Statement of the Tudeh Party of Iran on Terror Attack in Nice, France

Tudeh Party of Iran strongly condemns and denounces the terror and criminal attack in Nice, and its perpetrators, whose victims were the ordinary French citizens and particularly the children. Tudeh Party of Iran expresses its sympathy and empathy with all the victims of this horrendous tragedy, and extends its condolences to the French nation, the working people, and the progressive forces of France.

The terrorist attack on the people of the port city of Nice, on the south east coast of France, on Thursday night (July 14th), intensely shocked the world. A truck moving at high speed smashed into ordinary French citizens and caused a large number of casualties. The French citizens, among them many children and youngsters, had gathered to watch the fireworks on the occasion of Bastille Day, the National Day of France. According to the media reports, close to a hundred people were killed and hundreds more were severely injured in this attack, many of whom are currently in a critical condition and under intensive care. The truck, driven by a French citizen of Tunisian descent, was intentionally and at high speed steered towards people in a zone in which motor vehicles were not permitted. The truck drove into the crowd of thousands of French citizens and continued for about two kilometers leaving behind a large number of dead and injured people, and instantly instilling an atmosphere of fear and terror across the entire city, before the armed driver was shot dead by the police and the truck was finally brought to a stop. The choice of the National Day of France on which to commit this terrible terrorist act and the deliberate targeting of the sites and locations along the route where children were at play, demonstrates the vile and sick intention of the perpetrator(s) of this horrendous crime.
Three days before this shocking incident, the 300-page report to a parliamentary inquiry commission – which included the testimony of Mr. Patrick Calvar, the head of the French General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) – was published by the media. The content of the report mainly concerned the two previous terrorist attacks. Mr. Calvar, in his testimony in front of the parliamentary commission, stated that the Islamist extremists will attempt to “go to booby-trapped cars and bombs, thus increasing their capacity to kill”. Foreseeing that the situation in France is on a knife-edge, he said that another terrorist attack by the Islamist extremists in France could lead to a civil war between the Muslims and racists. The Tudeh Party of Iran strongly condemns and denounces the terror and criminal attack in Nice, and its perpetrators, whose victims were the ordinary French citizens and particularly the children. The Tudeh Party of Iran expresses its compassion and sympathy with all the victims of this horrendous tragedy and extends its condolences to the French nation, working people, and progressive forces.
The reality is that the vicious and reprehensible phenomenon of “Islamic Terrorism” has emerged and grown mainly due to the disastrous policies of the United States, its European allies, its regional allies such as Saudi Arabia, and their financial and military support for various extremist forces including the mercenaries of Al-Qaeda and ISIS in Afghanistan, the former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Syria and Libya. Obviously, the continuance of the hegemonic and warmongering policies of the imperialist states in the Middle East and North Africa during the past three decades – particularly the aggressive invasion of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, causing a bloodshed and devastating millions of ordinary people in these countries – has been effective in creating the conditions for the emergence and growth of the extremist tendencies, whose vision is based on Islamic fundamental ideologies. Furthermore, other determining factors in the escalation of terrorism are the implementation in European countries of the neo-liberal socio-economic policies over recent years including the imposition of austerity measures; the violation of civic freedoms and democratic rights; and the cutting of social welfare, with a particularly detrimental impact on the communities of immigrants to Europe and their descendants.
Yesterday’s heinous terrorist attack in Nice, France, calls for a decisive approach to deal with terrorism and its economic, social, and political root causes. Based on the irrefutable evidence, the connection between the perpetrators of terrorist tragedies in London, Madrid, Paris, Brussels, Mali, Baghdad, Dhaka, and the terrorist Islamist groups in the Middle East – such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Al-Nusra Front, Ahrar al-Sham, and their affiliated branches under various names – is crystal clear.
Once again, the Tudeh Party of Iran condemns this criminal and terrorist attack and expresses its sympathy and solidarity with the people of France, and calls upon all the progressive and freedom-loving forces of the world to join in the battle to decisively eradicate terrorism. Preserving the global peace and the future interest of the nations of the Middle East depends on such a joint and resolute effort.

The Central Committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran
15 July 2016