Oppositional activity of the party «Freedom movement of Iran» (1989-2005)

The article examines the course of opposition activity of the Freedom Movement of Iran party, one of the most famous parties of the left bloc in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The chronological framework of the study is the period from 1989 to 2005. This is resulting from to the fact that since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, the country's current state system was fully formed only by 1989. In the same year, the composition of the power elite also underwent changes. Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-1997) was elected the new president, and after the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, Ali Khamenei became the new Supreme Leader of Iran. If in the period from 1979-1989 The Freedom Movement of Iran, like its leader, Mehdi Bazargan, remained in the political arena, retaining parliamentary seats, then after 1989 the Iranian authorities prevented any attempt by liberal parties to nominate their candidates for both presidential and parliamentary elections. This fact led to the growth of the opposition activity of the Freedom Movement of Iran, which continued until 2002, when party members were accused of establishing contacts with foreign countries to gain support in the fight against the regime of the Shiite clergy. From that moment until 2005, the party's activity decreased and was limited only by organizing small rallies and demonstrations.