tatement of the Tudeh Party of Iran: The Specter of Another Catastrophic War, the Intensifying Repression of Popular Protests, and the Responsibilities Before UsIran and the broader Middle East once again stand on the brink of ominous and dangerous developments. What now darkens the horizon of the near future is the real possibility of a catastrophic military confrontation that could be initiated by U.S. imperialism and the criminal government of Netanyahu.
Recent days have made clear that, despite the meeting between Iranian and U.S. representatives in Geneva on Tuesday, 17 February, and despite talk of “good progress” in the negotiations- rhetoric that appears largely hollow- and despite the Islamic Republic’s ongoing efforts to draft a response to U.S. demands, neither side has retreated from its maximalist positions. So far, the talks have not advanced beyond generalities. Meanwhile, we are witnessing the largest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East since the disastrous 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq. These developments are closely linked to President Trump’s remarks on Friday, 13 February at Fort Bragg, where he told reporters that regime change in Iran “is the best thing that could happen.” On the same day, it was revealed that U.S. forces are actively preparing for a “weeks-long” military operation. Trump has now put forward the option of a “limited military strike” on Iran as the first step in forcing the Islamic Republic to accept his demands for a nuclear agreement, an operation that could escalate into broader and more extensive attacks until the Islamic Republic either surrenders or collapses.
The Tudeh Party of Iran has repeatedly emphasized that such a war would be catastrophic firs and foremost for Iran and its long‑suffering people, as well as for neighboring countries and nations. At a minimum, such a disaster would destroy any possibility of preserving peace and achieving fundamental progressive changes inside Iran through the efforts of the Iranian people themselves. The country would be plunged into prolonged instability, and the regime would gain a free hand to intensify repression and executions of detainees. It must also be stressed that attempts at “regime change” by U.S. imperialism and its allies bear no relation to our people’s struggle for liberation from the ruling despotism.
On the contrary, the outcomes of “regime change” in other countries that were targets of such interventions included heightened political repression and human‑rights violations, disintegration and “Balkanization,” and even civil war, widespread poverty and deepening inequality, and ultimately imposed subservience in the long‑term. “Regime change,” which the U.S. Commander‑in‑Chief (Trump) has explicitly advocated in relation to Iran, has no “successful” or positive precedent anywhere.
The Tudeh Party of Iran believes these developments underscore the urgent need to launch an effective campaign against war with Iran. This is an effort as immediate and essential as the global mobilization that was urgently needed twenty‑three years ago on the eve of the criminal U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Alongside a number of other patriotic forces and political‑civil figures who in recent weeks have issued statements stressing the need to save the country from the current catastrophe, the Tudeh Party of Iran affirms that, in today’s extremely delicate and critical moment, forming a broad popular front and achieving a political transition away from the ruling dictatorship toward democratic changes is an urgent task. Our Party stands ready to devote all its capabilities and resources to this effort.