Washington, DC – On Saturday, April 18, about 20 protesters gathered outside the Customs and Border Patrol headquarters to protest the ICE detainment of Yousof Azizi, a PhD student and outspoken anti-war activist.

On Monday, April 13, Azizi was on his way home from dropping off his two children at school when ICE agents kidnapped him. Since then, he has been transferred first to a detention facility in Louisiana, then again to Arizona, against his will. Azizi has also been denied access to his lawyer, and allowed limited contact with his wife.

“This is a clear case of political repression,” said a member of the Anti-War Committee DMV (AWC-DMV), “this is what happened to Mahmoud Khalil, and it's the same thing now. That's why we have to come out and fight for each other, day after day!”

The rally opened up with chants such as “We want justice, you say how, free Yousof Azizi now!” and “Brick by brick, wall by wall! Free the prisoners, free them all!” After chants, several speakers took the floor, including Yousof’s brother Tohid Azizi, who flew in from Massachusetts for the event.

“It’s really a tough time in our family,” said Tohid Azizi, “Our parents are in Tehran under attack and still worry about Yousof’s situation. He has two kids, so you can imagine how hard it’s been for the family.”

Protesters then marched towards the White House. Initially, the group began their march along the sidewalk. But feeling the energy from the crowd, the lead organizers took advantage of a blocked road and made a decision to take the streets. MPD officers began to block the streets and attempted to talk to the organizers, but the protesters outmaneuvered them, chanting “No justice, no peace! No justice, we take the streets!”

This energy carried the group to the White House, where they were steadfast in holding the intersection in front of the park and blocking traffic in all directions. A small group of Iranian monarchist protesters were present at the White House when the group arrived and made attempts to stifle the protesters; but they were shouted down by people chanting for Yousof’s freedom.

“When they come for one of us they come for all of us,” said Merawi Gerima, speaking for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization DC, “we will stand ten toes down for Yousof and for all political prisoners, all immigrants kidnapped by ICE, all affected by police violence; because we know these struggles are connected, and our unity is our strength!”

After the protest ended, several of the Iranian monarchists came over to where the protesters were sitting and began hurling insults. But the group stood their ground together, forming a militant wall of community members and activists that shouted down the agitators until they were pulled away by MPD. This was rounded out with victorious chants of “Marg bar Shah!,” translating from Farsi to “Death to the Shah,” an anti-monarchist slogan from the 1979 Iranian revolution.

To learn more about Yousof’s case and the next steps in the fight, follow Anti-War Committee DMV on Instagram @antiwar.dmv and visit yousofazizi.com.

#WashingtonDC #AntiWarMovement #Iran

Portland, OR – On April 15, 20 Portlanders gathered at Senator Ron Wyden’s office to denounce the ever-increasing money the U.S. spends on war and genocide. The protest was organized by Portland for Palestine (P4P) and was also attended by members of CodePink.

Ron Wyden has a three-decade long history of voting in favor of sending Israel billions of dollars per year, even after Israel began its heightened genocide in Gaza. Speakers at the rally demanded that he refuse to vote for aid to Israel and budget increases for the Department of War, which is requesting a colossal $1.5 trillion for 2027.

“We could end homelessness permanently for $2.4 billion a year. We send Israel $3.8 billion a year,” said Judas Graves, a member of P4P, “For $35 billion a year, we could have universal pre-K. We have spent $50 billion since March 1 bombing Iran!”

“We are funding a genocide and a pointless, endless war. Not because it makes us safe, but because it makes a few people rich. Spending taxpayer money on war-for-profit has been the American way for a long time. This policy is voted on by both Democrats and Republicans, no matter who is president,” explained Kacey DeSantis of P4P.

After the rally, the crowd marched towards Blumenauer Bridge, chanting slogans such as “Money for homes and education, not for bombs and devastation!” and “No war with Iran!” After making it to the bridge, which crosses over Interstate 84, the crowd put up several banners reading “No tax $ for war” and “No war on Iran,” which received many supportive honks from the cars below.

As the U.S. war on Iran enters its seventh week, the working class is increasingly feeling the economic strain of a war.

#PortlandOR #OR #TaxDay #Iran #AntiWarMovement #AntiWarActionNetwork

San Francisco, CA – El miércoles 8 de abril, cientos de residentes del Área de la Bahía se reunieron en la estación de BART de la calle Powell para protestar contra Trump por las amenazas que él hizo el 7 de abril, de que “una civilización entera morirá esta noche” si Irán no reabría el estrecho de Ormuz.

Irán cerró el estrecho tras los incesantes bombardeos de Estados Unidos e Israel contra escuelas, hospitales, universidades, centros de investigación médica y zonas residenciales. Según la Federación Internacional de Sociedades de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja, estos ataques han matado al menos a 1,900 personas y herido a más de 20,000 en Irán.

Los manifestantes coreaban “No a la guerra contra Irán” y “Fuera EE.UU. del Medio Oriente”.

La protesta ocurre mientras los bombardeos estadounidenses-israelíes en Irán han contribuido a un aumento en el costo de vida. En algunas partes del país, el precio de un tanque lleno de gasolina ha llegado a los $120. En el Área de la Bahía de San Francisco, el precio promedio de la gasolina ha alcanzado los $6 por galón en la mayoría de los condados, y una gasolinera en Menlo Park llegó a cobrar hasta $7.69 por un galón de gasolina regular.

El 8 de abril, Irán obtuvo una victoria histórica al obligar a Trump a aceptar un plan de diez puntos como base para futuras negociaciones con Teherán. El plan buscaba garantizar un alto el fuego de dos semanas, detener los ataques de EE.UU. e Israel contra Irán, Líbano, Palestina y todo el Medio Oriente, y poner fin a las décadas de sanciones estadounidenses que han afectado la calidad de vida de los iraníes, a cambio de reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz. Sin embargo, horas después, Israel rompió el acuerdo de alto el fuego con bombardeos contra vecindarios y otras zonas civiles en Beirut y en todo Líbano, matando al menos a 254 personas e hiriendo a más de 1,165.

En respuesta a estos ataques de Israel, que recibe el 70% de sus armas a través de ayuda estadounidense, Irán volvió a cerrar el estrecho de Ormuz.

El cierre del estrecho debido a los ataques de EE.UU. e Israel muy probablemente afectará otros aspectos de la vida cotidiana más allá del combustible, incluidos precios más altos en alimentos, fertilizantes, la fabricación de microchips y otros productos de alta tecnología, como señaló el profesor de economía Masao Suzuki en su artículo “Precios crecientes de gasolina provocan aumento de inflación en marzo” (Rising gasoline prices lead inflation surge in March).

