An American peace advocacy group has collected more than 10,000 signatures for an open letter apologizing to the Iranian nation for the US aggression, particularly President Donald Trump’s “reckless” decision to order the assassination of senior Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani. An American peace advocacy group has collected more than 10,000 signatures for an open letter apologizing to the Iranian nation for the US aggression, particularly President Donald Trump’s “reckless” decision to order the assassination of senior Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.
"As Americans committed to peace and the safety of all people, we, the undersigned, apologize for the actions of our reckless, hate-filled president," the letter by CODEPINK reads. The activists further to “do everything we can to stop Trump's aggression, remove the crippling sanctions you are suffering under, and resume a process of diplomacy with your country."
“The American people do not want a war with Iran. We want to live in peace and harmony. Please accept our hand in friendship. May the peacemakers prevail over those who sow hatred and discord.”
The peace advocacy group is sending the letter, both in English and Farsi, and a video version to the Iranian press.
The Farsi version of the apology letter has been read out by Jewish American graduate student Lindsay Saligman, who traveled to Iran in March 2019. She has since worked to promote greater understandings between Iranians and Americans.
President Trump brought the US and Iran to the brink of a military conflict early this month by ordering a drone strike that assassinated General Soleimani in Baghdad.
Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, has been hailed in the region for leading the fight against terrorist groups like Daesh.
Iran responded to Trump’s aggression by launching a ballistic-missile attack on American military posts in Iraq.
On Saturday, a coalition of anti-war activists organized protest rallies across the US and the world to slam the Trump administration for “a dangerous escalation of the conflict.”
In a tweet about the demonstrations, CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin warned that war was still a very real possibility. "Think we avoided war with Iran a few weeks ago?" said Benjamin. "Think again. We are still on the brink."
People everywhere are signing CODEPINK’s open letter of apology to the people of Iran. https://t.co/d1qwKg0ozk
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) January 23, 2020
“The rallies, apology letter, congressional bills, city council resolutions--these are all ways that we, as Americans, are trying to stop Trump from taking us into a war with Iran,” said CODEPINK activist Ariel Gold, who visited Iran on a peace delegation in October.