Ebrahim Alizadeh, First Secretary of Komala Kurdistan's Organization of the Communist Party of Iran, warned that if political parties are armed, they must from now commit that they will not remain armed and that weapons will be placed under the authority of bodies elected by the people; “otherwise the risk of bloody score-settling during the transition will be very serious.”
Ebrahim Alizadeh, First Secretary of Komala Kurdistan's Organization of the Communist Party of Iran, warned that if political parties are armed, they must from now commit that they will not remain armed and that weapons will be placed under the authority of bodies elected by the people; “otherwise the risk of bloody score-settling during the transition will be very serious.”
According to Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), Alizadeh made the remarks at the conference “Human Rights in Post–Islamic Republic Iran,” held in Oslo on 18–19 October 2025. He said one of the main concerns among the public regarding a transition from the Islamic Republic is the risk of armed chaos, particularly in a situation where the state’s monopoly over weapons collapses before new democratic institutions are fully established.
Referring to the experience of Kurdistan, Alizadeh said that when the authority over weapons is taken away from the state, arms tend to spread among different groups and forces. “People fear that in such circumstances armed parties will use their weapons to impose their political programmes,” Alizadeh said, “and this is not a hypothetical danger but a real one.”
Alizadeh explained that during the collapse of an authoritarian system a power vacuum often emerges, and history shows that local organisations and grassroots bodies frequently fill that gap. “In every neighbourhood, workplace and university,” Alizadeh said, “institutions can emerge that represent the real authority of the people.” He referred to examples such as local councils, teachers’ associations and labour unions, which he said could play decisive roles during a transition period.
“We are not speaking about ideology but about reality,” Alizadeh said, “because even today in Kurdistan there are popular institutions that can serve as the foundations of people’s authority.” He added that weapons should ultimately be placed under the authority of such institutions rather than political parties or armed groups.
In another part of his remarks, Alizadeh warned about the risk of foreign intervention, particularly by the United States. “Our opposition to imperialism is not a slogan,” Alizadeh said, “it comes from the historical experience of the Iranian people.” He referred to events such as the 1953 coup d’état and the Guadeloupe Conference, arguing that foreign powers have repeatedly intervened in ways that diverted Iran’s political trajectory.
According to Alizadeh, Iran’s opposition should clearly distance itself from interventionist policies and encourage the public to rely on its own collective strength. “People should not wait for salvation from across the seas,” Alizadeh said, “but must depend on their own power.”
He also warned about the risk of Iran following the trajectories of Iraq or Syria if the transition period is mismanaged. “We must reassure people from today that Iran will not become another Iraq,” Alizadeh said, “because if we fail to act transparently about weapons and the will of the people, the danger of catastrophe will be real.”
In his concluding remarks, Alizadeh said that efforts are being made in Kurdistan to pursue a peaceful path. “We are trying to move forward peacefully in Kurdistan,” Alizadeh said, “but wishes alone cannot replace reality. If dialogue and mutual understanding fail, this crisis will not remain limited to Kurdistan.”
Translated from Farsi via machine translation and lightly edited for clarity.