Union of Iranian Communists (Sarbedaran)
Encyclopedia
Union of Iranian Communists (Sarbedaran), UIC (S) was an Iran
Maoist organization. UIC (S) was formed in 1976 after the alliance of a number of Maoist groups carrying out military actions within Iran. Although it has gone under several ideological crises and has experienced major changes in strategies and tactics, it has always maintained a Maoist party line and has always believed that Iran is not a Capitalist
society but is a “semicolonial-semifeudal” one.
In 2001 the UIC (S) became the Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
.
in northern Iran
in preparation for its armed uprising against the Islamic regime http://www.ketabfarsi.com/ketabkhaneh/ketabkhani_1/ketab1131/ketab1131.pdf.
This union was a minor group and mainly operated in student movements abroad. Theoretically, due to their Maoist stance, the UIC (S) backed the People's Republic of China
in the Sino-Soviet Split
and opposed currents such as those held by the Tudeh Party who backed the USSR.
The UIC (S) expanded its activities inside the Iran after the Iranian Revolution
in 1979 and some other groups such as “Group of struggle in the path of working class liberation” and “Red Battle” also joined.
The UIC (S) did participate in some workers struggles at this time, such as “project syndicate of Abadan” and “Union of worker councils of Gilan” and also joined the war against the Islamic Republic in Kurdistan (and formed a guerrilla organization in Kurdistan named “Tashkilate Pishmargeye Zahmatkeshane Kordestan”). UIC (S) did also participate in peasant struggles in Turkaman, Sahra and Arab protests in Khuzistan. It also formed front organization such as “Militant Women Society” and “SETAD (Revolutionary Mass Organization of university and school Students)”.
and launched an armed campaign against the Islamic Republic. It eventually organized an uprising on 25th of January, 1982. The uprising was eventually a failure and many UIC (S) and Maoist leaders were shot http://www.ketabfarsi.com/ketabkhaneh/ketabkhani_1/ketab1131/ketab1131.pdf.
After the failure of the “Amol Uprising” the group went through a difficult period with most of its leadership and cadres arrested or killed. It also experienced various theoretical and political crises.
In spring, 1983 the 4th council of Union of Iranian Communists was held and the union was reorganized. But again, most of the leadership and cadres were arrested and shot.
In 1984 this union, together with Maoist organizations from all over the world, formed Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
.
In 1985 they again tried to organize militant struggle against the Islamic Republic but, again, this ended in failure. After this year they mainly operated in Kurdistan and against currents such as the Communist Party of Iran
which they called "Reformist" and "Dissolvist".
In the late 80’s they dropped some of their old slogans and strategies such as "Peoples’ war in rural areas and uprising in cities", "Revolution Path" etc. Instead they launched a new strategy and their slogan became "Protracted People's War: siege the cities via Villages". They also formulated their current "Marxist-Leninist-Maoist" stance.
on May Day, 2001. The Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) is seen as a continuer of the Union of Iranian Communists (Sarbedaran).
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
Maoist organization. UIC (S) was formed in 1976 after the alliance of a number of Maoist groups carrying out military actions within Iran. Although it has gone under several ideological crises and has experienced major changes in strategies and tactics, it has always maintained a Maoist party line and has always believed that Iran is not a Capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
society but is a “semicolonial-semifeudal” one.
In 2001 the UIC (S) became the Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
The Communist Party of Iran , , is an Iranian communist party working in opposition to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The party is the Iranian section of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement....
.
Foundation
The Union of Iranian Communists was founded in 1976 after the unification of the “Organization of Communist Revolutionaries” and “Pooya Group” (which was a remnant of “Palestine Group”). The term "Sarbedaran" was used later in 1981 after the organization armed its members in the forests near AmolAmol
Amol is a city in and the capital of Amol County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 197,470, in 55,183 families.Amol and the old part of town is the first of the four towns that populate the world in which there is Nzamyh...
in northern Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in preparation for its armed uprising against the Islamic regime http://www.ketabfarsi.com/ketabkhaneh/ketabkhani_1/ketab1131/ketab1131.pdf.
This union was a minor group and mainly operated in student movements abroad. Theoretically, due to their Maoist stance, the UIC (S) backed the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in the Sino-Soviet Split
Sino-Soviet split
In political science, the term Sino–Soviet split denotes the worsening of political and ideologic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Cold War...
and opposed currents such as those held by the Tudeh Party who backed the USSR.
The UIC (S) expanded its activities inside the Iran after the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
in 1979 and some other groups such as “Group of struggle in the path of working class liberation” and “Red Battle” also joined.
The UIC (S) did participate in some workers struggles at this time, such as “project syndicate of Abadan” and “Union of worker councils of Gilan” and also joined the war against the Islamic Republic in Kurdistan (and formed a guerrilla organization in Kurdistan named “Tashkilate Pishmargeye Zahmatkeshane Kordestan”). UIC (S) did also participate in peasant struggles in Turkaman, Sahra and Arab protests in Khuzistan. It also formed front organization such as “Militant Women Society” and “SETAD (Revolutionary Mass Organization of university and school Students)”.
Armed uprising
1982 was an important year in the history of the UIC (S) and the history of Maoism in Iran in general. In this year the UIC (S) mobilized forces in forests around AmolAmol
Amol is a city in and the capital of Amol County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 197,470, in 55,183 families.Amol and the old part of town is the first of the four towns that populate the world in which there is Nzamyh...
and launched an armed campaign against the Islamic Republic. It eventually organized an uprising on 25th of January, 1982. The uprising was eventually a failure and many UIC (S) and Maoist leaders were shot http://www.ketabfarsi.com/ketabkhaneh/ketabkhani_1/ketab1131/ketab1131.pdf.
After the failure of the “Amol Uprising” the group went through a difficult period with most of its leadership and cadres arrested or killed. It also experienced various theoretical and political crises.
In spring, 1983 the 4th council of Union of Iranian Communists was held and the union was reorganized. But again, most of the leadership and cadres were arrested and shot.
In 1984 this union, together with Maoist organizations from all over the world, formed Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
The defunct Revolutionary Internationalist Movement was an international Communist organization which upheld a version of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism founded in 1984 sought to "struggle for the formation of a Communist International of a new type, based on Marxism-Leninism-Maoism"...
.
In 1985 they again tried to organize militant struggle against the Islamic Republic but, again, this ended in failure. After this year they mainly operated in Kurdistan and against currents such as the Communist Party of Iran
Communist Party of Iran
The Communist Party of Iran is an Iranian communist party which is active in the fight against the Islamic Republic of Iran.It was founded in 1983 in Iranian Kurdistan after Komalah merged with Union of Communist Militants...
which they called "Reformist" and "Dissolvist".
In the late 80’s they dropped some of their old slogans and strategies such as "Peoples’ war in rural areas and uprising in cities", "Revolution Path" etc. Instead they launched a new strategy and their slogan became "Protracted People's War: siege the cities via Villages". They also formulated their current "Marxist-Leninist-Maoist" stance.
Re-Branding
In April 2001 they held the 'Founding Congress of Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)' and after some debates they established the Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
The Communist Party of Iran , , is an Iranian communist party working in opposition to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The party is the Iranian section of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement....
on May Day, 2001. The Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) is seen as a continuer of the Union of Iranian Communists (Sarbedaran).