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Hassan
Massali, Ph.D. P.O.
Box 60735 Potomac,
MD 20859 |
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A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY:
Hassan Massali was born to an influential family in Massal ( Tavalesh ), in northern Iran. He became involved in political activities by supporting Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh's quest for Nationalization of Iranian oil industry in the late 1940s and early 50s, when he was a high school student. In 1960, he went to Germany to pursue higher education. Shortly after arrival, he began to organize Iranian students, an effort which combined with similar activities in Europe and the United States, led to the formation of the Confederation of Iranian Students ( National Union ). From its inception, Mr. Massali was among its senior leaders until 1971. He was also instrumental in formation of the Iranian National Front in Europe and served at its highest decision making body until 1976.
In 1970, Mr. Massali was instrumental in founding the Iranian National Front in the Middle East, challenging the Shah's dictatorial rule. He, along with his colleagues and supporters, was actively involved in the Iranian Revolution against the Shah and for the establishment of a constitutional and democratic government; a government that follows the rule of law and respects Human Rights. However, he was robbed of his dreams when shortly after downfall of the monarchy, Khomeini usurped the power and become the absolute ruler himself.
Mr. Massali announced his candidacy for the newly formed parliament in 1980 to represent his hometown of Tavalesh, and won the vote with a clear majority. But through political interference he was denied the seat in parliament and was declared a religious apostate, a declaration that carries with it a death sentence in the Islamic republic of Iran.
Under these conditions once again Mr. Massali was forced into hiding for fear of arrest and summary execution. Consequently, he formed the Democratic Revolutionary Movement of Iranian Workers Party (of Gilan & Mazandaran), which began an armed struggle against the Khomeini's regime. For three years he cooperated with Dr. Abdulrahman Ghasemlou and his Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (DPIK) for the the democratic ideals for which he had fought all his life.
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With Jalal Talabani in Kurdistan, 1975 |
Following
the assassination of Dr. Ghassemlou in Vienna, and later the murder of the
leadership of the DPIK in Berlin by the agents of the Islamic Republic, Mr. Massali
moved permanently to Europe to start a new political process outside Iran.
In 1990, Mr. Massali met with Dr. Shapour Bakhtiar, and decided to establish a new unified democratic front. Shortly thereafter, the agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran managed to assassinate Dr. Bakhtiar and his long time associate Dr. Abdulrahman Boroumand in Paris. Prior to their assassinations Mr. Massali had been invited to join Mr. Bakhtiar's National Resistance Movement of Iran, and was elected to join the leadership of that organization.
Following a series of political assassinations inside and outside Iran by the agents of the Islamic regime in Tehran and failure of opposition groups to reach a compromise deal, in 1995 Mr. Massali invited all Iranians of diverse political outlook who believed in a secular alternative, observance of Rule of Law and respect for international law and Human Rights to meet and realize the goal of a common destiny.
The first Iranian National Conference finally met in July 1995 in Germany, as a beginning step towards national unity. That event was copied by Iranian patriots all over the world since. Their unity outside Iran, often reflects the aspiration of Iranians who suffer under a despotic medieval regime that has threatened the security and peace in the region and world at large since the inception of the Islamic regime.