April 1st marks the anniversary of the imposition of a regime on the Iranian people, later called the “Islamic Republic of Iran.” Forty-six years ago, on this day, the usurpers of the Iranian people’s revolution, led by Khomeini, formalized their rule of ignorance, repression, and superstition through a so-called “referendum.”
After the fall of the Pahlavi regime, Iran was filled with hope for freedom and justice. However, the masses had not yet fully grasped the reactionary nature and intentions of the revolution’s hijackers. Khomeini and his followers orchestrated a deceptive referendum to secure their Islamic rule. By framing the choice as “Islamic Republic” or a return to monarchy, they trapped millions of Iranians who despised the previous system. Voting “Yes” did not indicate support for the Islamic Republic but merely opposition to the monarchy.
Given that the people had risked their lives in an uprising to overthrow the Pahlavi regime, their hatred for the past system led many to vote “Yes” despite their reluctance toward religious rule. Some voted out of compulsion, and others out of illusion, as there was no alternative choice.
However, those who recognized the clerical regime as another form of dictatorship, akin to the monarchy, not only boycotted the referendum but also tried to dissuade others from participating. The newly empowered regime, using the resources and media it had seized, announced the results in its favor, claiming an impossible 98% participation and approval figures that defied geographic and demographic logic.
Even then, a significant portion of the people did not participate in this first electoral charade. The Islamic Republic fabricated its first electoral results, claiming over 98% support. This was despite the fact that millions in Kurdistan, seeing through the deception, refused to participate, thereby denying legitimacy to the new regime. The government could not even set up polling stations in Kurdistan. This act of defiance marked the beginning of 46 years of armed and civil resistance in Kurdistan. In other remote areas, ballots were not even distributed. Some regions, such as parts of Turkmen Sahra, had no polling stations. Many Iranians, despite pressure, stayed home or spoiled their ballots. Thus, from its very first day, the Islamic Republic established the tradition of electoral fraud and manipulation.
Today, millions of Iranians salute the people of Kurdistan and all those who refused to legitimize this regime from the outset. Now, the overwhelming majority of Iranians women, youth, workers, teachers, retirees, oppressed ethnic groups, and many other social sectors demand the regime’s downfall. Achieving this goal requires more than just repeating past uprisings like the 1979 revolution, the December 2017 protests, the November 2019 demonstrations, and the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement. This time, victory must come with the conscious and organized participation of the working class across all spheres of struggle. Let us join forces and prepare for this revolution with our collective will. The fall of the Islamic Republic is not a dream it is inevitable. This time, however, victory will belong to the people, who understand that freedom and equality are won not through wishful thinking but through conscious struggle.
While April 1st marks the start of the Islamic Republic’s 46th year of capitalist-religious rule, for the masses, it is the anniversary of their exclusion from a once-glorious revolution, the beginning of an oppressive regime, and the continuation of decades of suppression, poverty, and deprivation of basic freedoms.
On this day the establishment of a regime of crime, deception, and destruction it is fitting to honor the communists, revolutionaries, and pioneering men and women who sacrificed their lives to prevent the rise of this inhumane monstrosity and to fulfill the true aspirations of the Iranian revolution. Their inspiring memory strengthens our relentless, strategic, and organized fight against the Islamic regime and capitalism. Achieving these ideals requires unity, organization, leadership structures, and learning from history to prevent the return of any form of tyranny.