“Estamos cansados de las guerras interminables. La gente está en las calles, el BART está siendo desmantelado y los alimentos cuestan más cada día. Irán nunca nos ha hecho daño. Pero Wall Street y D.C. nos siguen dañando todos los días. Necesitamos un sistema mejor, uno que ponga a la gente a cargo en lugar de estos multimillonarios belicistas”, dijo Brandon Cavins de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad.

El creciente número de protestas refleja la creciente frustración entre estadounidenses ante otro conflicto iniciado por Trump en el Medio Oriente. El Pentágono ha solicitado más de $200 mil millones adicionales para continuar los ataques contra Irán – la mayor parte de ese dinero terminaría en los bolsillos de los fabricantes de armas o quedaría sin justificar, como se ha visto en las ocho auditorías anteriores que el Pentágono ha reprobado.

Mientras tanto, las necesidades y servicios esenciales enfrentan recortes o falta de financiamiento. Por ejemplo, el BART planea cerrar entre 10 a 15 estaciones y reducir un 63% de sus servicios, lo que incluye tiempos de espera más largos de hasta 30 minutos (en lugar de los 10 a 20 minutos actuales), horarios reducidos (cerrando a las 9 p.m. en lugar de la medianoche), aumento en las tarifas de estacionamiento y el despido de entre 600 a 1,200 trabajadores, debido a un déficit presupuestario de $376 millones causado por la reducción del financiamiento federal.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Lebanon #Palestine

Minneapolis – On April 2, protesters gathered in Chute Square, a small park located at the busy intersection of University and Central Avenues Northeast Minneapolis. Commuters honked in solidarity at the sight of Palestinian, Iranian and Lebanese flags. The action, called by the Twin Cities-based Free Palestine Coalition, highlighted Israel’s renewed invasion of Lebanon amid the broader war surrounding U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran that began on February 28.

“Trump thinks he can bomb his way out of the global economic upheaval he started, because he hasn’t yet realized that he’s bombed his way into U.S. hegemony’s unraveling in the region,” said Lina Jebara, speaking on behalf of coalition member U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN). “Iran is redefining the status quo and leading the struggle against U.S. imperialism, along with the resistance fronts nestled in every nook and cranny in the Middle East, in their homelands, ready to defend their countries, lands and peoples to their dying breaths.”

Two weeks later, on April 15, the war continued and protesters gathered again at Chute Square. This time, the occasion was Tax Day, in an action billed “No war on Iran – money for human needs, not the U.S. machine” organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition as a part of the Anti-War Action Network’s day of action.

Protesters emphasized the extreme costs, both financial and human, of the U.S.– Israeli attacks on Iran, Lebanon and elsewhere. In the first 12 days of the war alone, the U.S. spent an estimated $12.7 billion as it bombed civilian targets, including the Minab girls’ elementary school, where over 160 students, teachers and parents were murdered in a double-tap strike.

Nadiyah Salawdeh, co-chair of the Minnesota branch of USPCN, spoke of the many ways U.S. acts of aggression have been paid for on the taxpayers’ dime, saying, “It was our tax money that paid to slaughter millions of Iraqis, Afghanis, and so many more in the endless so-called War on Terror. Our tax money that paid for the illegal kidnapping of President [Nicolás] Maduro. Our tax money that paid for the bullets that killed Hind Rajab and the explosives that flattened al-Shifa hospital, that made the genocide in Palestine possible for the past 80 years.”

Amber Mathwig is a member of About Face: Veterans Against the War. “What I did not learn about our taxes until later in life is that our military budget makes up approximately 25% of our government spending,” Martwig told the crowd. “This is up about 4% under the current Trump administration [...] and this 4% will come from cutting programs related to housing, education, utility assistance, and of course – healthcare.”

Polls show the war is not popular among the U.S. population. According to a recent Pew Research poll, 61% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the war, while 37% approve, a nearly two-to-one margin. Western allies that have traditionally gone along with U.S. aggression have begun to distance themselves from the war. On March 25, Spain announced that all flights involved in the war were banned from its airspace. On April 14, Italy, due to popular grassroots pressure, canceled its 20-year-old defense treaty with Israel.

Speakers at the Tax Day protest connected the war to local issues. Montana Hirsch, an organizer with the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, explained that “this federal occupation of our city cost Minneapolis alone at least $203 million.”

“The income that we have generated for this war-hungry government is being used to oppress people around the world,” said Kelly Thomas of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice. “This means that it is our responsibility to take a stand and fight back. As long as we are in the belly of the beast, it is our duty to fight for our freedom and for the freedom of everyone who is engaged in the struggle for liberation from capitalism and imperialism.”

In recent days, a ceasefire between Iran and the U.S., and Lebanon and Israel, have been reported. Oil prices seem to have stabilized at just under $100 per barrel, but with extreme uncertainty surrounding the ceasefire and commercial passage through the Strait of Hormuz remaining limited, organizers said they expected economic conditions to remain volatile unless the U.S. completely withdrew from the Middle East.

As of press time, U.S. and Israeli attacks since February 28 had killed over 3300 people in Iran, 2200 people in Lebanon, and at least 50 people in Iraq.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Iran #AntiWarActionNetwork

NYC, NY – Anti-war activists from the five boroughs came together on April 15, to protest the waste of U.S. taxes on war, sanctions and oppression. The protesters targeted the U.S. Post Office – a historic location that has been the target of Tax Day protests for decades. The April 15 protest was part of a larger National Day of Action called for by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN).

Brooklyn Against War hosted speakers from Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Workers World Party (WWP), Black Alliance for Peace, Bronx Anti-War, United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), and Vox Ummah. The Tax Day protest was also endorsed by the Venezuela Solidarity Network (VSN), PALAVER Collective, Diaspora Pa’lante Collective, CUNY for Palestine, ProLibertad Freedom Campaign, Labor for Palestine, and the U.S. Peace Council.

Speakers harshly criticized the Trump administration’s ongoing war of aggression against Iran, and devastating illegal sanctions against Venezuela, Cuba and other countries. These costly campaigns of death and destruction are funded at historic levels, while infrastructure and human needs in this country are neglected.

