August 21 Forum Report

On August 21st, 2008 Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO) and the Iranian Community Against War (ICAW) organized a successful forum entitled “No War on Iran! No Sanctions on Iran! U.S. Hands Off Iran!” at the Whalley Public Library in Surrey.

The forum was opened with 2 short films about elements of the history of US intervention in Iran. They highlighted the 1953 US-backed coup that overthrew the independent government of Mohammad Mosaddeq in order to reinstate the US puppet government of the Shah of Iran. This was followed by a segment of “Don’t Iraq Iran!” that paints a picture of Iranian society through photos of life in Iran today. For those who do not know much about the country and learn about Iran only through the lens of the mass media and war drive propaganda, seeing the architecture, landscape and people of the country is very eye-opening.

The MC of the forum Payvand Pejvack, organizer with the Iranian Community Against War (ICAW) welcomed everyone to the event. She began the forum by emphasizing the dangerous situation facing Iran with European Union, United Nations and US sanctions towards Iran. She also encouraged new participants to get involved to organize and demand an end to all sanctions, aggressions and attacks toward Iran.

Following Payvand, Arash Sharifi another organizer with the Iranian Community Against War (ICAW) spoke about the necessity to organize against any attacks on Iran. He emphasized how important it is to have consistent actions and events to educate people about the destruction that an attack on Iran would cause for the Iranian people. He explained that US, UK, NATO and Canadian war drives have caused untold destruction to Iraq and Afghanistan and that he does not want to see that happen to Iran as well.

The next speaker was Ali Yerevani, Political Editor of Fire This Time, organizer with the Iranian Community Against War and 1979 participant of the Iranian Revolution. Ali highlighted how the US wants to regain hegemony in the Middle East and control over Iran is essential to their strategy as Iran plays an important role as a political, economical, and social pillar of the region.

Speakers were followed by a lively discussion and questions that highlighted the need to organize ongoing forums and public discussions on the US ongoing war drive against Iran.

The entire evening was covered by Press TV, an Iranian News Agency. For more information on the Press TV media coverage check out:
www.presstv.com