Council of Nationalist-Religious Activists of Iran

The Council of Nationalist-Religious Activists of Iran (Persian: شورای فعالان ملی-مذهبی ایران, romanizedShowra-ye Fa'alan-e Melli Mazhabi) or The Coalition of National-Religious Forces of Iran (Persian: ائتلاف نيروهای ملی-مذهبی ایران, romanizedE'telaf-e Niruha-ye Melli-Mazhabi) is an Iranian political group, described as "nonviolent, religious semi-opposition"[2]: 79  with a following of mainly middle class, intellectual, representatives of technical professions, students and technocrats.[2]: 81 

Council of Nationalist-Religious Activists of Iran
SpokespersonMohammad Bastenegar
FounderEzzatollah Sahabi[1]
Founded2000; 24 years ago (2000)[1]
LegalizedBanned[1]
Split fromFreedom Movement[1]
HeadquartersTehran, Iran[2]: 81 
NewspaperIran Farda Magazine[2]: 81 
IdeologyReligious nationalism[2]: 83 
Iranian nationalism
Post-Islamism[3]
Moderation[2]: 81 
Islamic democracy[2]: 83 
Social democracy[2]: 81 
Republicanism[2]: 83 
Nonviolence[2]: 79 
Political positionCentre-left[2]: 83 
ReligionIslam
Parliament
0 / 290
Website
melimazhabi.com (Unofficial)

Platform

edit

The group shares the Freedom Movement of Iran's pro-democracy stance but favors welfare-state economics, instead of a free-market model, and holds a more critical view toward the West in their foreign policy.[4]

According to Human Rights Watch, it is a "loosely knit group of activists who favor political reform and who advocate the implementation of constitutional provisions to uphold the rule of law. The grouping, which has no formal structure, came together to contest the parliamentary elections of 2000".[5] It is also described as "a collection of liberals and social democrats with active Islamic feminists among its members".[6]

According to Taghi Rahmani, the group "believes that religion should serve civil society. It also believes that all Iranians have equal rights, and that they should be seen as equal citizens despite their different viewpoints."[7]

Electoral history

edit
Year Election Seats Ref
2000 Parliament
2003 Tehran City Council

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Amir Arjomand, Said (2009), After Khomeini: Iran Under His Successors, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 99, ISBN 978-0199745760
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Buchta, Wilfried (2000), Who rules Iran?: the structure of power in the Islamic Republic, Washington DC: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, ISBN 0-944029-39-6
  3. ^ Shahibzadeh, Yadullah (2016). Islamism and Post-Islamism in Iran: An Intellectual History. Springer. p. 103. ISBN 9781137578259.
  4. ^ Mohammad Ali Kadivar (2013), "Alliances and Perception Profiles in the Iranian Reform Movement, 1997 to 2005", American Sociological Review, 78 (6), American Sociological Association: 1063–1086, doi:10.1177/0003122413508285, S2CID 13189214
  5. ^ Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iran: Information on the Nehzate Melli Mazhabi, also known as the Melli Mazhabi group, the Nezehzat Melli Committee, or the National Religious Alliance (NRA), including treatment of its supporters and their friends and family members, 17 April 2003, IRN41272.E, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4db07.html [Retrieved 9 June 2017]
  6. ^ Azam Khatam (2009). "The Islamic Republic's Failed Quest for the Spotless City". Middle East Research and Information Project. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  7. ^ Farangis Najibullah (27 February 2008). "Iran: Activist 'Dynamic Duo' Fight for Human Rights". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
edit