“we should not point to Ahmadinejad or any one else in his position for the problems that Iran and its people are facing today, simply because the presidency or the parliament are some powerless pawns in the hands of the divine supreme leader…”

January 21, 2009

AIDIRAN.ORG – Washington DC – The US government is often being criticized for not having an outright and clear policy towards the Iranian government.  There have been many flip-flops over the last 30 years over how to deal with Iran as an emerging force in the Middle East.  The Iranian opposition groups have repeatedly criticized the US government for a lack transparency in policy when dealing with Iran which has resulted in mixed and confusing messages for Iranian people, and its opposition.

Mustafa Hijri, the Secretary-general of Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (PDKI) and one of the prominent Iranian Kurdish opposition in his latest interview with Kurdish magazine Lvin, highlighted number of issues that define his Party’s policies and perspectives in regards to regional and international developments and politics.

In response to whether sending Barack Obama a congratulatory message has any significance, Mr. Hijri stresses on the existence of mutual relationship between his Party through the Party’s representation and various levels in the US government and he finds a quite ordinary for such exchanges of letters.

Lvin correspondent then moves on to question Mr. Hijri about US policy towards Iranian opposition especially Kurdish groups where he responds by stating that in fact US is lacking any clear cut policy towards the Iranian government let alone the opposition.  “Through the course of Bush’s presidency we have witnessed many warnings and change of policies; however, to date, the US has not clearly declared what it will do with Iran, so it lacks any transparent policy towards Iranian and Kurdish opposition.”

Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran is the founder and the back bone of the Coalition of Iranian Nationalities called ‘Congress of Nationalities for Federal Iran’ and Mr. Hijri believes that along with an expanding policy for the coalition, the main objective are to introduce the coalition to international community especially in Europe and US to show that Iran is not only made up of one nation, rather there are other nationalities that exist in Iran and they are striving for a federal Iran based on ethnic and geographic composition.

Recently, a religious NGO came to existence in Iranian Kurdistan which PDKI claims no affiliation with though declaring support for this religious NGO publicly.  Mr. Hijri Believes that despite the weak grounds for the emergence of radical Islam in Iranian Kurdistan, one cannot ignore the destructive policies of the Islamic regime in Iran, especially in regards to providing safe haven and assistance to radical Islamic groups, as a result, it is imperative to give the opportunity to the moderate religious scholars who oppose regime’s policy and have no means and ways to express their opinions in Islamic Iran.

Mr. Hijri further elaborates on the policies of the Islamic regime and believes that “we should not point to Ahmadinejad or any one else in his position for the problems that Iran and its people are facing today, simply because the presidency or the parliament are some powerless pawns in the hands of the divine supreme leader.” He then goes on to state that “Islamic Republic has been holding back democratic transition and freedom since its inception; repression has increased; the economic conditions of the country despite the enormous flow of oil money have greatly deteriorated…It is quite obvious that such a system of governance will lead the country to chaos.”

He views that international policy towards Iran as a combination of carrot and sticks; on one hand, there are incentives like the 5+1 economic incentive package, and on the other hand there are threats of economic sanctions such as the United Nations Resolutions, and according to him “we still have the American military option on the table as they have stated repeatedly.  Regardless, the objectives are to force the Iranian regime to abide by international norms; however we should wait and see if the international community is willing to further tolerate Iranian bullies in the Middle East or force it to retreat.”

Mustafa Hijri is the top leader of Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan which has been fighting for the rights of the Kurds in Iran, who number approximately 12 million people.  His Party and his forces are stationed in Iraqi Kurdistan and from their bases they monitor the situation in Iranian Kurdistan and relay much of the sufferings of their people to the airways at their disposal.

The Iranian government has repeatedly threatened the main political parties in Iraqi Kurdistan to rein in the activities of PDKI.  In 1995 Iranian forces went into the heart of Iraqi Kurdistan to shell the bases of PDKI, and according to reliable sources more than 300 activists, mainly PDKI members, were assassinated by the Iranian agents in Iraqi Kurdistan in the period 1992-1997.

Two prominent leaders of PDKI, Dr. A. R. Ghassemlou and Dr. Sadegh Sharafkandi were also assassinated in Europe in 1989 Vienna and 1992 Berlin respectively.

PDKI was found in 1945 in the city of Mahabad where a few months later established the Kurdistan Republic, known as Mahabad Republic that lasted for 11 months.  PDKI has held 14 conventions; the latest being in September 2008 where Mustafa Hijri was elected Secretary-general.

PDKI’s strategic objective is to establish a democratic federal republic in Iran with the rights and demands of Kurds in Iran fully guaranteed with the federal structure.