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 featur ...

, 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 and pro-soviet oil concession stance in favor of democratic socialism 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. Third Force split from the party in October 1952, after they positioned against Government of Mosaddegh. According to leader Khalil Maleki, 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 blocs; 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