Perfect Example of Psychological Warfare and Dissemination of Lies

Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ezhei, Iran’s attorney general, who has recently been appointed as the judiciary’s spokesperson as well, said two days ago in his first press conference that two of Iran’s largest reformist parties, Mosharekat and Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, have been dissolved. Following the press conference, the Mosharekat party issued a statement dismissing the attorney general’s remarks as “the perfect example of psychological warfare and dissemination of lies.” A senior member of the party also announced that Mosharekat will continue its activities.

The judiciary’s new spokesperson said, “The Article 10 Committee on Political Parties has voided the permits of the two parties and announced that they do not have the right to operate as political parties. It provided evidence asking the court to dissolve the two parties. The case was sent to the court, and in an independent decision, both parties were dissolved and currently lack the right to engage in political activities.”

Although Mr. Mohseni-Ezhei said that the two parties were dissolved pursuant to a court order, he did not reveal which judge or division of the court had issued the opinion. A senior member of the Mosharekat party confirmed this as well.

Speaking to BBC Farsi, Ali Shakouri-Rad said, “No summons had been sent to any officer or attorney of Mosharekat party, and no judgment had been served on them either.”

According to Mr. Shakouri-Rad, “Mr. Mohseni-Ezhei is either uninformed or lying, as it has become a common practice among officials to lie these days. Lying, which we once thought was a forbidden act, has now turned into a necessary act for the gentlemen.”

This senior member of the Mosharekat party and its unofficial spokesperson, added, “Essentially no trial has been held on this matter for there to have been a judgment.”

Responding to the BBC Farsi reporter’s question about the party’s activities, Shakouri-Rad said, “The court has issued no opinion on the party’s dissolution yet. Therefore, there is no legal bar against the party’s activities, and the party will continue its operations as before.”

The senior member of the Mosharekat party concluded, “If Mr. Ezhei is telling the truth, he can publish the court decision so that we can begin the appeals process.”  

As of the time of this report, the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution had not yet responded to the judiciary spokespersons claims.

Members of the Article 10 Committee on Political Parties, in their first meeting of the year, voted to void the permits of the two political parties, and forwarded the matter to the judiciary calling for the dissolution of both parties.

The Mosharekat party and the Mojahedin of Islamic Revolution are also known as Iran’s “reformist twin” parties. They are the largest reformist political parties in Iran, although their histories are very different.