In order to achieve political power and maintain its future, Iran had to first determine the type of political system it wanted. Despite the fact that the slogans of the demonstrations held during the final days of the Pahlavi regime, which coincided with the operational developments of the Islamic movement, favored the motto "Independence, Freedom, Islamic Government" and then later "Islamic Republic", the leader of the movement, after the collapse of the previous regime, chose to determine the form of government through a referendum. This decision resulted in various political forces intensifying their efforts and looking for ways to have an impact. As a result, numerous proposals were presented as a replacement for the previous system. Almost all the political forces, with the exception of the few remaining royalists, who had no place in society, agreed with ending the monarchy and establishing a republic. However, they disagreed regarding the form of this republic. A group called the Radical Movement (a branch of the National Front) demanded the formation of a republic, regardless of the particulars. The second proposal was for the formation of the "Democratic Republic of Iran", which was raised by the Union of Authors, the National Democratic Party of Iran and Kurdish parties. The third proposal, which called for the establishment of an "Islamic Democratic Republic", belonged to the Azadi Movement. The fourth, which was often raised by the leftist groups, proposed the formation of the "People's Republic" or "Federal Republic of the People of Iran". Apart from these parties and groups, some individuals also demanded the formation of the "Government of the National Islamic Republic of Iran" and "Socialist Democratic Republic". There was a fifth proposal put forward by individuals who believed in an extreme religious political theory, claiming that no government, republic or other, can be Islamic except for one governed by the Infallible Imams (as), and that during the period of Occultation of Imam Mahdi (as), no Islamic government should be established. The sixth proposal was put forward by the leader of the movement and was supported by the Islamist revolutionaries, who were the majority: "Islamic Republic, not a word more or less". In addition to the majority of the people, some organizations, parties and political figures such as the National Front, of which Karim Sanjabi was the secretary-general, the People's Mojahedin Organization, the Communist Party of Iran, the Tudeh Party, the Muslim People's Party, and all religious organizations and parties, like the Islamic Republic Party, the Society of Combatant Clergy of Tehran and the well-known speaker of that time, Hujjat al-Islam Falsafi, supported this proposal.
Imam Khomeini's proposal for the future system of the country, the "Islamic Republic", which "relied on public votes and Islamic laws", was criticized by secular groups. They believed that a “Republic” cannot be "Islamic", and considered the term "Islamic Republic" as being vague and a contradictory concept. In defending the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini highlighted its differences with Western democracy, asserting that the concept "democratic republic" would not represent the ideal form of governance. He stated that this would mean a type of Western republic, which "we do not accept ".
In addition, it is worth mentioning that common political systems are formed based on the theories of thinkers and are usually in response to the temporary needs of human societies. For example, after the experience of the Middle Ages in Europe and the tyrannical rule of the church in the name of religion, "liberal democracy" became the way that the West chose. It completely set religion aside and made it seem ineffective. At the same time, Muslim thinkers, being influenced by this theory, gradually turned Islam into a set of ineffective and limited personal rules that had no role in man’s social life and interactions. Consequently, with the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the issue of adherence to religion returned to the fore. It is this adherence to the divine laws that places the system of the Islamic Republic and the secular ones on opposite sides, for in a secular system it is the government that governs over morality and religion. In addition to emphasizing adherence to the laws of Islam, the system of the Islamic Republic also acknowledges the position of the people and therefore makes efforts to prepare the ground for their effective presence in politics. This further demonstrates the confrontation of this system with autocracy, as the latter discourages any kind of public participation in politics and, even though at times utilizes such potential, will never do so at a governmental level.
The "Islamic Republic" faced other forms of opposition as well. Indirect opposition occurred by means of planning and explaining rival proposals, while direct opposition could be seen in the form of questioning its content and the occurrence of armed conflicts in different parts of the country. As the time for the preparing of the preliminaries of the referendum got closer, the conflicts between the political groups intensified. For example, on February 20, 1979, sporadic clashes occurred in Mashhad and Isfahan. The next day, an armed group attacked a gathering held by members of the National Front in Shemiran. On February 23, the demonstration of the Organization of the Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas, held at Tehran University, led to clashes and skirmishes. On March 7, 1979, 3 guerrilla fighters were killed on the Sanandaj-Kermanshah Road, and then on March 18, about 130 people were killed and 200 more injured in clashes that broke out in Sanandaj.
