Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
Statement on the Situation in Iran
Hands Off Iran!

June 23, 2009
Vancouver, Canada

Since the June 12th 2009 Iranian election results, there has been constant coverage of opposition protests in Iran on every major Western news source, with all sorts of “experts” on the situation in Iran and statements from the leaders of imperialist countries, as well as countless cell phone videos replayed despite their origin and authenticity being unconfirmed. As the internal issues of the Iranian people are suddenly the prime concern of media outlets and imperialist governments, this begs the question, where is the coverage of the US atrocities in Iraq, or the Canada/US/NATO crimes in Afghanistan? Why do protests of civil dispute warrant a media frenzy, but there is barely any reporting on the US drone attack on Northwest Pakistan which on Tuesday June 22nd killed at least 80 Pakistani people? As was done with the May 4th US air strikes in Afghanistan which killed over 140 Afghan people, will this be excused by the US government with another claim of “mistakes?”

One only needs to look at the progression (or regression) of US, EU and UN policy towards Iran in the last few years. While crocodile tears are being wept for the Iranian opposition protesters now, the US government and their EU allies and UN lackey have no problem imposing four sets of crippling sanctions against the people of Iran. Remember the impact of the US/UK/UN sanctions on Iraq, and the over 1.5 Million Iraqis, mainly women and children, who suffered and died under these sanctions? This does not sound like they really have the interests of the Iranian people at heart. Furthermore, the bloody occupation of surrounding countries of Iran’s neighbours Iraq and Afghanistan, military bases in every surrounding country and a massive build up of military in the Persian gulf, show more and more that the US is acting upon their agenda of having complete hegemony in the Middle East, a goal that is only possible with the control of Iran.

The hypocrisy of the heads of imperialist countries is staggering, as they condemn the actions of the Iranian government while sweeping their own crimes under the rug. On Tuesday June 23rd, US president Obama said to the press that the Iranian government "must govern through consent, and not coercion," and that “We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost." Where is the consent of the American people, who have seen over 5000 American soldiers killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, wars carried out without the consent of the American people and despite not only protests in the US but protests world wide. While Obama claims to mourn the reported 17 lives lost in Iran, where is his conscious for the 1.2 million Iraqi lives cut short by US war and occupation?

The government of Canada is also participating in this increased campaign to demonize the Iranian government. Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon issued a statement saying Canada "will continue to call for a fully transparent investigation into electoral discrepancies," and "The Iranian people deserve to have their voices heard.” Yet the government of Canada upholds an illegitimate puppet government in Afghanistan, whose election under the barrel of the gun of foreign occupation was wrought with fraud and discrepancies. Not to mention, the illegal occupation of Afghanistan itself undermines any legal and fair election. Where is the voice of the majority of people in Canada, who for over three years, according to many independent and official polls, oppose Canada’s war in Afghanistan?

Perhaps most directly interfering of all was the statement on Sunday from German chancellor Angela Merkel, who was the first leader of a major Western power to publicly demand a recount. There are claims that there were election discrepancies, and there are claims that there were not – it isn’t the job of the German chancellor to judge which claim is correct, and it is not her job to demand a recount. Not only does the German chancellor have no clear evidence to claim a recount is in order, this is a direct interference into the internal matters of a sovereign country! If Ms. Merkel is suddenly so concerned about the votes of Iranians, why does she not care about the racist and vicious attacks on Turks and Muslims in Germany, and the 2.5 million out of 4 million Turks who can not vote because of Germany’s undemocratic and reactionary laws?

While imperialist countries are playing out the situation in Iran on an international stage, the rights of Iran, as a UN nation-state member and sovereign nation, are being violated according to the UN’s own charters and resolutions. According to resolution 52/119 adopted by the UN general assembly in December 1997, the UN resolved “Recognizing that the principles of national sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of any State should be respected in the holding of elections.”

Iran’s elections and disputes are an internal matter, to be resolved by the Iranian people and not the governments of imperialist countries with agendas of dominating Iran and a track record of using internal issues to justify military invasion. The Iranian people and government do not need “Big Brother” to tell them what to do. Throughout history, the Iranian people have constantly been in movement for change. Since the Tobacco Movement against the British empire in 1891 to the present day, the great Iranian people have managed three revolutions and ten mass movements or national movements in Iran. With such a track record for Iran, what credibility does any imperialist country have to lecture the Iranian people on how to fight for their rights and how to achieve change? One truly wonders what arrogance, trickery and racism these imperialist countries display.

In this current time, the Iranian people will determine for themselves what they will do for the future of themselves and their nation. As peace loving people, let us turn our attention to these civilized criminals sitting in Washington and Ottawa, whose crimes in this new era of war and occupation are committed every day against the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Haiti, Pakistan, Cuba, Indigenous nations, and yes, also Iran. This is where our human obligation lies, in pointing the finger at the governments of the imperialist countries we live in, rather than countries under imperialist attack.

Hands Off Iran!
No Imperialist Intervention in Iran!
Self-determination for Iranian People!

Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
www.mawovancouver.org