The Tudeh Party from foundation in 1941 to the party split in 1948 Homa Katouzian ABSTRACT Shortly after the Allied invasion of Iran in August 1941, Reza Shah felt impelled to abdicate and leave the country, his arbitrary despotic state thus falling to pieces. The release of political prisoners created an opportunity for setting up parties, groups and factions, and within a month the Tudeh party was founded as a non-communist but anti-fascist radical popular front. However, its openly pro-Soviet tendency began to grow in time such that in 1943 it supported the Soviet demand for a North-Iran oil concession, and in 1945-6 submitted to Stalin’s order to defend the Azerbaijan insurgents despite its own misgivings. This intensified the internal party struggle led by Khalil Maleki and the ‘party reformist group’, which in 1948 ended with the group splitting with the party, whereupon it became a fully Stalinist party. Shortly after the Allied invasion of Iran in 1941, Reza Shah felt impelled to abdicate and leave the country, his arbitrary despotic state thus falling to pieces. The release of political prisoners created the opportunity for setting up parties, groups and factions. It took a month from the Allies’ invasion for the Tudeh party to be formed. According to Eskandari, it was he who christened the party. Later developments turned it into an authentic communist party, but in the beginning it was similar to the European popular fronts - the anti-fascist movements of the 1930s and 40s - consisting of various leftist and democratic tendencies with a broadly reformist programme: it declared its loyalty to constitutional monarchy, and that it was a legal party using peaceful means. 1 Eskandari denies that the Soviets were involved in the formation of the party. 2 However, both Kiyanuri and Tabari say that the party was formed under the instructions of the Comintern. 3 This is confirmed by Chaqueri’s (aka Shakeri) detailed study of Soviet archival documents. 4 They looked for an old, established political leader and they found it in Soleyman Mirza Eskandari, Qajar nobleman, Iraj’s uncle and former socialist leader (see chapter 1). The constituent assembly was made up of various progressive and moderate individuals as well as members of the Fifty-Three. 5 Old communists such as Reza Rusta and Ja’far Pishevari were also active in the formation of the party; so was Abbas Eskandari, Iraj’s maternal uncle who did not enjoy a good reputation and was expelled from the party later. Ardeshir (Ardashes) Avanesian at first insisted that the party should be openly communist but later relented and joined it. 6 The party attracted a few hundred people and this was to continue until 1943, especially after the earth-shaking Soviet victory at Stalingrad in February of that year, when thousands joined the party. Kambakhsh claims that in February 1942, thousands of people participated in the memorial meeting that was held at Arani’s 1 Abdossamad Kambakhsh, Nazari beh Jonbesh-e Kargari va Komonisti dar Iran (a look at the proletarian and communist movement in Iran), Entesharart-e Hezb-e Tudeh-ye Iran, 1972, 52. 2 Khaterat-e Iraj Eskandari, 122 and 125. 3 Ehsan Tabari, Kazhraheh, 43; Nureddin Kiyanuri, Khaterat-e Nureddin Kiyanuri (the memoirs of…), Tehran: Moassesseh-ye Tahqiqati va Entesharati-ye Didgah, 1992, 77 4 Cosroe Chaqueri, ‘Did the Soviets play a role in the Foundation of the Tudeh party in Iran?’ Cahier de le monde Russe, 3 , 1999, also file:///C:/Users/Homa/Downloads/monderusse-22.pdf 5 Tabari, Kazhraheh, 44. 6 Khaterat-e Iraj Eskandari,114-129. 1