Bárbara Larissa, from Brooklyn Against War stated, “In 2025, the average taxpayer paid $4049 for weapons and war, compared to $2492 for Medicaid, which provides healthcare to 68.5 million Americans. The recent costs of the war on Iran $35 billion, the average taxpayer will pay $130 for that war alone- that’s eight times more than the $16 spent on heating and energy assistance, which helps nearly 6 million households, including seniors, people with disabilities, and families with young children.”

Briony Smith, from FRSO, told the crowd, “The truth is that the United States is the world’s most dangerous liability – the Trump administration is a government of billionaires, thieves, and war profiteers, enriching themselves while the rest of the world and the American people pay the price. Shame!”

The crowd held Iranian, Palestinian and Venezuelan flags, and alternated between chants including “Our work, our pay! Not for war, not today!” and “From Venezuela to Iran! No more sanctions, no more bombs!” As gas prices, housing, healthcare and education continue to cost more for the average American, protests against the Trump administration’s wars and oppression continue to gain momentum.

#NewYorkNY #NY #AntiWarMovement #Iran #BAW #AWAN

Washington, DC – On the evening of April 15, Tax Day, about 20 protesters gathered outside the IRS headquarters as part of the Anti-War Action Network’s (AWAN) call for a national day of action. Temperatures soared upwards of 90 degrees, but the protesters were undeterred, opening the action with chants of “Money for jobs and education! Not for wars and occupation!” and “Not another missile, not another rocket! All these wars are just for profit!”

“The U.S. government takes not millions, not billions, but trillions of our hard earned tax dollars each year to use on their wars, especially now in Iran” said Katie Sayour of the Anti-War Committee DMV, the emcee for the event, “but we’re out here today to demand our money be used the way we want it to be used – for healthcare, jobs, schools, and for the working people!”

Once everyone rallied together, the group took the streets and began marching to Lafayette Square, just outside the perimeter of the White House. Calls of “Donald Trump, you’re a liar! We demand a real ceasefire!” echoed off the stone walls of the buildings lining the streets. The protesters observed community members on the sidewalks and began to chant “Off of the sidewalks into the streets! We want peace, we want peace!” resulting in several people joining in on the march. Once the protesters reached Lafayette Square, the emcee invited speakers from several organizations.

“We have to kick out the feet of imperialism wherever we go,” said Kristen Bonner, an organizer with the DC Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression (DCAARPR). “We are bonded together by our shared struggle.”

“Our taxes are going to police cars, they’re going to police who spend ten to twelve hours a day terrorizing Black and Brown people in our city,” emphasized Merawi Gerima, organizer with the DC Against the Trump Agenda (DCATA) coalition. “They use it for bombing places like Iran. Do we want our money spent bombing innocent people in another country? No!”

Anti-War Committee DMV will be mobilizing again on Saturday, April 18 in defense of Yousof Aziz, an Iranian anti-war activist who was kidnapped by ICE from his home in Maryland.

#WashingtonDC #DC #AntiWarMovement #Iran #TaxDay #AntiWarActionNetwork #AntiWarCommitteeDMV

Santa Ana, CA – The afternoon of April 8, roughly 60 residents from across Orange County chanted “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation!” They gathered to protest and demand an end to yet another war in the Middle East. The U.S. and its proxy Israel have been carrying out attacks against Iran for over a month, causing civilian deaths and a global economic crisis. Trump issued a series of threats over Easter weekend, including promising the “death of an entire civilization” and destruction of civilian infrastructure if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz by April 7. He gave in just hours before the supposed deadline.

Rain Mendoza of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) told the crowd, “The ceasefire that has been reached between the U.S. and Iran is being painted a victory for the U.S. when in fact it could not be further from the truth! Trump threw a tantrum and gave an ultimatum and when he wasn’t getting his way, he back-peddled.”

A Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) member stated, “The ceasefire declared between the U.S. and Iran is an illusion of peace, used to signal to investors calm markets and to protect their profits, not to end the attacks and the displacement of our people across the region. Less than 12 hours later, the machinery of war was back with full scale escalation!” She condemned Israel’s missile strikes across Lebanon that caused over 500 civilian deaths and injuries in less than ten minutes earlier that day.

“As long as I have been alive, we have always been at war in the Middle East, in a war for oil and resources. We need to stop the needless violence and bring peace to the region by getting out of there!” said a member of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Diana Terreros of FRSO stated “The U.S. has been in a decline for a long time while the socialist countries and the oppressed peoples of the world are winning. The U.S. billionaires feel the power of the resisting forces and Trump is lashing out!”

Terreros added, “Chicanos have a long history of opposing war because we understand that we share an enemy with the oppressed people of the world. The U.S. also oppresses us right here at home. We've experienced lynchings, land theft, police killings, deportations all at the hands of the U.S. government.”

A member of Irvine Muslim Activists (IMA) stated, “We want our tax dollars to stay home and provide education, to take care of the people; why are we going to go ahead and fight a war for Israel?” Trump and U.S. imperialists are demanding more funding for war, including $1.5 trillion in defense spending next year and an extra $200 billion for the current conflict. This comes as the working class is already facing increased gas prices and future increases to the cost of everyday needs.

The attendees, including refugees of previous U.S. wars, rallied and marched at the intersection of Bristol and 1st Street while waving signs that read “No war with Iran!” and chanting “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air! U.S. out of everywhere!” The busy intersection was travelled by cars honking and people shouting in support.

The protest was assembled by FRSO with the support of PYM, DSA, IMA, and other local organizations.

Mendoza closed the event by inviting people to join FRSO, stating, “We the Freedom Road Socialist Organization are committed to socialist revolution through building a political party and organizing shoulder to shoulder alongside the masses fighting for police accountability, anti-war, labor rights and more!” For those interested in joining, visit frso.org.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #OrangeCounty

Tucson, AZ – On Tax Day, April 15, more than a dozen organizations in Tucson united against Trump’s war on Iran. Organized by the Tucson Anti-War Committee (TAWC), the rally outside the Federal Building downtown drew a crowd of around 80 people and lots of honks in support.

TAWC is part of the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN), which called for a national day of action on Tax Day. Cities participating so far include New York City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Tucson, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Washington D.C., Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, Tulsa, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Grand Rapids.

Protesters held signs that read “Stop Trump’s war on Iran!” “Money for human needs, not for war!” and “U.S. out of Iran.” A TAWC organizer led the chants, “No more money for working moms, you spent it all on building bombs!” and “Israel bombs, USA pays, how many kids did you kill today?”

