March with the Green Scroll Across the Brooklyn Bridge

Join us in New York City as we raise our Voices for Iran and demand Ahmadinejad be held accountable for crimes against the Iranian people. March with the Green Scroll across the Brooklyn Bridge this Thursday, September 10:30 (ET). Gather at Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn.

Please find more information at Voices for Iran.

Ahmadinejad attacks Western “hypocrisy”

(Mike Hanna | Al Jazeera English | 23 September 2009) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, launched a scathing attack on Western powers, accusing them of spreading “war, bloodshed, aggression, terror and intimidation” in the Middle East and Afghanistan.  He called for the “awakening of nations” worldwide to counter the “hypocrisy and vicious attitudes.”  Iran’s leader did not directly address the issue of its nuclear programme but called for the “eradication of arms race and elimination of all nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to pave the way for all nations to have access to advanced and peaceful technologies.”

Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna reports from New York on the speech that prompted a walkout by several delegations, including the US one.

Obama charts new world order

(Mike Hanna | Al Jazeera English | 23 September 2009) — US president, Barack Obama, outlined his vision of a new world order in which the US would participate fully – during his first address to the UN General Assembly meeting in New York. His vision was rooted on four basic principles: Non proliferation and disarmament, the promotion of peace and security, the preservation of the planet, and a global economy that advances opportunity for all people. Among the speakers that followed was the leader of Libya – Muammar Gaddafi, and the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon.

Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna reports from New York on the days events.

Sign the Petition Requesting UN members to walk out on Ahmadinejad on September 23rd, 2009

To:  United Nation members

I am writing to ask you to take a stand against the atrocities being inflicted on the Iranian people by their current government under the leadership of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Please do not acknowledge this person’s assumed role as President of Iran.

Regardless of the results of the June 12 election in Iran, this individual and his government have exhibited blatant disregard for basic human rights and have broken the international treaties of the Geneva Conventions. Rape, torture, and murder have been thrust upon the Iranian people and their families by the hands of the Iran government.

I ask you to reproach your decision that extends an invitation to Ahmadinejad at the annual General Assembly meeting on September 23rd, 2009. If Ahmadinejad is still allowed to attend, I respectfully ask that you refuse to share council chamber with him and leave the meeting.

The people of Iran have not asked the rest of the world for money, intervention or interference, all they ask is for our support in their struggle for a free, democratic Iran. As representative of your country and its people, I urge you to demonstrate that support and walk out on Ahmadinejad on September 23.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned – Sign the Petition

Throwing Ahmadinejad a Lifeline

(Hossein Askari and Trita Parsi | New York Times Op-Ed | 14 August 2009) – In an effort to squeeze Iran into submission over its nuclear policy, Congress and the White House are edging toward a gasoline embargo. This would do nothing to force Iran into submission. In fact, it would be a blessing for the hard-line government to once again be able to point to a foreign threat to justify domestic repression and consolidate its base at a time when opposition to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is increasing among conservatives. Read the rest of this entry »

Windows on Iran – 84 / Election Special

Dear All,

It is now believed that the Friday rally [w]as bigger than a million [people].

New developments are reported in Iran around the clock. While there is frustration, there is also hope that some positive changes will result.  Please see the PeaceWithIran.com posting for photos of recent demonstrations.

36 Army Officers Arrested

Quoting Persian websites, Mr. Mousavi’s Facebook [site] reported – hours ago – that on Friday (July 17) 36 army officers were arrested in Iran because they planned to attend Mr. Rafsanjani’s sermon wearing their uniforms as a sign of the opposition of the army to the way members of the Basij have treated peaceful protesters in Iran.  While these officers were arrested before taking their action, their plan may represent the feeling among a larger segment of the army which has not made its sentiments public yet.  For more on this, please see the July 19 article, “36 Army officers arrested over protest plan,” in the Guardian (UK). Read the rest of this entry »

By Ed Hale

Part I of III

As United States 2008 presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama bickered over how they would “handle the Iran threat” in their first debate on Friday night, citing erroneous facts and competing with one another on who would hold out the longest from engaging in diplomatic talks with Iran, a small group of one-hundred and fifty American citizens representing fifty of the country’s most prominent peace and human rights groups were busy talking to the world’s media about the two-hour private meeting they held with the Iranian President two days prior.

The meeting – which was not revealed to the media until the next day to assure the safety and security for those in attendance – took place on Wednesday September 24 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City during the 63rd annual United Nations General Assembly Meeting. The goal of the meeting was “to introduce President Ahmadinejad to the peace community in the United States and to illustrate how this sector of civil society works to oppose war and the use of violence to resolve differences,” said the meeting’s facilitator, Mark Johnson, Executive Director of the global Fellowship of Reconciliation, the world’s oldest peace organization.

In an exhilarating live experiment in civilian diplomacy in action, the ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Hotel was transformed into a veritable who’s who of some of the most outspoken and prominent members of America’s peace, anti-war, and human rights organizations, including Medea Benjamin of A Global Exchange, Jodie Evans of Code Pink and Women for Peace, Brian Becker of the ANSWER Coalition, yours truly representing PeaceWithIran.com, and Leslie Cagan of United for Peace and Justice. There were also representatives from Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Mennonites, the Lutheran Peace Fellowship, American Friends Committee on National Legislation, and the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, among many others. American citizens flew in from almost all fifty states to hold the private meeting with President Ahmadinejad in an effort to begin the process of what many consider long overdue open dialogues with Iran regarding how our two nations can work peaceably together to secure more peaceful relations with one another.

The issues raised during the two-hour plus talk, many considered vital for the future security of both the United States and Iranian citizenry, revolved around how the countries can begin putting aside their mutual distrust of one another in order to move forward in peaceful negotiations; both the US and the Iranian government’s recent crackdown on human rights, freedom of assembly, and dissidents; the current US occupation of Iraq; Iran’s controversially viewed policy toward Israel; their treatment of women and other minorities; the difficulty on both sides of obtaining visas to visit either country. Of course the big issue of the moment, will Iran accept a compromise on its nuclear fuel enrichment program, was also addressed.

Read the rest of this entry »