White-Paper of Progressive Iranians Party

Authors’ Preface

This preface explains the intellectual sources and experiences of Iran’s freedom-seeking movements and introduces a framework for establishing a democratic, pluralistic, rights-based party.

1. Introduction.

This section explains the nature and function of the white paper as the party’s reference document and emphasizes democratic institution-building, human rights, participation in the transition, and avoiding premature state-building.

2. Iran’s Historical Moment

This section examines structural repression, the collapse of the social contract, the crisis of security and human dignity, and the consequences of war and foreign intervention for Iran.

3. The Necessity of Forming a Progressivism Party

This section examines the necessity of a progressivism party for political organization, curbing authoritarianism, responsibly articulating anger, and democratic preparedness for the transition period.

4. The Party’s Name and Its Rationale

This section explains the meaning of “Iranians” and “Progressive” and emphasizes legal equality, social diversity, equal participation, and democratic institution-building.

5. Political Identity of the Progressive Iranians Party

This section explains the foundations of the political identity of the Progressive Iranians Party: from human rights, freedom, equality, and solidarity to republicanism, secularism, and economic justice.

6. The Party’s Relationship with Iranian Society.

This section sets out the views of the Progressive Iranians Party on the diversity of Iranian society, civic nationalism, equal citizenship, links between Iran and the diaspora, and the democratic distribution of power.

7. The Party’s Relationship to the “Woman, Life, Freedom” Movement

This section explains the Party’s view of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, its opposition to the appropriation of the movement, and the institutional translation of its demands into freedom, equality, welfare, and protective rights.

8. The Party’s Position Regarding the Islamic Republic

This section regards the Islamic Republic as a repressive and irreformable structure and emphasizes a legal and political break, the rejection of its legitimacy, and a transition based on the agency of the people.

9. Political Transition: A Collective and Non-Exclusive Project

This section examines the party’s role in transition coalitions and the principles of cooperation, including human rights, republicanism, secularism, popular agency, and the distribution of power.

10. Research, Knowledge, and Policy Production

This section emphasizes knowledge-based political practice, research working groups, and independent collaboration with universities and researchers, and explains accountable, open-to-criticism decision-making.

11. Political Education and Civic Empowerment

This section considers political education a foundation of democracy and emphasizes cultivating independent actors, legal literacy, and informed, decentralized participation.

12. Communications, Media, and Public Relations

This chapter explains the standards for the media activities, transparent and accountable public relations, and principle-based international relations of the Party of Progressive Iranians.

13. Symbols, the Emblem, and the Party’s Position on the Flag

This chapter explains the Party’s view on the function of symbols, the party emblem, the emblem-free tricolor flag during the transitional period, and future democratic decision-making.

14. Essential Steps for the Formation and Declaration of a Party

This section explains the stages of creating a digital identity, publishing a white paper, secure membership recruitment, completing temporary structures, and preparing the party’s first General Assembly.

White Paper Sources

A list of Persian and English sources on charters, parties, social movements, transitional justice, women’s rights, and elections during Iran’s transition period.