The group first heard from Dr. Mario Acosta, a member of Common Defense, a progressive veteran’s organization, who stated, “People are dying as a result of what is going on. I am a psychologist and I spoke to a patient today who lost his Affordable Care coverage. He has a heart condition, and now he can’t afford his medication. You know what will happen to him? He will probably die because of the cuts to healthcare coverage that are now going to this war. We need to stop this war!”

Arlee Garcia, an organizer with TAWC stated, “At the same time that the government is spending such unfathomable amounts of money on war crimes, we can’t fund our schools. People are living on the streets. Parents skip meals to feed their kids. When we are sick, we have to seriously think about whether we can afford a hospital visit or afford an ambulance in an emergency. So today, while the government demands we pay our taxes while they are spending an average of $2 billion every single day on the war on Iran, it is up to us to seize this moment and work together to build a broad and united anti-war movement.”

Cosponsors of the action were Common Defense, Deflock Tucson, and the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance with endorsing support from Veterans for Peace Local 13, Nuclear Resister, Fluxx, Desert Rising, FRSO Tucson, Tucson Safety Team, RCA Tucson, CPUSA Tucson, and AZ ACTS.

#TusconAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #TaxDay #Iran #AntiWarActionNetwork #TAWC

Detroit, MI – On Sunday, April 12, another protest took place in Detroit to demand an end to the war on Iran. The second weekly protest brought around 90 participants to the Spirit of Detroit sculpture and through the streets around Woodward Avenue and Campus Martius Park.

The weekly protests are organized by the Detroit Anti War Committee, along with the support of US Palestinian Community Network, Code Pink, Wayne State Students for a Democratic Society, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Engineers Against Apartheid.

The protest began with people lining the edge of the street holding banners and signs, such as “Detroit divest from war profiteers!” Cars passed and honked in support of the anti-war messaging. With the route going around Campus Martius, the One Campus Martius Building sparked up heated chants of “Fuck Dan Gilbert!” referring to the billionaire Zionist who owns the building and contributed over $80,000 to Detroit election campaigns, including that of Mayor Mary Sheffield.

Bryce Morin from Students For A Democratic Society stated, “We here at SDS oppose Wayne State’s support of these mass killings and displacements through investments in companies like Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. And we are against our university allowing ICE to continue to deport students from our campus. Because we believe that our tuition and tax dollars should go towards funding education, not towards supporting war.”

Hiba Elturk, a founding member of the Detroit Anti-War Committee came out to speak on her experience having familial ties to Beirut and Bechamoun in Lebanon, “When Israel broke the ceasefire, it felt like the weight of the entire world had come down on me. I pray to God none of you ever have to reach for your phones and make the decision of who to call first to check and see if they’re still alive! Thanks to the Zionist entity, these decisions I’m being forced to make,”

Elturk continued, “My uncle was on his way home from work when the street he was driving on got struck by a missile. Five minutes too early, five minutes too late, and he would have been murdered.”

Jo Pico, of Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “Ultimately, in this moment of uncertainty, trauma, and pain, there is one fact we can hold onto: we have power. This is what gives us clarity to meet the moment.”

After marching, the demonstrators rallied in front of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, which is where the city council meets.

Daanyal Syed of Detroit Anti-War Committee stated, “The city of Detroit is complicit in genocide, as it has contracts like Shot Spotter, whose technology is used to surveil Palestinians, is used to surveil our Black and brown communities.” Syed closed out the protest by calling on everyone to show up to protest next week.

#DetroitMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #DAWC #Iran #Palestine #FRSO #SDS

San Francisco, CA – On Wednesday, April 8, hundreds of Bay Area residents gathered at the Powell Street BART transit station to protest Trump’s April 7 threats that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran closed the strait after relentless U.S. and Israeli bombardment of schools, hospitals, universities, medical research centers, and residential areas. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, these attacks have killed at least 1,900 people and injured over 20,000 in Iran.

Demonstrators chanted “No war on Iran” and “U.S. out of the Middle East.”

The protest comes as U.S.-Israeli bombardments on Iran have contributed to a rising cost of living. In some parts of the country, the cost of a full tank of gas has reached $120. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the average price of gas has reached $6 per gallon in most counties, with one station in Menlo Park reaching as high as $7.69 for a gallon of regular.

On April 8, Iran secured a historic victory, forcing Trump to agree to a ten-point plan as the basis for future negotiations with Tehran. The plan was intended to secure a two-week ceasefire, halt U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Palestine and across the Middle East, and end decades-long U.S. sanctions that have harmed Iranians’ quality of life – in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, within hours, Israel broke the ceasefire agreement with bombardments on neighborhoods and other civilian areas in Beirut and across Lebanon, killing at least 254 people and injuring 1165 more.

In response to these attacks by Israel, which receives 70% of its weapons through U.S. aid, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz once again.

The closure of the strait due to U.S.-Israeli attacks will likely impact other aspects of daily life beyond fuel, including higher prices for groceries, fertilizer, chip manufacturing, and other high-tech goods, as stated by Professor of Economics Masao Suzuki in his article Rising gasoline prices lead inflation surge in March.

“We're tired of endless wars. People are on the streets, BART is being gutted, and groceries cost more each day. Iran has never hurt us. But Wall Street and DC keep hurting us every single day. We need a better system, one that puts people in charge instead of these warmongering billionaires,” said Brandon Cavins from Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The growing number of protests reflects rising frustration among everyday Americans over Trump launching another U.S.-instigated conflict in the Middle East. The Pentagon has requested more than $200 billion additional funds to continue attacks on Iran – most of which would either go to the pockets of arms manufacturers or remain unaccounted for, as seen in the eight previous audits the Pentagon has failed.

Meanwhile, essential needs and services face cuts or underfunding. BART, for example, is looking to close 10 to 15 stations and cut 63% of services, including longer wait times of 30 minutes (up from 10 to 20 minutes), reduced hours (closing at 9 p.m. instead of midnight), increased parking fares, and the layoff of 600 to 1200 employees, due to a $376 million budget deficit caused by decreased federal funding.

#SanFranciscoCA #CA #Iran #Lebanon #Palestine #AntiWarMovement

Dallas, TX – A coalition of Dallas anti-war organizations met at Main Street Garden Park Wednesday evening, April 8, in response to the Trump administration’s genocidal calls for violence against the Iranian people and the wholesale destruction of their infrastructure.

A crowd of 200 community members gathered around 7 p.m., arriving to chants of “From Iran to Palestine, Israel is on borrowed time!” Energy remained high while DFW Foot Not Bombs set up a hot food table.