Finally, on March 11, 1979, the head of the provisional government issued the order for the holding of the referendum to determine the next form of government system. The people of Iran were supposed to answer the question, "Should the future government system of Iran be the Islamic Republic or not?".
Numerous factions were opposed to this question, including Ayatollah Shariatmadari - who later became the spiritual and political figurehead of the Muslim People's Republic Party - the People's Fedai Guerrillas, the People's Mojahedin Organization, the Interim Committee of Communications of the National Front of Iran and the National Democratic Front (a branch of the National Front), all who wanted the people to determine the form of government through a referendum.
In response to this, the spokesperson of the provisional government stated: "All over the world, referendums are only carried out in the form of yes or no questions, and if the number of those who voted against is more than the number of those who voted in favor, then the question will be changed and the new one will be voted on again”. So, neither the provisional government nor advocators of holding a referendum, based on the public’s answer to a ‘Yes or No’ question, accepted the suggestions made by the opponents regarding the method of the referendum. This was because they believed that Islam was a popular religion in Iran and that the Shiites, who have been fighting for the establishment of an Islamic government for centuries, considered all other forms of governance as models of illegitimate and unjust rule.
Fundamentally, the movement of the Iranian Muslim nation against the Pahlavi dynasty would be seen as an irrational act if it did not serve a real aim. Therefore, the people knew more about the Islamic government and its goals than other governments. Additionally, "Islamic Republic", and not any other form of government, was the most important motto during the Revolution. and those who wanted other than it were in the minority. It should also be noted, that even if people did not vote in favor of the Islamic Republic on the referendum, it did not mean that they approved of the monarchy and that another referendum would be required. Lastly, following the theories of the numerous political groups would have undermined the opportunity to consolidate the Islamic Revolution, increased the cost of stabilizing the system, and allow for anti-revolutionaries to act against the Islamic Revolution. As a result, the provisional government and the leader of the Revolution stressed holding the referendum on the 30th and 31st of March 1979.
However, conflicts, often of an ethnic nature and with the aim of gaining autonomy, continued in areas such as Kurdistan, Khuzestan, Turkmen Sahara and Sistan-Baluchistan. In addition, all of the opposition groups and parties announced that they would not participate in the referendum, hoping that this would prevent it from going ahead. For instance, the People's Fedai Guerrillas and their supporters, eight Kurdish communities and groups, along with the founding board of the National Democratic Party of Iran and Shaykh Ezuddin Hosseini announced that they would not participate in the referendum, giving the excuse that "the concept of the Islamic Republic is still unclear and unknown, especially in terms of determining the fate and autonomy of Kurdistan within the framework of free Iran. Further, the rights of the people are still unclear". On the other side, in addition to Imam Khomeini and all religious organizations, some non-religious organizations such as the Tudeh Party, the Muslim People's Party, the Pan-Iranists, the Iranian National Front Cultural Organization, the Board of Directors of the Confederation of Iranian Students National Union, the Iranian Jewish Intellectuals and Iranian Zoroastrians announced that they would vote in favor of the Islamic Republic.
Despite all the efforts of the armed opponents of the referendum to cause tensions and conflicts, the people's participation in this event was such that election officials in many cities faced a shortage of ballot papers. The result of the referendum was 98.2% in favor of the Islamic Republic, i.e., about 20 million votes out of a total of 21 million. This result was an unprecedented success for the Islamist forces. Mr. Bazargan later described this event in the following manner: "The referendum, which took place two months after the fall of the Shah, with 98.2% votes in favor of the Islamic Republic, clearly showed unity, care and success, and, as acknowledged by all, was the freest and most sound voting process in the history of elections held in Iran. There was no need for fraud and fundraising, nor did we force people to participate via the police force, special tricks, or even Sharia requirements. It was a perfect example of freedom and success".
Reference: http://22bahman.ir/show.php?page=archive&id=147&start=2
Archive of Imam Khomeini
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