Mansoor Hekmat

He founded the Union of Communist Militants in 1979, then took part in the Iranian Revolution of 1979 – marked by the creation of workers' councils (shoras) – and, unlike the major part of the Iranian left-wing, refused to pay allegiance to Islamism and Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini.

Hekmat's Union then fused with a Kurdish group of Maoist roots, Komalah – together, they formed the Communist Party of Iran (CPI) based on Revolutionary Marxism.

He died of cancer in hospital in the UK and his headstone is at Highgate Cemetery, a few meters away from Karl Marx's grave.

He opposed Stalinism and never accepted that either the Soviet Union or the People's Republic of China were socialist countries.

He believed all should be done to create a world in which women are supported socially, economically, culturally and politically to keep their children, to reduce the need for abortions.