Intl. campaign calls for lifting of sanctions on Iran

TEHRAN,Feb.25(MNA) – The International Action Center (IAC) has posted a statement entitled “Hands off Iran!” that calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions against Iran on its website and calls on the world’s peace-loving people to sign on to it. The IAC is an activist group founded by former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark. It supports anti-imperialist movements around the world and opposes U.S. military intervention in all circumstances. The group has said that support of the legal and legitimate rights of the Iranian people for self-determination and sovereignty is growing just ahead of a new round of negotiations between Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany), which is set for February 26 in Kazakhstan. The group has also said that the statement demanding the immediate lifting of sanctions and an end to war threats on Iran, which has been drafted by SI Solidarity with Iran and initially endorsed by Ramsey Clark and the IAC, has gained the support of many known antiwar activists. Following is the text of the statement which also calls for recognition of the right of the Iranian people to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes: Hands off Iran! There are two sides in this dispute, one composed of the U.S. and its allies in the European Union who accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons – without presenting even an iota of credible facts or supporting documents – and the other, Iran, which is striving to protect its right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes based on provisions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Using an unfounded accusation as a pretext for acts of aggressions, one side of the dispute headed by the U.S. empire is currently punishing the other side, Iran, with the genocidal sanctions, an inhuman act that has endangered the life of 10s of millions of innocent Iranian citizens for their “crime” of deciding to live independent and free from the yoke of hegemonic powers. The excuse for these aggressions is an allegation that has strongly been denied by Iranian officials and international organizations such as the Non-Aligned Movement representing 120 countries. Furthermore, the charge against Iran on intending to develop nuclear weapons has even been refuted by the intelligence agencies of the U.S. government itself. One side to this dispute has continuously shown its imperial arrogance through war crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria and by fully backing the repeated Israeli mass killings of the Palestinian people, and the other, Iran, has not initiated any war against any nation since its people overthrow the U.S. puppet regime of Shah back in 1979. That record matched with the current position of Iran on opposing wars elsewhere in the world indicates the fact that Iran wishes to live in peace with other nations. Knowing the facts and the real stands of each party to this dispute, all those who love freedom and truth cannot remain silent or impartial in the “negotiations” between these two opposing camps? In these negotiations one side is the oppressor and the other side is oppressed. One side is after domination, exploitation and plunder and the other side is looking to preserve its right to self-determination and sovereignty. One side represents the privileged interests of the big capitalist forces, which constitute less than 1% of the world’s population, and the other is struggling for peace, independence and justice, causes in common with the interests of the 99ers. For these reasons we side with Iran and we urge all activists in the international peace movement to join us in signing this statement and raising the demands: 1) Lift immediately all sanctions and stop threats of war against Iran 2) Recognize the right of the Iranian people to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes 3) Hands off Iran