The organization initially operated underground, and went into public after the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Shortly afterwards, they boycotted March 1979 referendum, as well as the next referendum of December 1979. Ladislav Bittman wrote in "The KGB and Soviet Disinformation" that Komala was part of KGB's network in Iran, and was founded under financial and ideological influence of Soviet Union. Edgar O'Ballance states that Komala received "help" from the Soviet KGB.