[The following interview, conducted by Prensa Latina correspondent Jorge Timossi in Tehran January 6, appeared in the January 8 issue of the Cuban daily Granma. The translation is by Intercontinental Press/ Inprecor.]
Massood Rajani, the leader of the Mujahedeen-e Khalq, defines his organization as one that follows an "Islamic, antiimperialist, anti-exploiters" line.
Rajani gave an interview to Prensa Latina at one of his organization's headquarters in Tehran. He began by stressing that "for a genuine revolution, nothing is more important than independence."
"We adhere to the ideology of Islam and we are opposed to reactionaries, imperial. ism, and exploiters," said the leader of this organization, which is one of the major groups in the Islamic left, with an especially strong base at the University of Tehran.
"The revolution in Iran has two main characteristics," he added, "a search for freedom and anti-imperialism."
Rajani said that in the present period, the main contradiction in the Islamic revolution is "between the people, on the one hand, and imperialism on the other. This is the basis for the tactics and strategy of our revolution, and we must continue along this line."
He added: "Eleven months ago we defeated the shah's regime, but that was only the first step. Now we must conduct a major battle against U.S. imperialism and its allies in Iran-the reactionaries and the liberals."
Rajani said that "for thirty-five years we have been a colony of the United States but now we must deepen the struggle against the imperialist groups within our society, including on the economic, cultural, political, and military plane."
Prensa Latina. How do you size up the various forces on the Iranian political scene?
Rajani. There are various camps in the struggle, but I am going to take up primarily the reformists. The reformism of the liberals can turn out to be a path back to the old system. Consequently our political fire today is focused on the reactionaries and the liberals. The other camp is the camp of the revolution.
Prensa Latina. What are your relations like with the Muslim Students Following the Imam's Line?
Rajani. We totally support the line of these students, which is anti-imperialist and anti-American. At the same time, however, we have our own specific views. We say that to block the path to imperial. ism we must pass judgment on all the crimes of the United States and not solely those of a group of persons-the hostages. For revolutionaries, the question is how to crystallize the situation so as to cut through colonial relations and not merely confront a group of men.
Prensa Latina. Is there a possibility of your organization uniting with the Followers of the Imam's Line in a common front?
Rajani. At present, anything that leads
What Cuban Press
Coverage of Iran's battle with U.S.
imperialism has been prominently and sympathetically featured in the Cuban daily press. In recent weeks particular attention has been paid to the escalating U.S. economic blockade, the continuing protests in Panama against the shah's presence, and clashes between government forces and Iran's oppressed nationalities.
In regard to these clashes, the January 9 issue of the Cuban daily Granma contains a dispatch from Tehran by
Jorge Timossi, special correspondent of the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina.
In an article headlined "Situation in
Iran Characterized by Sharpening of
Class Struggle,
," Timossi writes:
in the direction of unity against imperialism is possible and can count on our support. We are in favor of such unity but we do not think that everyone is prepared to form such a front. We believe that conditions are not yet ripe in Iran for the formation of a broad front.
Prensa Latina. What is your organization's position on the nationalities prob. lem?
Rajani. Our main difference with the other Islamic organizations is that we recognize the problem as a question of nationalities.
We say that the military road is no solution to the minorities problem. We are of the opinion that these nationalities can be given all their rights within the framework of territorial unity of the entire country; we do not support any form of separatism.
We recall the way in which Lenin resolved the problem in the Soviet Union.
About a month ago Ayatollah Khomeini declared that he accepted self-determination. We were very happy to hear that and we hope that it is carried out.
Is Saying About Iran
"The confrontations have a distinct origin, in view of the traditional and deepgoing problems of the regional minorities, especially in Kurdistan, Baluchistan, and Arabistan. But they are all converging to obstruct the progressive steps taken in recent months by the Iranian Revolution. ...
A dispatch by Timossi the previous day featured an interview with Massood Rajani, leader of the Islamic guerrilla organization Mujahedeen-e Khalq, which is reprinted on this page. In his response to the final question, Rajani stresses that there is no military solution to the nationalities question in Iran.