IRAN’S communists have strongly condemned the theocratic regime’s “brutal clampdown” on women marking International Women’s Day in Tehran.

In an open letter to the country’s people, the Tudeh Party of Iran (TPI) slammed the raid by “the thugs and security forces of the despotic regime on the peaceful demonstration of the tireless women campaigners for equality in front of the Ministry of Labour on Thursday March 8, International Women’s Day.”

For Iran’s communists, the attack again revealed the “inhumane and misogynist nature of the reactionary theocratic regime before the public opinion of our nation and the world.”

Women had gathered in front of the Ministry of Labour to protest at prevailing misogynist policies and discrimination against women, including the unequal conditions in the labour market.

The militant women who took part in the protest chanted: “Equality is our right, your job is tyranny,” “Freedom, equality, gender justice,” “Bread, jobs, freedom” and “Women, jobs, freedom to choose what we wear.”

Police and plain-clothed security forces raided the women’s peaceful gathering, beat them and arrested over 80 participants.

Just a few weeks ago, following the December protest movement in more than 80 cities across Iran, government leaders, including President Hassan Rouhani, talked about people’s right to protest and voice their opinion.

A number of the arrested women have been released in recent days, but there are worrying reports that about 20 have been charged with “acting against national security.”

The TPI warned that “this accusation, which is not unprecedented in the oppressive track record of the regime, is an indication of the regime’s intention to hold show trials and impose heavy and vicious sentences on these militant women and to frighten and scare social activists in the country.”

The TPI demanded the unconditional and immediate release of all those arrested on International Women’s Day, the numerous detainees of the December-January mass protest movement, the workers arrested during recent labour protests and all those held during recent protests by Sufi dervishes.

The party urged all progressive and freedom-seeking forces in Iran and the world to raise their voices in unison against the regime’s inhumane and oppressive policies.