Ideological Platform
SOMKA’s ideology was a syncretism of Nazism, Persian nationalism, and anti-communism. It emphasized the racial and cultural superiority of the Persian people, drawing on the mythos of the Achaemenid and Sassanid empires. Their vision of an ideal Iran excluded ethnic and religious minorities they deemed non-Aryan or subversive.
Anti-Communism was central to SOMKA’s purpose. The rise of the Tudeh Party, Iran’s leading communist movement, posed what SOMKA saw as an existential threat. SOMKA positioned itself as a nationalist alternative, appealing to educated youth and military veterans disillusioned with both monarchy and Marxism.
Controversies and Allegations
SOMKA’s ties to fascist ideology attracted accusations of anti-Semitism. Iranian-Jewish filmmaker Harun Yeshayaei alleged that SOMKA members engaged in intimidation, chanting slogans near Jewish schools and spreading fear among minority communities. These claims, while serious, are disputed by others, including former SOMKA member Dariush Homayoun.