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supports the Tripartite Treaty generally, though its public utterances are very
cautious. It is almost the only party with any semblance of local organisation in
the country, mostly in the north, though the organisation is believed to be very
sketchy.
2. Most of the rest of the parties seem to have arisen in order to combat the
Tuda party. The most important at the moment seems to be the “ Adalat "
(Justice) party, launched by the ex-newspaper proprietor and firebrand editor
Sheikh Ali Dashti, supported by a number of Majlis Deputies and others. Its
official organ is the newspaper Mehr-i-Iran, edited by Majid Muwaqqar. It
poses as Liberal and Progressive, but seems to have achieved its present
prominence by securing two or three lucrative appointments for members. It
has attempted to form branches at Tabriz and Isfahan.
3. The party presided over by Tadayyun, an ex-Minister of Education and
ex-Leader of the Majlis, is known as the “ Midi ’ (National) party. It appears
to be the only party which can boast of local headquarters, as it possesses club-
rooms where its members meet twice per week. Its programme is Democratic
and Constitutional, and it is perhaps less exclusively interested in obtaining office
than the other parties.
4. “ Mihan Parastan ” (Lovers of the Fatherland) is the name of another
anti-Tuda party, which is said to be one of the strongest. Its members include
Dr. Abdul Hassan Sheikh.
5. The ct Paikar ” (War) party is a group of youngish men headed by one
Iqbal, a judge, who edits the newspaper Bahar (Spring), which is the party
organ. Apart from opposition to the Tuda. they have no clearly defined policy.
6. “ Vahdat-i-Milli ” (National Unity) has recently been started with the
blessing of the present Prime Minister as a combined National party with a
programme of sound national reform. Internal dissensions soon split it into
several parts, and it is doubtful whether it still exists in any real sense. Its
members included one Abbas Massoudi, the editor of the Ittild’dt, and Safavi,
the editor of the Kushish newspaper.
7. “ Iran-i-Javan(Young Persia), unlike most of the above-mentioned
parties, has existed, at any rate in name, for many years, having been sponsored
in 1921 by the French Legation. As it at one time included Dr. Musharraf
Nafici, Abol Hassan Abtehaj and Mustafa Fateh, it was popularly supposed to
be pro-British. It has recently been reorganised with a vague programme of
reform, but shows no recent activity.
8. “ Iran ” is one of the names, and “ Sa’Adat” is another, of a party
the leading spirits of which are Sheikh Ahmed Behbehani, Dadvar, Moayyad
Agmedi, all Majlis Deputies. Their programme is moral regeneration, resistance
to dictatorship, encouragement of the small holder and other admirable projects.
9. The poet Mahk-Ush-Shuara Bahar is said to be endeavouring to
resuscitate the ancient cc Democratic ” party, which was prominent during the
last war. One of the main objects of this party is said to be to support Qawam-es-
Sultaneh.
10. Another well-known historical party-name. “ Taraqqi ” (Progress), is
appropriated by a group of friends headed by Hakim-ul-Mulk and Zarin Fafsh,
who meet once a week and discuss political problems.
11. A secret organisation named the “ Kar ” (Work) party, headed by
Lissan Sipihr and organised on the lines of the Freemasons, also exists. Its
programme includes free housing schemes for the poor, foreign advisers and
longer hours of work.
12. Certain parties in the provinces have been started, such as a group of
Azerbaijan Deputies, and an organisation known as “ Mohammadi ” in Tabriz.
A group of “ Mullahs ” is said to be forming an £t Islam ” party, but not much
progress has been made hitherto.
13. “ Hizb-i-U ” or “ Hisb-i-Shah ” (His party, or the Shah’s party) was
started soon after the present Shah’s accession with a vague policy of loyalty to
the Shah as saviour of the country. It was probably an attempt by the Shah’s
entourage and the military to retain the influence they held under the old regime.
Both General Nakhjavan and General Radsar may have been mixed up in it.
but popular opposition caused the party to cease outward activity and recently
very little has been heard of it.