Hassan Ayat’s political involvement deepened during the 1960s and 1970s as he became increasingly critical of the Shah’s regime. Initially, he was a member of the Zahmatkeshan Party, a left-leaning political organization that aimed to address the economic and social grievances of Iran’s working class. However, as Ayat’s political ideology evolved, he resigned from the party, distancing himself from its more secular and leftist elements. Instead, Ayat gravitated toward Islamic political movements, which emphasized the role of religion in governance and were gaining significant traction in the years leading up to the Iranian Revolution.
Following the 1979 revolution, Ayat aligned himself with the Islamic Republican Party (IRP), a party founded by close associates of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The IRP became a dominant force in Iranian politics after the revolution, advocating for an Islamic theocracy based on Khomeini’s concept of velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the Islamic jurist). Ayat quickly rose through the ranks of the party and became a member of its central committee, helping to shape its ideological direction and strategies.
