Arabistan, named Khuzestan by the Shahs, is the main oil producing area of Iran and lies on the Iraqi border. The people of the area are Arab, and traditionally hostile to the Farsidominated central government of Iran.
In 1921 a British-backed coup by an Iranian military unit, led by Reza Khan, founder of the Pahlavi dynasty of Shahs, overthrew independent government in several provinces including the Arabistan.
The new Farsi-dominated central government did not allow the national demands of any of the minorities inside Iran.
Independent Arab government and culture were destoyed and the use of the Arab language was banned.
A number of uprisings around national demands were crushed by the central government with the aid of British and American imperialism. British imperialism in particular had a vested interest in shoring up the power of the central government to ensure a stable regime. Up to 1951 all of Iran's oil was under the control of the British-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.
Peasant Arabistan is under occupation, its streets are patrolled by Chieftain tanks. under occupation for 50 years. This occupation has been the precondition for the plundering of the oil wealth of Arabistan and the exploitation of Arab workers.
The development of the oil industry in the area destroy character of its economy. In effect two modes of production existed and hence two forms of struggle developed.
The struggle today is a mixture of an anticapitalist struggle by the oil proletariat and a struggle for national independence against the central government whole.
The proletariat of Arabistan played a major expression of the It has been of the Mossadeq. superlast year.
by the population as a
KURDESTAI
IRAC LURESTAN IUZESTAN Guil SALON ARABIA role in the struggle against the Shah and against.
Anglo-Iranian: Oil Company
nationalised by the Iranian government under Since then the Arab developed to become the most conscious and experienced section of the proletariat in Iran. The strikes and militancy of oil-workers played a major role in finally overthrowing the Shah Now these same workers are struggling for their democratic rights.
The rest of the population of Arabistan did not become as highly organised as the oil workers, due to the isolation of peasant lives and because of the high level of political repression. However during the upsurge of popular USSR MAZANDARAN •TEHRAN KHORASAN IRAN Karen a a Shiraz FARS Bander Abba AHRAIN were demands.
An Arab oil-workers have Four Mashed a APGHANISTAR GULF OF. OMAN consciousness created by the revolution against the Shah they began to articulate their national nationalist organisation founded called the Kanoon-e Farhangi-e Siyasie Khalgh-e Arab (political and cultural institution of the Arab people). From this starting point the whole nation was organised against imperialism and against the central government up to the overthrow of the Shah.
months after the Shah was overthrown Khomeini launched an attack on the Arab people. In an atmosphere of preparations for war in Kurdistan and growing attacks on the left, Arab nationalists in Arabistan organised a big demonstration demanding regional autonomy and cultural rights. Khomeini and General Medeni turned this demonstration into attempt to put the Arab population.
ways industry.
Ahwaz, joined by non-Arab wor the Ministry of Culty picketed by large num The demonstration d Arab political prisoners a turning his guns on them.
executed, without trial.
Support was SAS to kill them.
done.
Revolutionary Guard, Britain and Iran.
their demands democratic rights. very close to being executed. Their crime was to forward sócialist demands bridging the gap between the two sections of of fighting began to emerge among the Arab youth - roads, pipelines and railways were destroyed to disrupt the oi • February a demonstration of 3000 people started out from the Arab area of , chief town of the province, and it wat i They marched Awhich was beit on unemployed. inded the release rself-determinatie for the Arab nation withme free and democra tic Iran, as well as general demands around land reform and against unemployment.
Khomeini reacted to this united demonstra tion of Arabs and unemployed by once more Despite the repression, the Arab people continue their fight, even though many are arrested every day, often imprisoned, and even These are the reasons that the guerillas took the hostages in Khomeini's London embassy And why we have to oppose Thatcher in de facto lending support to Khomeini by using the * Khomeini, Bani-Sadr and Thatcher are all reactionaries and we condemn what they have * We condemn the SAS and Khomeini's * We condemn the killing and persecution of the Arab nation both in Iran and in London.
* End the political relationship between * For international solidarity with the anti-imperialist struggle of the Arab nation and with for self-determination and
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DALUCHESAN Chen Sahe