Third Force ( fa, نیروی سوم, Niru-ye sevvom) was a loosely organized non-aligned political movement in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

which advocated an independent, socialist–nationalist philosophy of development. Though not a modern

party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...

, it maintained organization within activists and press. It did not become an important party, however made an enormous impact on Iranian democracy struggle after

1953 Iranian coup d'état The 1953 Iranian coup d'état, known in Iran as the 28 Mordad coup d'état ( fa, کودتای ۲۸ مرداد), was the overthrow of the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in favor of strengthening the monarchical rule of ...

. The group was established in 1948 as a breakaway split from the communist

Tudeh Party of Iran The Tudeh Party of Iran ( fa-at, حزب تودۀ ایران, Ḥezb-e Tūde-ye Īrān, lit=Party of the Masses of Iran) is an Iranian communist party. Formed in 1941, with Soleiman Mirza Eskandari as its head, it had considerable influence in i ...

, when they rejected the party's

Stalinism Stalinism is the means of governing and Marxist-Leninist policies implemented in the Soviet Union from 1927 to 1953 by Joseph Stalin. It included the creation of a one-party totalitarian police state, rapid industrialization, the theory ...

and pro-soviet oil concession stance in favor of

democratic socialism Democratic socialism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing political philosophy that supports political democracy and some form of a socially owned economy, with a particular emphasis on economic democracy, workplace democracy, and workers' self- ...

and

centrist Marxism ''Centrism'' has a specific meaning within the Marxist movement, referring to a position between revolution and reformism. For instance, the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USPD) and British Independent Labour Party (ILP) were bot ...

, supporting nationalization of the Iran oil industry movement. They backed National Front and in 1951, joined socialist Toilers Party of the Iranian Nation, led by

Mozzafar Baghai Mozzafar Baghai ( fa, مظفر بقائی; 23 July 1912 18 November 1987) is known best as an Iranian political figure of the 1940s and 50s. He rose to prominence during the national struggle against British control of Iran's oil industry. For de ...

. Third Force split from the party in October 1952, after they positioned against Government of Mosaddegh. According to leader

Khalil Maleki Khalil Maleki ( fa, خلیل ملکی; 1901–1969) was an Iranian socialist political figure and intellectual affiliated with the National Front. Political career and activities During the early 1940s, Maleki had been one of 53 left-wing intelle ...

, the group functioned through two basic principles, being a "Third Force ''in general''", meaning to pursue an independent path from

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

and

Eastern bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...

s; and a "Third Force ''in particular''", i.e. application of the third way in local circumstances. In 1960, it was merged into the League of Iranian Socialists of the National Movement of Iran.

References

1948 establishments in Iran 1960 disestablishments in Iran Anti-imperialist organizations Defunct nationalist parties Defunct socialist parties in Iran Iranian nationalism National Front (Iran) affiliated parties Nationalist parties in Iran Political parties disestablished in 1960 Political parties established in 1948 Political parties in Pahlavi Iran (1941–1979) {{Iran-party-stub