Islamic Coalition Party

The Islamic Coalition Party[lower-alpha 1] (ICP; Persian: حزب مؤتلفه اسلامی, romanized: ḥezb-e moʾtalefe-ye eslāmi) is a conservative political party in Iran that favors economic liberalism.

Islamic Coalition Party
Secretary-GeneralAsadollah Badamchian
Spiritual leaderRuhollah Khomeini (deceased)[1]
Deputy Secretary-GeneralMohammad-Ali Amani
Head of Central CouncilMostafa Mir-Salim
Political deputyMohammad-Kazem Anbarlouei
FoundedApril 1963 (1963-04)[2]
LegalisedDecember 11, 1990 (1990-12-11)[3]
HeadquartersTehran, Iran
Newspaper
Guild wingUnion of Islamic Associations of Guilds and Bazaaris[4]
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing
ReligionShia Islam
National affiliation
Continental affiliationInternational Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP)[9]
Electoral alliances
Colors  Islamic green
Website
motalefeh.ir

The party is the pivotal organization within Front of Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader and is considered a lay ally of the influential Combatant Clergy Association.[10] Though still very active and influential, the organization experienced a gradual elimination from political power after rise of new conservative rivals in the 2000s[11][1] and some analysts dismiss it as something of a dinosaur heading for extinction.[12]

One of the oldest among the active parties in Iran, it represents older generations of conservatives[8] and its main base of support is among bazaari merchants and shopkeepers in Grand Bazaar of Tehran and other cities, petite bourgeoisie and traditionalist clerics.[5][6][11] It is probably the only political organization in Iran which possesses an organic relation with such a social base.[1]

Since 1979, the party members have held high government offices[4] and are influential players in the economy of Iran, dominating Iran Chamber of Commerce Industries and Mines (ICCIM)[13][1] and having "a say in the appointment of the minister of commerce".[5] The party has also interactions with Mostazafan Foundation, Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation and Mashhad-based Astan Quds Razavi.[13]

The party has affiliated parochial schools for boys and girls.[8]

History

It played a vital role in the success of the Iranian Revolution.[1] Following the revolution, it reduced its activities many members joined the Islamic Republic Party as leading members, resuming its activities after the latter's dissolution in 1987.[11][1] The party had some 90 parliamentary seats in 2006, according to Mohsen Sazegara.[14]

International affairs

Islamic Coalition Party has an office for its international affairs headed by Mehdi Soli,[15] succeeding Hamidreza Taraghi.[16] The party held a forum on unity of Islamic parties in 2015, participated by Hezbollah among others.[17] It sent congratulations to the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam[18] and also maintains good relationships with the Communist Party of China,[19] as well as the Workers' Party of Korea and government of North Korea.[20]

Party leaders

Notes
  1. Named "Islamic Mourning Groups Coalition" (Persian: هیئت‌های مؤتلفه اسلامی, romanized: hayʾathâ-ye moʾtalefe-ye eslâmi) from 1963 to 1979 and "Islamic Coalition Society" (Persian: جمعیت مؤتلفه اسلامی, romanized: jamʿiyat-e moʾtalefe-ye eslâmi) from 1979 to 2004.[1]

References
  1. Rahnema, Ali (February 20, 2013) [December 15, 2008]. "ii. Jamʿiyat-e Moʾtalefa and the Islamic Revolution". JAMʿIYAT-E MOʾTALEFA-YE ESLĀMI i. Hayʾathā-ye Moʾtalefa-ye Eslāmi 1963-79. Encyclopædia Iranica. Fasc. 5. Vol. XIV. New York City: Bibliotheca Persica Press. pp. 483–500. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  2. Moslem, Mehdi (2002). Factional Politics in Post-Khomeini Iran. Syracuse University Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-0815629788.
  3. "List of Legally Registered Parties in Iran". Khorasan Newspaper. Pars Times. July 30, 2000. p. 4. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  4. Robin B. Wright, ed. (2010), The Iran Primer: Power, Politics, and U.S. Policy, US Institute of Peace Press, p. 110, ISBN 978-1601270849
  5. Bashiriyeh, Hossein (Spring–Summer 2001). "Civil Society and Democratisation during Khatami's First Term". Global Dialogue. Centre for World Dialogue. 3 (2–3): 19–26. ISSN 1986-2601. Archived from the original on 2016-05-07.
  6. 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, pp. 14–16, ISBN 0-944029-39-6
  7. Hadian, Nasser (11 January 2016). "Part 2: Why Iran's Elections Matter" (Interview). The Iran Primer. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  8. Barry M. Rubin, ed. (2010), "From Opposition to Mainstream—Motalefeh-yi Islami", Guide to Islamist Movements, vol. 2, M.E. Sharpe, pp. 254–256, ISBN 978-0765641380
  9. "Iran attends 7th ICAPP meeting in Baku", Islamic Republic News Agency, 24 November 2012, retrieved 4 April 2017
  10. Matsunaga, Yasuyuki (2008). "Political Parties". Iran Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Islamic Republic. Vol. 2. Greenwood Press. p. 392. ISBN 978-0313341632.
  11. Khani, Mohamamd Hassan (17 July 2012). "Political Parties in the Islamic Republic of Iran". Iran Review. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  12. Jedinia, Mehdi (26 August 2010), Ahmadinejad Faces New Conservative Challenge: Relations with Motalefeh party strained by series of disputes, Institute for War & Peace Reporting, archived from the original on 11 June 2017, retrieved 5 June 2017
  13. Adelkhah, Fariba (2015). The Thousand and One Borders of Iran: Travel and Identity. Iranian Studies. Vol. 27. Routledge. pp. 25, 165. ISBN 978-1317418979.
  14. "Iran: Why Return To Revolutionary Values Is Temporary". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  15. "South China Sea dispute should be solved through dialogues: Iranian party official", Xinhua, 29 June 2016, archived from the original on June 30, 2016, retrieved 4 April 2017
  16. "Iran to host Islamic countries parties' summit", Mehr News Agency, 8 November 2015, retrieved 4 April 2017 – via The Iran Project
  17. "Muslims Have Faith in Ayatollah Khamenei's Leadership: Hezbollah Official", Tasnim News Agency, 8 January 2015, 612990, retrieved 4 April 2017
  18. "Further congratulations sent to National Party Congress", Nhân Dân, 14 February 2017, archived from the original on 16 April 2017, retrieved 4 April 2017 – via Vietnam Breaking News
  19. "Islamic Coalition Party promoting Iran ties with China", Tehran Times, 24 February 2017, retrieved 4 April 2017
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