-8130-1461-6.
  9. ^ "Association of the Devotees of the Islamic Revolution" (PDF). Iran Data Portal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Mohammadighalehtaki, Ariabarzan (2012). "MIRO, a Historical Background". Organisational Change in Political Parties in Iran after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. With Special Reference to the Islamic Republic Party (IRP) and the Islamic Iran Participation Front Party (Mosharekat) (Ph.D. thesis). Durham University. p. 168.
  11. ^ "Nepotism & the Larijani Dynasty". Tehran Bureau. PBS. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  12. ^ a b c d e Muhammad Sahimi (12 May 2009). "The Political Groups". Tehran Bureau. PBS. Retrieved 21 August 2015.