Message to the founding conference of the IRMT from Alan Woods

This is a message from the International Marxist Tendency to the founding conference of the Iranian Revolutionary Marxist Tendency (IRMT). It follows the affiliation of the IRSL to IMT this summer, see the report from the world congress 2008. See also the statement produced by the conference Statement on the founding of the Iranian Revolutionary Marxists' Tendency.

Dear comrades!

The founding conference of the Iranian Revolutionary Marxist Tendency (IRMT) is a gigantic advance for the forces of international Marxism. It will be a decisive step forward in the unification of the activists of the Iranian Revolutionary Socialist League and the editorial board of Militant in Iran.

The situation in Iran is increasingly revolutionary, After three decades the rule of the mullahs has been thoroughly discredited in the eyes of the masses. The regime is completely rotted and split from top to bottom. It is maintained only by the lack of a mass revolutionary alternative and the temporary inertia of the masses. That inertia is beginning to disappear. There have been big strikes and a growing mood of opposition among the students and youth. People are beginning to lose their fear.

The so-called reformers showed themselves to be bankrupt. Now Ahmajinadad is going the same way. Neither the so-called reformers nor the "hard-liners" can offer a way out for the people of Iran. Only the working class can solve the fundamental problems by taking power into their hands and carrying through the socialist reconstruction of society.

Our aim is the conquest of power. But before the conquest of power it is necessary to conquer the masses. This requires patient revolutionary work, developing the cadres and establishing roots in the factories and offices, in the schools and universities. The IRMT is already beginning to intervene in the Iranian labour, youth and women movement in Iran. Our forces are still small, but as the revolution develops we will get an echo in a growing number of workers and youth.

Comrades! You are not alone. You can count on the enthusiastic support of the whole International. We are confident in the success of the Iranian section of the IMT.

Go forward!

Alan Woods (for the International Secretariat)

London, 17th September 2008.