Ryan Ahmadi of DFW Shias for justice told the crowd, “Just yesterday it seemed that we were on the brink of a genocidal, apocalyptic nuclear war. Donald Trump used his war-mongering and genocidal language, and tactic of psychological warfare that had the entire world sick to their stomachs and on the edge of their seats, waiting to see if he would carry out his threat where he said ‘an entire civilization will die tonight.” A 3000-year-old civilization, a nation of over 90 million people. Well, we’ve got news for you – you gambled, and you lost.” 

Nura Bawab of Palestinian Youth Movement stated, “The Iranian people held their ground with honor and steadfastness and showed the world that their sovereignty would not be compromised by imperialists and Zionists without global repercussions. We are proud of the resilience of the people of Iran.”

Jo Hargis of DFW Anti War Committee spoke on the role of North Texas weapons manufacturers in the last month of attacks, stating, “The factory producing the bombs Israel is using to attack Lebanon and Iran, and to carry out genocide in Palestine? Many of you know that bomb factory is in our own backyard. Many of you know that this bomb factory normalizes its complicity in murder by participating in the FAME program, partnering with schools in Garland, in Mesquite, and at Dallas College to bring students into this very facility. Many of you know DAWC is working to end those partnerships that use students at home to make the bombs killing students abroad, that DAWC has a petition at tinyurl.com/NoFAMEPaligen which all of you should sign before you leave today. And many of you know that infamous bomb factory by an old name: REPKON USA.“

Hargis continued, “The owners of this factory are the same, but seemingly overnight they changed their name to Paligen. This change happened so abruptly that when a DAWC member drove by, the old REPKON signs were simply flipped around and haven’t been replaced with anything. Paligen urgently felt the need to distance themselves from the name REPKON, and that is because they are scared. Paligen is scared of the negative international press they are receiving for arming Israel as it expands this war.”

The evening ended in chants and evening prayers as community members cleaned the park and packed out. 

DFW Anti War Committee’s next rally is April 15, directly outside the Paligen Technologies facility in Garland, to draw attention on Tax Day to the gross misuse of our tax dollars to weapons of war.

The protest was organized by DFW Anti War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Code Pink, Communist Party DFW, DFW Food Not Bombs, Young Active Labor Leaders, and others.

#DallasTX #TX #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Palestine #Lebanon

Salt Lake City, UT – On Wednesday evening, April 8, an emergency protest was held at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in Salt Lake City, showing opposition to the genocidal rhetoric from the White House the previous day.

Banners reading “End all U.S. aid to Israel!” and “Hands off Iran!” joined the Palestinian and Iranian flags in front of the federal building, as the crowd chanted for over an hour. The protest received much support from passing pedestrians and motorists. Protesters persisted despite attempts at intimidation by the police.

“Do we really want this done in our name?” asked Sebastian Miscenich, from the Utah Anti-War Committee, in a speech. “We must hold the government accountable for these war crimes.” Protesters chanted “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!” and “Money for jobs, not for war!

Carson Bybee, with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “Imperialists do not sign ceasefires in good faith. They violate them in letter and in spirit whenever material interests demand it.”

“Stand firm in the streets,” Bybee declared in closing. “Link arms with the global anti-imperialist front. Build the revolutionary organization capable of challenging the war machine at its root. Victory belongs to the people who refuse to kneel.”

The action was called by the Utah Anti-War Committee and Freedom Road Socialist Organization – Salt Lake City District.

All Utahns opposed to wars are encouraged to rally on Tax Day, April 15 at 6:30 p.m. in front of the federal building to demand “Tax dollars for housing, healthcare and jobs, not for war!”

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Iran

New Orleans, LA – The Democratic National Committee met in New Orleans this week at the Hilton Riverside for their annual spring meeting. The conference rang in its second day on April 10, and blue leaders went red in the face when members confronted them on Palestine.

The spring meeting is a strategy session and networking opportunity for candidates and other members. It gives members a chance to lobby for cities to hold the 2028 Democratic National Convention. But the rising opposition to Israel drove the agenda. Several nonbinding anti-war resolutions were on the docket, although none passed. Among other causes, these resolutions condemned AIPAC, demanded an independent investigation into Trump’s massacre at a girls’ school in Minab, and set conditions for U.S. aid to Israel. Activists inside and outside the conference made their solidarity with Palestine known.

During a general session, Democratic activist and nurse India Walton stood up and interrupted the speakers. “Why are you afraid of AIPAC? Be afraid of voters!” she shouted. Walton ran a credible challenge to the incumbent Buffalo mayor in 2021. She previously served as a representative with the Service Employees International Union and was a leader in the George Floyd uprising.

Activists from New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) spoke up alongside Walton. “Free, free Palestine!” Charlie Marcotte chanted.

Outside the hotel, about 30 people protested the DNC’s lack of opposition to Israeli and U.S. wars.

“We will fight every single day, we will introduce these resolutions, we will protest, we will do everything we damn can to stop this genocide,” speaker Cameron Landin addressed the crowd. Landin is the Political Affairs Director for College Democrats of America, and served as a delegate for Georgia at the 2024 DNC. He sponsored the spring meeting’s resolution against AIPAC.

A mobile billboard truck showed a display reading “Release the autopsy!” It referred to an internal report that allegedly identifies the genocide in Gaza as an important reason for Harris’s failed 2024 presidential bid.

Protesters chanted “No boots on the ground, no jets in the air – U.S. out of everywhere!” and “They tell lies and then they bomb, first Iraq and now Iran!”

Organizers of the protest included NOSHIP, Democratic Socialists of America, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #Palestine #Iran #AntiWarMovement #NOSHIP #DNC

Detroit, MI – On Sunday, April 5, around 100 people joined Detroit Anti-War Committee at the Spirit of Detroit statue to begin weekly protests against Trump’s war on Iran. Daanyal Syed, speaking on behalf of the committee, explained why the organization began these protests, saying that while the U.S. and Israel continue to ramp up their violence, “we must ramp up our opposition.”

These protests began in collaboration with U.S. Palestinian Community Network, CodePink-Detroit, Engineers Against Apartheid, Wayne State Students for a Democratic Society, Love & Liberation, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The organizers chose to begin the protests on Easter Sunday, partially in response to Israel’s recent death penalty law that targets heroes of the Palestinian liberation movement, such as Marwan Barghouti and Dr. Abu Safiya. However, the protest also highlighted the U.S. and Israel’s terror on the region as a whole, protesting the Zionist state’s continuous attacks on Lebanon and the threats from Trump to bomb Iran “into the Stone Age.”

