Femena is outraged and angered by the United States’ unprovoked attack against Iran, at a time when the two countries were engaged in negotiations. These strikes, targeting three Iranian nuclear sites, Natanz, Esfahan, and Fordo, were not only in gross violation of international law, but are also in violation of the US constitution. Trump’s reckless decision to support Israel in its illegal and unprovoked war on Iran dangerously increases the possibility for expansion of the war in a region that has suffered for far too long from Israeli and US military violence, intervention, occupation, and destruction. The US and Israeli both nuclear powers have attacked Iran a non-nuclear state under monitor by the IAEA, without exhausting diplomatic options. This behavior seriously undermines and threatens the NPT treaty, risks Iran’s withdrawal from the NPT. It also sets a dangerous precedent for the use of preventative force. The undermining of the NPT treaty also encourages other states to be less transparent and forthcoming with their nuclear programs.
In contradiction to its claims otherwise, Israel’s illegal and unprovoked strikes on Iran since June 13th have targeted not only nuclear and military sites and military personnel but have also targeted critical infrastructure, such as oil depots and refineries, and wreaked havoc on the lives of ordinary Iranians across the country. Israel has repeatedly bombed residential buildings, mostly at night when people are most vulnerable and asleep in their beds. Israel has bombed at least six hospitals, busy shopping areas, a city municipality, and a courthouse in Tehran, where ordinary citizens flock to carry out the business of their daily lives, resulting in deaths of the most vulnerable civilians. All this is taking place while Israel continues its genocide with the full support of the US and other allies, against Palestinians, killing over 100 persons per day, mostly civilians and women and children who are starving and being bombed in bread lines. The toll of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians is upwards of 60,000 and continues to increase. Beyond Iran and Gaza, Israel is also bombing and occupying Lebanon and Syria.
The US strikes against nuclear facilities in Iran too, will have devastating environmental consequences for the country, including for Iranian citizens and those in the region as a whole. No one knows what the environmental and health impacts of radiation from such a strike will be, but it comes on the heels of the IAEA’s strong warning against the targeting of nuclear facilities, given the possible catastrophic environmental, health and safety repercussions.
- Femena condemns the US’s illegal and blatant violence in the strongest terms possible and calls on feminist movements around the globe to loudly and clearly condemn not only Israel’s illegal actions, but the US’ illegal and reckless escalation. We ask our feminist sisters around the globe to pressure their governments to hold both Israel and the US accountable for their attacks against Iran, as well as the continued genocide against Palestinians.
- Femena urges the European governments to unequivocally condemn and hold accountable the US and Israel for their strikes against Iran and calls on them to end their support of Israel, including weapons sales, once and for all.
- We call on the UN General Assembly to immediately pass a resolution to hold the US and Israel accountable for their unprovoked strikes against Iran and call for an immediate ceasefire, allowing for a political solution to the current situation.
- Femena also calls on the US Congress to immediately pass a War Powers Resolution to prevent further US military involvement, even in the case of retaliation by Iran.
- Femena urgently demands that the Islamic Republic to stop using current developments to step up its campaign of repression against Iranians, especially civil society actors and prisoners. We are extremely alarmed by the sharp increase in executions for those charged with spying for Israel, especially given the history of summary trials and lack of fair trials in Iran. Likewise, we are extremely concerned about the parliament’s efforts to fast-track a bill that would streamline and expedite the prosecution of those charged with relations with an “enemy state” as well as the targeting of the Baha’i minority community with accusations of spying for Israel.