The Association of Combatant Clerics[a] (Persian: مجمع روحانیون مبارز, romanized: Majma'-e rowhāniyūn-e mobārez) is an Iranian reformist clericalpolitical party. It is regarded as a left-wing party within the Iranian political spectrum.[3]
History
Party's old logo
The Association of Combatant Clerics was founded in 1987 after abolition of the Islamic Republican Party, the last political party of that time. The association was originally radical, populist,[4] rather than reformist in orientation, and favored a focus "on exporting the revolution and calling for the state's monopoly over the economy,"[5] rather than democracy and freedom of expression. As of 2007, it advocated limits on clerical power in Iranian politics and extending individual freedoms—though not to the extent that might "lead to secularism or liberalism."[6]
After the resignation of Mehdi Karroubi from the post of secretary general, the party had no secretary general until late August 2005, when Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha was elected as the new secretary general. Former President of IranMohammad Khatami is the Chairman of the association's Central Council.
Members
According to Muhammad Sahimi, the party "has a significant number of followers and sympathizers among the younger clerics".[7]
Werner Ende; Udo Steinbach, eds. (2010), Islam in the World Today: A Handbook of Politics, Religion, Culture, and Society, Cornell University Press, ISBN9780801464898, Left-wing Islamists can be separated into three groups that cooperate with one another, the most important being the aforementioned MRM.... Initially left-wing Islamists pursued a strict policy of economic austerity. They subjected the economy to rigorous state controls...
Golkar, Saeid (2015). Captive Society: The Basij Militia and Social Control in Iran. Washington D.C.: Columbia University Press. p. 15. after a split in the Militant Clergy Association [Jame'e-e Rohaniat-e Mobarez], Rahmani joined the left-wing party known as the Assembly of Militant Clerics, or Majma'-e Rohaniun-e Mobarez.
Rahnema, Ali (February 20, 2013) [December 15, 2008]. "JAMʿIYAT-E MOʾTALEFA-YE ESLĀMI ii. Jamʿiyat-e Moʾtalefa and the Islamic Revolution". Encyclopædia Iranica. Fasc. 5. Vol. XIV. New York City: Bibliotheca Persica Press. pp. 483–500. Retrieved March 15, 2016. ...Society of Tehran's Militant Clergy, became largely overshadowed by the left-leaning clerical faction of Society of Tehran's Militant Clerics (Majmaʿ-e ruhāniun-e mobārez-e Tehran).
Yadullah Shahibzadeh (2016). Islamism and Post-Islamism in Iran: An Intellectual History. Springer. p. 94. ISBN9781137578259. With Khomeini's backing, the leftist faction within the Society of Militant Clergy (Jameeh-ye Rouhaniyat-e Mobarez) left the organization and established the Association of Militant Clerics (Majma-e Rouhaniun-e Mobarez).
