June 15, 2026

The announcement of the agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a ceasefire and ending the war is an important event in the current situation in Iran and the region. The Left Party of Iran welcomes the end of the war, the cessation of military conflicts, and the opening of the path to achieving a lasting peace, and considers it to be in the interest of the Iranian people, the security of the region, and the expansion of the struggle for freedom, social justice, and democracy. Although, with the signing of this MOU, there are still many difficulties in reaching an agreement on numerous issues, which are supposed to be achieved within 60 days.

The war that engulfed our country in two stages as a result of the escalation of tensions and warmongering policies in the region, once again showed that the Iranian people are the biggest victims of any military adventurism and warmongering policies. As we have repeatedly emphasized, in a war environment, military and security forces gain the upper hand, repression intensifies, imprisonment and executions spread, and people’s demands for freedom and justice are marginalized and suppressed. War destroys people’s livelihoods, security, and future, and provides an excuse to silence the voices of opponents and protesters.

Workers, laborers, wage earners, retirees, women, and youth have paid the main cost of this war. Damage to infrastructure, the spread of unemployment, increasing poverty and inflation, and the shrinking of people’s kitchen tables have been its direct consequences. In such circumstances, social and civil movements have also faced greater restrictions and have lost the ability to organize and present their demands.

With the shadow of war receding, the issue of livelihood, welfare, employment, education, healthcare, and enjoyment of a humane life once again become the central demands of society. Now is the time for the accumulated demands of the people to be put forward with greater force, and for social, trade union, and civil movements to be able to breathe new life and come to the fore to fulfill their demands.

At the same time, the people must be vigilant that the economic resources and opportunities resulting from this MOU are used to rebuild their lives, and not to expand the military and security institutions, ideological institutions, or proxy forces of the Islamic Republic once again. Rebuilding damaged infrastructure, creating jobs, increasing wages, supporting low-income groups and compensating for the extensive losses that people have suffered must be at the forefront of social demands.

Moving away from the threat of war does not mean the end of internal conflicts within the regime. On the contrary, competition over control of economic resources, the distribution of power, and the preservation of political and economic privileges will inevitably intensify, and today, the intensification of differences is visible. The military-security forces and the most extreme factions of the regime, whose position has been strengthened during the war, will try to maintain their superiority and monopolize the political arena more than ever. Although the Islamic Republic, with its constitution and political structure, is the main obstacle to democratic transformation, and the people’s struggle to overthrow it must continue, the way forces are organized within the regime and the deepening of existing divisions will affect the atmosphere of the people’s struggle to end tyranny and achieve freedom and democracy, and it cannot be ignored.

The end of the war should not cause us to forget the crimes and repressions of the Islamic Republic, especially the unprecedented massacre of last January. The Iranian people have not forgotten their anger, hatred, and sorrow for the January massacre and its victims. The memory of all those who lost their lives in the repressions of the past years, from protest movements to those executed and political prisoners, is still alive in the collective memory of society, and the people demand punishment for its perpetrators. A ceasefire and agreement between governments can neither stop the lawsuit nor forget the trial of the perpetrators of repression and killing.

The Left Party of Iran, while welcoming the MOU for a ceasefire, once again emphasizes that the political structure and constitution of the Islamic Republic are the main obstacles to the establishment of freedom, democracy, social justice and the sovereignty of the people. The struggle to end the Islamic Republic and establish a democratic republic, secular and based on the will of the people, remain our goals. In the current situation, it is the duty of the freedom-loving and left-wing forces to take advantage of the end of the war to strengthen social movements, defend the rights of workers and wage earners, confront repression and advance democratic demands.

Political-Executive Board of the Left Party of Iran
Monday, June 15, 2026