Washington, D.C. — On June 21, President Donald Trump carried out an act of war against Iran that is reckless, dangerous, and ill-conceived, marking another dark day in the history of U.S. engagement in the Middle East. These military strikes are not a response to an immediate threat and therefore stand in violation of the U.S. constitution and are illegal under international law. This act risks an immediate escalatory response that could draw the United States into a larger war, imperil innocent lives, and cause potential blowback for decades to come.
Across the region, the United States has a fraught history of military engagement and bombing campaigns. From the Iraq war and bombings in Syria and Libya, to U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen and Israel’s genocide in Gaza, military action has failed to bring peace and has instead led to more conflict, violence, and needless human suffering.
In Iran, the United States supported a coup in 1953 against the democratically-elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and propped up a brutal authoritarian regime in his place, including the provision of advanced weapons and nuclear technology. This undermined the democratic rights of Iranians, culminating in the 1979 revolution and the ruthless regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The United States should prioritize the rights and welfare of Iranians and all people in the region and recognize that unlawful military intervention only deepens instability and undermines U.S. strategic interests. We urge Congress to urgently pass the recently introduced bipartisan War Powers Resolution and send a strong signal to the Iranian people that Americans do not support another war in the Middle East.
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هربنا من هذا الكابوس من قبل: الحقوقيون العرب في مواجهة تصاعد الاستبداد في الولايات المتحدة