Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, Secretary-General of the Democratic Front of Iran and a political prisoner, in an audio message obtained by Avatoday welcomed the recent formation of the “Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan,” describing it as “a very valuable and hopeful development.”
He noted: “This coalition, announced on February 22, 2026, by five Kurdish parties of Iranian Kurdistan — Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Khabat Organization of Iranian Kurdistan — has directly declared the regime to lack any political legitimacy and stated that its goal is to struggle for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic and the realization of the Kurdish people’s right to self-determination within a democratic and pluralistic Iran.”
Tabarzadi, referring to the long history of organizational work and cooperation among these parties, emphasized that this model could inspire other national groups and political forces in Iran.
He expressed hope for the expansion of this unity, stating that it should begin among Kurdish forces and then extend to other nationalities — Turks, Baluch, Arabs, Persians, and others — as well as political movements across the country.
He also pointed to congresses and integrative structures that could pave the way for broader unity, stressing that protest movements inside the country — from student demonstrations to labor strikes — need “practical support” from organized forces more than mere verbal backing.
The political prisoner once again emphasized pluralism and federalism as structural solutions. He identified the historical concentration of political power and oil revenue in the central government as the root cause of authoritarianism and warned that this concentration must be broken so that power can be distributed to regions and provinces.
Tabarzadi explicitly rejected claims by some “authoritarian” factions that equate federalism with separatism, calling such assertions “a fallacy and populist deception.” He argued that recognizing ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity not only does not threaten the country’s unity but instead provides a strong foundation for sustainable democracy and prevents the return of authoritarian rule.
