In war, it is always the people who primarily face and shoulder the consequences. Peaceful coexistence and democratic relations between countries, is the best way to achieve progress, and empower the people. In their tumultuous 20th century history, the Iranian people have struggled to achieve national unity and independence from foreign interference .
As an NGO, Mothers for Peace in Iran have been at the forefront of struggle for freedom, democracy and peace. We ask President Joe Biden and members of Congress to lift the crippling sanctions imposed by former President Trump, and unconditionally return to the nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which the US had unilaterally abandoned. This will clearly help restore the grounds for peace for the people of Iran and also the region at large. No doubt, Americans are aware that the Iranian people are suffering from the devastating consequences of these unprecedented sanctions.
According to all protocols and human rights treaties, all countries have the right to development. Differences can be overcome through dialogue and negotiations. First, do no harm – in other words, do not undermine any peace agreements in place, but rather expand on it. However, in violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA commitments, which had been ratified by 5+1 countries. Furthermore, as a policy of regime-change and destabilization, the Trump Administration engaged in state sponsored assassination, imposed harsh economic sanctions, and intimidated the US allies not to do business with Iran.
Trump’s election defeat reflected the failure of his strategy, which was based on racism, insecurity, and political violence that gripped the American people and the world. Biden’s success, however, was based on a platform of negotiations, protection of the environment, and confronting world pollution. Biden as a candidate explicitly stated that Trump acted against US interests by leaving the JCPOA agreement. He promised that he would return to JCPOA if he were elected as president and he would open a credible path for a diplomatic approach regarding Iran.
Now, nearly three months in the Biden administration, promises such as return to the World Health Organization, the protocols related to Covid 19, the Paris Climate Agreement, and a return to the UN Human Rights Organization have all been implemented in a speedy fashion. However, return to the nuclear deal JCPOA which had encouraged dialogue, peace and security has not moved forward. Historically, legally and morally, it is common that the party which had left the agreement, caused distrust and crisis, is required to take the first step to return to the agreement and compensate for the lost opportunities.
The US government must be aware that maximum pressure will increase poverty, violence, extremism, and insecurity for the people of Iran and the region. We explicitly call on the American government, members of the Congress to immediately pursue constructive negotiations to end violence and establish peace in the region by lifting sanctions and return to the JCPOA commitments. It is not just that the suffering people of Iran pay for conflicts outside of their control. We, the Mothers for Peace in Iran, explicitly declare that pursuing democracy in the country is the responsibility of the people of Iran. We expect the United States to step forward, facilitate engagement and pursue peace and security for Iran, the region, and the world by lifting sanctions and returning to the JCPOA commitments.