American 99 Percenters Support Iran’s Positions in Future Talks with G5+1

A large number of American peace and antiwar activists titled ’99ers’ signed a petition in support of Iran’s right to use peaceful nuclear technology and the country’s positions in the upcoming talks with the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) due in Istanbul late January.

In a meeting that was held on January 12, 2013 at Riverside Church in New York, on the occasion of the 85th birthday of Ramsey Clark, the former US Attorney General, which coincided with the 20th anniversary of establishment of International Action Center (IAC), Ramsey Clark and Sara Flounders, the co-founder of IAC, initiated signing a petition titled ’99ers on the negotiations of G5+1 with Iran’. The text of the petition which has been sponsored by a growing number of antiwar organizations including Solidarity with Iran – SI campaign and IAC is as follows.

As we approach the new round of negotiations between the G5+1 and Iran to discuss the so called ‘Iran’s nuclear issue’, we, the undersigned, declare our stand on this issue, as follows:

There are two sides in this dispute, one composed of the US and its allies in the European Union who accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons – without presenting even an iota of credible facts and supporting documents – and the other, Iran, which is striving to protect its right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes based on provisions of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Using an unfounded accusation as a pretext for acts of aggressions, one side of the dispute headed by the US empire is currently punishing the other side, Iran, with the genocidal sanctions, an inhuman act that has endangered the life of tens of millions of innocent Iranian citizens for their “crime” of deciding to live independent and free from the yoke of hegemonic powers. The excuse for these aggressions is an allegation that has strongly been denied by Iranian officials and international organizations such as the Non-aligned Movement (NAM) representing 120 countries. Furthermore, the charge against Iran on intending to develop nuclear weapons has even been refuted by the intelligent agencies of the US itself.

One side to this dispute has continuously shown its imperial arrogance through war crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria and by fully backing the repeated Israeli mass killings of the Palestinian people, and the other, Iran, has not initiated any war against any nation since its people overthrew the US puppet regime of Shah back in 1979. That record matched with the current position of Iran on opposing wars elsewhere in the world indicates the fact that Iran wishes to live in peace with other nations.

Knowing the facts and the real stands of each party to this dispute, how could a freedom-lover keep silence and be impartial on the “negotiations” among these two opposing camps? In these negotiations one side is the oppressor and the other side is oppressed. One side is after domination, exploitation and plunder and the other side is looking to preserve its right to self-determination and sovereignty. One side represents the privileged interests of the big capitalist forces which constitute only %1 of the world population and the other is struggling for peace, independence and justice, causes in common with the interests of 99ers. That is why we take side with Iran and we urge all activists in the international peace movement to join us by signing this petition and demand:

– Lift immediately all sanctions and stop threats of war against Iran.

– Fair deal with Iran, recognize the right of the Iranian people to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

– Hands off Iran