People rallied with Iran flags, and many came with signs highlighting all three issues, some holding signs of Palestinian prisoners, others holding signs demanding an end to the attacks on their families in Lebanon, and more.

After the rally, the crowd marched through Campus Martius, chanting, “Money for Detroit, not for war!” Upon returning to the Spirit of Detroit, people continued to hold space despite the march being over. Several people came up to the organizers and promised to come back the following week.

While Iran and the U.S. came to a ceasefire agreement as of April 7, the Detroit Anti-War Committee plans to continue its weekly protests.

Protesters demanded an end to the U.S. and Israel’s terror on the region, from occupied Palestine to Lebanon to Iran. The committee remains steadfast to the demand that Trump and his allies cease all hostilities on Iran and honor Iran’s 10-point ceasefire plan.

#DetroitMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Iran

Washington, DC – On April 8, hundreds of people gathered outside the White House to join the emergency protest against Trump’s war crimes threats to Iran and Netanyahu’s terrorist bombing campaign on Lebanon. Calls for regime change in Washington, DC echoed through the White House barricades. This action came after Trump’s statement “a whole civilization will die tonight.”

Hundreds of people in DC had plenty of energy and spirit, so they protested the war on Iran two days in a row.

Even though news broke of the temporary ceasefire won by Iran the day before, organizers ensured the day of protest would continue, since many people wanted to express their anger and frustration over Trump’s warmongering in Iran, as well as to demand an immediate end to U.S. aid to Israel in the wake of its genocidal bombing in Lebanon.

Merawi Gerima, a member of the DC Against the Trump Agenda Coalition, started the program by rallying the crowd chanting, “It is right to rebel! Trump and Bibi go to hell!”

An organizer with Palestine Youth Movement DMV stated, “As people who live in the heart of empire, we have a unique obligation to end Zionist-U.S. violence. We have to ensure that death and destruction are not profitable, and we must stop the war machine in its very tracks.”

After the short program, the protesters took the streets disrupting traffic and marching down to Dupont Circle. On the way, chant leaders made sure to point out the racist Metropolitan Police Department officers who were trying to curtail the crowd. One MPD officer, Mendez, was identified as a racist cop who was previously seen harassing Black people for no reason. When DCAARPR members had questioned him on why he was harassing Black people, he said he, “can’t be racist because he has a Black girlfriend.” This encounter was pointed out to the crowd as they shouted at Mendez to quit his job and go get a real one.

Another MPD officer, Jason Bagshaw, a racist and killer cop, was pointed out and angry protesters started hurling insults at him and telling him to go to hell.

The protesters shut down one of the busiest traffic circles in the city before finishing out the program inside the circle itself. An organizer with FRSO DC stated, “Y’know, Donald Trump is very good at one thing: he is good at making an enemy out of everyone. He makes enemies everywhere he goes. He sends troops into DC. He sends ICE all across the country. He funds Israel’s bombs in Palestine, and then he bombs Iran. He kidnapped President Maduro from Venezuela. Now he has all the peoples of the world looking at him as an enemy. That’s where we find our unity.”

DC Against the Trump Agenda Coalition (DCATA), 50501DC, Palestinian Youth Movement DMV, the Party for Socialism and Liberation DC, Codepink DC, the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR), the Anti-War Committee DMV, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization – DC, and many others rallied around the central demand “U.S. out of Iran now!”

#WashingtonDC #AntiWarMovement #Iran

Minneapolis, MN – On April 7 over 50 anti-war protesters held Iranian, Palestinian and Lebanese flags and anti-war on Iran signs and banners over Interstate-35W in downtown Minneapolis to denounce Trump’s latest threats against Iran and demand an end to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The emergency response demonstration was called by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC).

On April 7, Trump stated that “a whole civilization will die” if his escalation against Iran goes forward, while he and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have repeatedly threatened to send Iran “back to the Stone Age.” Trump announced an 8 p.m. Eastern time deadline for Iran to capitulate to a list of maximalist U.S. demands or face destruction of its critical civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges.

Bombing civilian infrastructure is considered a war crime under international law. Moreover, all attacks launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran beginning February 28 are widely understood as unprovoked, making them a war of aggression that violates the United Nations Charter.

Ahead of Trump’s deadline, Iranians have been holding large demonstrations on bridges and near power plants and other critical infrastructure in Iran threatened by Trump, in the hopes of preventing them from being bombed. The MN Anti-War Committee organized the action to show solidarity with Iranians of all backgrounds and beliefs who are standing up against Trump’s war.

Near the end of the action Trump announced that he would back down from his threat on Iran and agree to a two-week ceasefire.

Wyatt Miller, member of the AWC, explained the intent behind the protest, “This bridge is close to the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi that collapsed in 2007. Here in Minneapolis, we know that the destruction of critical infrastructure is no joke. U.S-Israeli bombings are a war crime.”

Miller continued, “Trump seems to have backed down from his genocidal threats for now. But we know he can’t be trusted. It’s more clear than ever that we need to dismantle this whole system of U.S. war and empire once and for all, no matter who’s in charge of it.”

The MN Peace Action Coalition has called for supporters to join Women Against Military Madness’ protest on Wednesday, April 8 from 4 to 5 p.m. to continue to say no to the U.S. war on Iran.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Iran #AntiWarMovement #AWC

Tacoma, WA – On Saturday, April 4, members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) and the general public gathered at Wheelock Branch library to learn about and discuss the U.S. war on Iran and the growing anti-imperialist movement.

FRSO hosted the interactive seminar to discuss the destructive conflict with Iran and the oppressive sanctions imposed by the United States.

Speakers from Seattle and Tacoma fielded questions from the audience concerning the war on Iran and the region as a whole, emphasizing the resistance of oppressed and working-class people. The presentation discussed global and local anti-war efforts, with the audience of 40 chanting between sections, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation!”

The presenters led an activity where the audience identified over 25 politicians and groups involved in the conflict as being either “friendly,” “enemy,” or “vacillating” in the fight against imperialism. The group identified “The Department of War” and “Netanyahu” among the enemies, and “The government of Iran” and “Ansar Allah (Houthis)” among the friendly forces.

“Iran is an anti-imperialist force in the world,” said Gloria Baughman, one of the four presenters.

#TacomaWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #Iran

Although the Tuesday, April 7th, ceasefire announced after 40 days of U.S. / Israeli war on Iran has gripped us all, the criminal U.S. and Israel can never be trusted to uphold ceasefires or good-faith negotiations. This morning, April 8th, USPCN and the entire world were awakened to the horrific news that Israel has carried out a massive bombing raid in Lebanon, killing over 300 people, according to the Lebanese Red Cross. The number will undoubtedly rise as the raid continues and the emergency responders report.

