The Impact of Iran’s Political Developments on the Formation and Dissolution of the National Resistance Movement
Keywords:
National Resistance Movement, nationalist parties, Mossadegh, contemporary historyAbstract
Following the August 19, 1953 coup d’état and the fall of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh’s national government, Iran's political sphere entered a period marked by intense repression and severe restrictions on party activity and nationalist movements. With the shutdown of the National Front of Iran and the establishment of SAVAK, the space for political engagement drastically shrank, and nationalist parties were effectively stripped of the ability to participate publicly. Under these circumstances, some nationalist leaders were arrested, while others clandestinely laid the foundation for the National Resistance Movement. This movement, through secret meetings, the printing and dissemination of statements, and efforts to mobilize nationalist and religious forces, aimed to preserve the achievements of the oil nationalization movement and to restore national governance. The National Resistance Movement sought to oppose puppet regimes and foreign domination by uniting various political and religious forces around the axis of resistance against the coup and authoritarianism. However, mounting political pressure, widespread repression, and structural transformations within the power apparatus gradually led to the dissolution of the movement and the emergence of the Second National Front. This study examines the impact of Iran’s political developments on the establishment, operation, and dissolution of the National Resistance Movement. It analyzes the role these developments played in the continuity of national struggles and the formation of subsequent political currents. Additionally, the article explores the functions of nationalist parties and their modes of interaction, while also tracing the roots of the political and social failures of this era. It demonstrates how the suppression of nationalist parties and organizations during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi paved the way for the rise of powerful opposition forces within Iranian society.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Farhad Babaei (Author); Ali akbar Khedrizadeh (Corresponding Author); Mohammad Kalhor (Author)
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