October 28 MAWO Public Forum Report

On October 28, more than 35 people, Iranians and non-Iranians alike, participated in a forum titled ‘No War on Iran!’ at the North Vancouver Neighbourhood House. The forum was organized by the Iranian Community Against War (ICAW) and Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO).

The program began with a multimedia presentation titled ‘Don’t Iraq Iran’ which showed the culture and history of the Iranian people through images of Iran. This presentation was followed by another multimedia feature about the US’ current campaign for war against Iran. A final film clip explained some history of US-Iran relations, in particular the election of Dr. Mohammed Mosaddegh in 1953 and how the United States overthrew the elected democratic government of Mosaddegh in order to established the puppet Shah dictatorship through a coup involving British secret police and the CIA.

Payvand Pejvack, an organizer with the Iranian Community Against War (ICAW) was the MC of the event. She began with an introduction on explaining the current US drive for war against the people of Iran, which includes a massive military buildup in the Persian gulf, the occupation of two of Iran’s neighbouring countries, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as a massive propaganda campaign against Iran in the media. Payvand invited participants to get involved with activities organized by MAWO or ICAW.

Arash Sharifi, another organizer with the Iranian Community Against War (ICAW) talked about his recent trip to Iran. He emphasized the need for unity within the Iranian community around the world to oppose war on Iran and stressed that we should not get confused by US maneuvers against Iran. The impending war on Iran is a serious situation and the antiwar movement must take this threat as a political campaign.

The final speaker was Ali Yerevani, the political editor of the Fire This Time newspaper, an organizer with the Iranian Community Against War (ICAW), and a participant in the 1979 Iranian Revolution. He spoke on why the United States continues its aggression against the people of Iran: because the Iranian people have a long history of resisting imperialist aggression and successfully established an independent country apart from US dominance after the 1979 Iranian revolution.

Afterward there was a lively discussion as participants asked questions to understand what needs to be done to build an effective antiwar movement against war on Iran, and why it is so important to demand self-determination for Iranian people and to oppose any military aggression or sanctions against Iran.

Payvand closed the event, explaining the need to organize more events against war on Iran and why it is vitally important to expand the work of ICAW and MAWO into the Iranian and non-Iranian Community in North Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Please join MAWO and ICAW for a rally against war on Iran on Saturday, November 22, 2PM at the Vancouver Art Gallery (Robson @ Howe in downtown Vancouver).

HANDS OFF IRAN!
DON’T ATTACK IRAN!