In response to this massacre, a senior Iranian official said to Al-Jazeera, “We will punish Israel in response to the crime it committed in Lebanon…The ceasefire includes the region, and Israel is knowingly breaking its promises.”

According to Fars News Agency, Iran has halted the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz over Israel's strikes in Lebanon, even though unblocking the strait was one of the stipulations of the ceasefire. And Tasnim News Agency reported that if ceasefire violations “persist,” Iran will cancel the two-week agreement and not attend the planned talks in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The New York Times broke news this morning that Netanyahu said in a statement that “the cease-fire did not include Lebanon,” and just hours later, Israel carried out the aforementioned large-scale bombing raid across Beirut, the Bekaa, and southern Lebanon, targeting over 100 sites it claims belong to the Lebanese resistance. The Israelis are doing what they do, massacring more and more people and destroying more and more of our homelands, with early reports stating that this raid is the worst Lebanon has seen since the vicious 1982 war. That means this war is not over, and it means that we cannot and will not celebrate even a temporary victory!

But we can discuss and analyze the past 40 days. Only hours after the war criminal Donald Trump announced on social media that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not unblock the Strait of Hormuz, the announcement of this two-week-long ceasefire in the U.S. / Israeli war against Iran is an historic moment for the Islamic Republic and its brave and resilient people, especially considering that it was prompted by a 10-point peace plan proposed by Iran itself, which presumably will be the basis for these two weeks of negotiations.

The plan includes the lifting of sanctions, the imposition of a $2 million fee per ship transiting Hormuz, an end to Israeli strikes in Lebanon (violated already), and an end to all regional fighting against Iranian allies, with the understanding that the “Iranian allies” include the Unified Palestinian Resistance in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. It is a victory for the Axis of Resistance, and for all the people of the world, especially those in the Global South.

Conversely, no matter how much the increasingly unhinged Trump wants to declare that U.S. pressure forced the pause, this is a huge defeat for his administration and for U.S. imperialism. Trump was forced to move the goalposts continuously, to amend his objectives and back down numerous times, and to ultimately fail in accomplishing his primary goals, which included the destruction of Iran’s ballistic missiles and nuclear program.

The ceasefire is also a major defeat for Israel, which again was not able to accomplish its own goal of restricting Iran’s support for the other resistance forces in the region, especially in Palestine, Yemen, and Lebanon. Even with big brother U.S. jumping in as always to support the vassal state by attacking Iran and together killing over 1,600 Iranians (including the almost 180 schoolgirls killed by U.S. missiles early in the war) while Israel killed nearly 1,500 Lebanese, Israel was again exposed as conquerable like it has been since the Gaza Genocide. Seventy-two thousand Palestinians and counting have been killed, but neither the Palestinian nor Lebanese resistance has been defeated.

And as we are witnessing in Lebanon now, in a barbaric response to not being able to impose its will even after two and a half years of genocide in Gaza and indiscriminate attacks in Lebanon, Israel just continues to bomb neighborhoods and infrastructure and kill civilians. The racist, zionist, white supremacist, settler-colonialist state is out of control, and is supported unequivocally by the out of control Trump and the entire U.S. government, regardless of political party.

In addition, Israel’s Iron Dome, the defense system that U.S. taxpayers spent 1.6 billion dollars on, was not able to stop the strategic Iranian missile program developed for five decades under intense, U.S.-imposed sanctions. Israel's racist, genocide-apologist society has also been shaken to its core, as even the Occupation Forces’ chief of staff, only two weeks ago, said that the “[IOF] is going to collapse in on itself.”

For 40 days, the Israeli public lived in their shelters – reminding us of the mass flight of Israelis from the north of Occupied Palestine as the Lebanese resistance defended Gaza during the genocide – while the brave people of Iran marched daily in the streets defending themselves, their lands, and their sovereignty against this illegal war.

The U.S. / Israeli project is failing. And this moment cannot be understood without also recognizing the role played by the steadfast Unified Palestinian Resistance in Gaza. Since October 2023, Gaza has endured unimaginable violence while continuing to resist, exposing the limits of military power and helping to reshape the political landscape of the region. The resilience of the people of Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, Yemen, and others has not only challenged narratives of dominance, but has also galvanized broader regional and global movements, making clear that struggles for liberation are interconnected.

We salute the courageous Iranians who are standing firm in supporting their people, their revolution, and their sovereignty, as well as the entire Axis of Resistance. Despite all U.S. and Israeli attempts to destabilize the Iranian government, including mass assassinations by both, and machinations by the Mossad to promote uprisings in the streets of Tehran and beyond, Iran stayed united and rejected the contemptible plans of the zionists, the U.S. imperialists, the Arab reactionaries, and the monarchists who want to reinstate a new Shah.

Iran’s strategic control of the Strait of Hormuz delivered an economic shock to the whole world, forcing the west to recognize that the U.S. is not the world's peace keeper, but rather one of its most dangerous liabilities. Even most of the other imperialist European states would not support this U.S. venture, and the corresponding economic blow will leave an impact on U.S. markets for years to come.

In just over four weeks – with the blocking of the Strait and the unstoppable attacks on U.S. bases in the Gulf states, which are essentially U.S. protectorates – Iran may accomplish militarily what 47 years of diplomacy could not, the possibility that sanctions against its people could be lifted. Under a constant, strategic barrage from Iran, the U.S. abandoned those bases and those Arab regimes “in a day and a night,” as the old Arab adage goes, making it clear that it was never there to accomplish anything but secure the economic interests of U.S. imperialism.

The bravery of the people of Iran and the rest of the Axis of Resistance – plus supporters that reject and resist U.S. hegemony, like China, which has provided technology and materials to help Iran’s missile program and has bought close to 80% of Iran’s oil to lessen the impact of sanctions – have inspired the entire globe to recognize what anti-imperialists and those fighting for national liberation and economic independence have always believed, that the U.S. empire is a paper tiger prone to wild attempts to control the entire world, and that this overextension may eventually lead it to collapse and defeat.

But even with these new developments and the slight change in the regional game, Israel commits another war crime with impunity, and the U.S. again allows it. Our movement must continue to be in the streets to stop the bombing in Lebanon, and we must also recognize that a genocide in Gaza; ethnic cleansing, settler attacks, and land expropriation in Al-Quds and the West Bank; and racist death penalty laws targeting Palestinian political prisoners all continue unabated, so our struggle continues as well.

