Iranian activists: "devastating" consequences of conflict between Washington and Tehran

In a letter 116 personalities at home and abroad warn about the danger of a war and the crisis triggered by sanctions. A conflict would provide the pretext for a hard line to suppress activism and dissidence. With "disastrous" results for millions of people throughout the region. Iraqi President: "We don't want another war".

Tehran (AsiaNews) - In response to the escalation of tension between Tehran and Washington, which primarily affects the population, as confirmed by an Iranian priest yesterday to AsiaNews, over one hundred activists and intellectuals from the Islamic Republic have launched a new appeal for peace.

This is a document which personalities from within the country or living abroad have signed and which warns of the "devastating" consequences of a new military conflict in the region.

Promoted by United for Iran and the Center for Human Rights in Iran, the document states that a military action would trigger "an acceleration of the humanitarian and rights crisis" and would only end up "further destabilizing " a Middle East already in crisis.

Among the 116 signatories of the document, which follows similar initiatives already launched in the recent past, there are activists, lawyers, journalists and intellectuals long engaged in the defense of human rights and civil liberties of Iranian citizens. Among these are people who live in the Islamic Republic and who have decided to jeopardize their freedom - and their lives - to revive a civil and peaceful commitment.

These include Firuzeh Mahmoudi, executive director of United for Iran; Maryam Mazrooei, war photographer and journalist; the professor and intellectual Negar Mottahdeh; Sabra Rezai, women's rights activist; the director Afsaneh Salari; political activist Emad Bahavar; human rights defender Reza Fani Yazdi; Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of Center for Human Rights in Iran.

In the letter, the signatories recall that they "have a deep understanding" of the problems of the Islamic Republic "including the challenges to human rights and corruption" in some sectors of government. "We have consistently opposed Iranian authorities in their abuse of power and oppressive policies. It is from this perspective that we warn against the threat posed by military conflict”.

“We also fear that military action against Iran will be disastrous for millions of ordinary people and could lead to the type of violent sectarian civil conflict seen in neighboring countries. The instability of these conflicts and the extent to which they pit groups of people against each other has led to immeasurable human rights abuses.” They add that the impact of any military action, “as we have seen in neighboring countries, would be devastating. It could only serve - they conclude - to destabilize an already troubled region”.

The alarm raised by Iranian activists is also shared by Iraqi President Barham Saleh, who yesterday spoke with a very tough speech in the context of an official visit to London, calling the international community to his responsibilities. Iraq, he said, does not want to be dragged into another conflict in the Middle East after having already experienced "four decades of challenges and disorders" and for this reason "we do not want to be involved in another war".

In a conflict between Tehran and Washington, according to the president Iraq would end up becoming a "stage among belligerents" and for this he asks everyone to "cool down". Recalling the importance of "stability", Saleh states that "the war against the Islamic State (IS, formerly Isis) is not over yet and reaffirms the desire for good neighborliness with Iran, while the United States remains" an important partner "for Baghdad. Iraq, he concludes, must become the battleground "in the area of ​​trade, infrastructure development, work and the future for young people".