Homayoun Mehmanesh, member of the executive board of the National Front of Iran, stressed the importance of dialogue among political forces, saying that only through cooperation and mutual understanding can Iran move toward a democratic future.
Homayoun Mehmanesh, member of the executive board of the National Front of Iran, stressed the importance of dialogue among political forces, saying that only through cooperation and mutual understanding can Iran move toward a democratic future.
According to Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), Mehmanesh made the remarks at the two-day conference “Human Rights in Post–Islamic Republic Iran,” held in Oslo on 18–19 October 2025. He emphasised that addressing Iran’s structural challenges requires national dialogue and genuine engagement among political actors.
“No one will come from outside to solve our problems,” Mehmanesh said, “and only through dialogue, listening and cooperation can we overcome our differences and build a democratic future.”
Referring to the charter of the National Front of Iran Organisations Abroad, Mehmanesh noted that since 2005 the document has emphasised the people’s right to elect local officials—from villages to provinces—and to manage the internal affairs of their regions. He added that preserving and promoting all the languages of Iran alongside Persian is part of the country’s cultural heritage and should be supported.
Mehmanesh also distinguished between provincial federalism and ethnic federalism, warning that experiences such as that of Yugoslavia show that ethnic-based federalism can lead to conflict, fragmentation and violence. “In Yugoslavia, people who had lived side by side turned against one another because of ethnic divisions,” Mehmanesh said, “and ethnic federalism brings neither democracy nor peace.” In contrast, he argued that provincial decentralisation could allow greater public participation in governance while preserving national unity.
The National Front member stressed that safeguarding Iran’s territorial integrity must remain a red line for democratic political forces. He warned that political demands threatening that integrity could lead to violence and social collapse. Referring to the peaceful separation of Czechoslovakia, Mehmanesh said that such a process occurred only because the society had reached a level of political maturity and broad consensus. “Those conditions do not yet exist in Iran,” Mehmanesh said, “and therefore such comparisons must be treated with caution.”
He also emphasised that opposition to the death penalty should be a fundamental principle during the transition period. “Any government that seeks to reproduce authoritarian rule begins with executions,” Mehmanesh said, “first targeting the most disliked individuals, then opponents and eventually ordinary citizens.” He called on all political forces to commit to the full abolition of the death penalty, not only during the transition but also in the future political system of Iran.
Mehmanesh argued that strong political and professional organisations are essential for democracy. In a country where parties and civil institutions have long been suppressed, he said, cooperation among democratic and freedom-seeking forces remains the only path out of the current crisis.
He continued: “In defending human rights, we must not defend only our friends, we must defend the rights of all people regardless of belief, ethnicity or political affiliation.” He added that the purpose of the transition period is not to draft a permanent constitution but to determine practical steps that can lead to a free and law-governed society.
In his concluding remarks, Mehmanesh stressed the importance of cooperation among republican and democratic forces in shaping a unified political alternative. “Only through dialogue and unity,” Mehmanesh added, “can we achieve freedom and equal rights for all the people of Iran.”
Translated from Farsi via machine translation and lightly edited for clarity.