Iran’s defense of its nation and solidarity with the people of Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria has set a new standard in resisting empire in this world. It has proven, similar to Palestine and Lebanon, that no matter how powerful and well-funded Israel and the U.S. are, the people’s resistance will never be broken.

Long live international solidarity! Long live the struggle for a free and just world! Hands off Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine! End all U.S. sanctions and wars now!

U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN)

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

#USPCN #Palestine #Iran #Leabanon #AntiWarMovement

The Anti War Action Network (AWAN) called for a national day of action on Tax Day, April 15, to protest Trump’s costly war on Iran. President Trump has asked Congress to authorize an additional $200 billion for his war on Iran while at the same time cutting funding to scientific research, environmental protection, and various social programs including housing assistance, Medicaid and SNAP.

From the AWAN post on their Instagram @antiwaractionnetwork, “Organize an action in your community for Tax Day – April 15th – to show that we want our tax dollars spent on human needs like education and healthcare instead of bombing schools and destroying hospitals in Iran!”

Rae Minji, an organizer with Seattle Against War (SAW), said, “Mainstream media constantly lies to Americans the extent to which their tax dollars have been used for purposes that have nothing to do with national security and everything to do with the interests of the billionaires. We have a right to have a say in how our taxes are invested, and in order to make that a reality, we need to expose the actors responsible for the constant flow of our taxes dollars to bombs and genocide.”

Minji continued, “In SAW, we are flyering commuters in Washington Congressional District 9, which is the seat of Representative Adam Smith, one of the politicians who has been saying a lot about stopping Trump’s war on Iran, but hasn’t done anything meaningful. And no wonder: he personally benefits from war. His campaign funding almost entirely comes from AIPAC, Palantir, and other war-profiteering companies, and he operates the U.S. Military and Defense PAC. The hypocrisy is laughable.”

Cities participating include New York City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Tucson, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Washington D.C., Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, Tulsa, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Grand Rapids.

#AWAN #AntiWarMovement #TaxDay #Iran #NationalDayofAction #Featured

The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has confused people across the political spectrum. The Trump administration’s apparent unpreparedness for the war, the severe (and predictable) economic consequences of Iran closing off the Strait of Hormuz, and the total lack of any attempt to build support for the war among the U.S. population have made the war appear irrational to many people. So irrational, in fact, that some feel there must be another explanation — that Israel has somehow tricked, persuaded, or forced the U.S. into launching a war on Iran on Israel’s behalf. But this gets things backwards. When you look at Israel’s role in the Middle East, it becomes clear that the U.S. calls the shots.

Iran has been in the U.S. gunsights for a very long time, for a few reasons. Iran has a tremendous amount of oil. Iran’s geographic location gives it the ability to impact world oil trade, as people in the U.S. are quickly learning as they watch gas prices climb. And Iran has also stood up for Palestinian liberation in a major way, launching attacks on Israel in response to Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people and supporting pro-Palestinian military organizations in Lebanon and Yemen. For all these reasons, the U.S. not only wants to overthrow Iran’s government, it wants to control it.

Since October 7, 2023, millions of people in the U.S. have rallied to the Palestinian cause for national liberation. They’ve seen Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Many people are still stunned by the U.S.’s unyielding support for Israel, from both Biden and Trump, as the Palestinian death toll continues to rise. People have also seen the arrogance of Israeli officials as they’ve dictated how U.S. students protesting the war should be punished. It makes sense that many people see this latest war and think it must be at the behest of Israel, because most people in the U.S. aren’t taught the truth about U.S. imperialism in the Middle East.

But the U.S. doesn’t send Israel billions of dollars a year in financial and military support out of the kindness of its heart. Israel’s non-stop attempts at expansion, and its attacks on Palestine, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq over the decades have had a continual destabilizing effect on the entire Middle East. Israel’s endless wars create constant refugee crises, destroy infrastructure, weaken or collapse governments, and create opportunities for the U.S. to pit countries in the Middle East against each other. This is all very good news for big U.S. businesses who want to control Middle Eastern oil, natural resources and labor.

Israel simply would not be able to carry out its crimes without U.S. funding. The U.S could stop Israel any time it wants to by just cutting the financial support. And the U.S. doesn’t stop Israel because it supports Israel’s actions — they’re a good thing for the capitalist rulers of the U.S.

Controlling Iran has been a stated goal of U.S. foreign policy since Iran’s parliament and Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh nationalized Iran’s oil in 1951, just three years after the Nakba — the forced expulsion of 700,000 Palestinians from their homeland — and the birth of the state of Israel. British intelligence and the CIA launched a coup, taking Mosaddegh out of power and turning power back over to the notorious monarch Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The shah had no qualms about U.S. companies taking 40% of Iran’s oil shares — shares that belonged to the Iranian people. The shah ruled with U.S. support despite mounting unpopularity among Iranians.

In 1978 Iranians led a revolution that got rid of the shah and established the Islamic Republic of Iran. This meant no more oil profits for U.S. companies and a new, major force resisting U.S. imperialism in the Middle East. Iran’s support for anti-imperialist movements, opposition to Israel, and steadfast support for Palestinian liberation in particular, have cemented Iran as a target of U.S. aggression. To whatever extent the war on Iran is about protecting Israel, it’s about protecting it as a tool of U.S. aggression in the Middle East.

When right-winger Joe Kent resigned as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center last month, he said in a resignation letter that Israel and the U.S. media “deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined [Trump’s] America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran.” Kent also criticized U.S. involvement in the Syrian Civil War, claiming it was fought for Israel too. Make no mistake, Kent is not anti-war — he served 11 combat tours himself. People have made a lot of hay out of Kent’s remarks, perhaps out of the hope that if even a far-right figure like Kent could see that the war on Iran is a bad thing, other politicians would too, and would intervene to stop the war.

But Kent is missing the big picture. Joe Biden put it pretty well all the way back in 1986 when he was on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, when he said, “Were there not an Israel, the United States of America would have to invent an Israel to protect her interests in the region.” But there’s a difference between the interests of Biden or Trump or all the other politicians who have supported endless violence against Iran, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Palestine, and the interests of the vast majority of the people of the U.S. It’s ordinary working people that will have to deal with the economic consequences of war on Iran. Meanwhile, the big capitalists hope to make billions. And they’re using Israel as a tool to do it.

#Commentary #Opinion #Iran #Israel #AntiWarMovement