Mellat Iran
Encyclopedia
Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran also known as Nation Party of Iran or Iran Nation Party (INP) is a liberal nationalist political party seeking secular democracy and separation of religion and state in Iran
.
in 1951, which he continued to lead up until his unsolved murder in 1998. Though sharing the same political foundation and similar ideologies, Mellat Iran differed greatly from the Pan-Iranist Party, which he had originally co-founded with Mohsen Pezeshkpour
. Unlike the latter group, Mellat Iran was against the Shah
and strongly supported the nationalist Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. Mellat Iran also operated from a grass roots
foundation, and was active during and immediately after the Iranian Revolution
. After the rise to power of Khomeini, Mellat Iran, the Pan-Iranist Party, and other nationalist groups such as the National Front and National Alliance were outlawed and their supporters ostracized and persecuted.
Since Forouhar's assassination in November 1998, the party has been led by Khosrow Seif.
issued a memo expressing that organization's concern for three men who "...reportedly were tortured while being held incommunicado."
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...
.
History
The group was founded by Dariush ForouharDariush Forouhar
Dariush Forouhar was a founder and leader of the Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran , a pan-Iranist opposition party in Iran and served as Minister of Labor in the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Mehdi Bazargan in 1979...
in 1951, which he continued to lead up until his unsolved murder in 1998. Though sharing the same political foundation and similar ideologies, Mellat Iran differed greatly from the Pan-Iranist Party, which he had originally co-founded with Mohsen Pezeshkpour
Mohsen Pezeshkpour
Mohsen Pezeshkpour was an Iranian politician and the co-founder and leader of the Pan-Iranist Party, which is also seen as the Old Nationalist Party of Iran.- Life :...
. Unlike the latter group, Mellat Iran was against the Shah
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
and strongly supported the nationalist Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. Mellat Iran also operated from a grass roots
Grass Roots
Grass Roots is an Australian television series produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation between 2000 and 2003.The series is set around the fictional Arcadia Waters Council near Sydney, and was primarily a satirical look at the machinations of local government...
foundation, and was active during and immediately 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...
. After the rise to power of Khomeini, Mellat Iran, the Pan-Iranist Party, and other nationalist groups such as the National Front and National Alliance were outlawed and their supporters ostracized and persecuted.
Since Forouhar's assassination in November 1998, the party has been led by Khosrow Seif.
Current legal status
The party is officially banned by the Iranian government; their members are constantly harassed and often jailed. The former Foruhar residence which has been a focal point for party members since his death, is kept under surveillance. Persons attending meetings there are sometimes arrested and taken in for questioning. In 2003, Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
issued a memo expressing that organization's concern for three men who "...reportedly were tortured while being held incommunicado."