DON’T ATTACK IRAN – IAWM PR

IRISH ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT (IAWM) PRESS RELEASE: 19 JUNE 2019
Don’t Attack Iran!
The Irish Anti-War Movement is totally opposed to any attack on Iran.
Like Jeremy Corbyn, former UK ambassador Craig Murray and many others we do not believe that there is credible evidence that Iran attacked tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
As Craig Murray has pointed out it is highly implausible that Iran would attack a Japanese oil tanker at the very moment the Japanese Prime Minister was sitting down to friendly, US-disapproved of, talks in Tehran on economic cooperation that can help Iran survive US sanctions.
And as he also notes: “The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was holed above the water line. That rules out a torpedo attack, which is what is claimed. The second vessel, the Front Altair, is Norwegian owned and 50% Russian crewed. It is owned by Frontline, a massive tanker leasing company that also has a specific record of being helpful to Iran in continuing to ship oil despite sanctions. It was Iran that rescued the crews and helped bring the damaged vessels under control. That Iran would target a Japanese ship and a friendly Russian crewed ship is a ludicrous allegation”.
But regardless of this particular dispute it is abundantly clear that a further war in the already war-torn and devastated region would be a catastrophe for all the peoples caught up in it, including ordinary US soldiers. Iran is more than three times the size of Iraq with more than double its population. The idea that Iran could be invaded and subdued is utter madness. It would inevitably involve a prolonged war costing hundreds of thousands, probably millions of lives.

IRISH ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT (IAWM) PRESS RELEASE: 19 JUNE 2019
Don’t Attack Iran!
The Irish Anti-War Movement is totally opposed to any attack on Iran.
Like Jeremy Corbyn, former UK ambassador Craig Murray and many others we do not believe that there is credible evidence that Iran attacked tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
As Craig Murray has pointed out it is highly implausible that Iran would attack a Japanese oil tanker at the very moment the Japanese Prime Minister was sitting down to friendly, US-disapproved of, talks in Tehran on economic cooperation that can help Iran survive US sanctions.
And as he also notes: “The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was holed above the water line. That rules out a torpedo attack, which is what is claimed. The second vessel, the Front Altair, is Norwegian owned and 50% Russian crewed. It is owned by Frontline, a massive tanker leasing company that also has a specific record of being helpful to Iran in continuing to ship oil despite sanctions. It was Iran that rescued the crews and helped bring the damaged vessels under control. That Iran would target a Japanese ship and a friendly Russian crewed ship is a ludicrous allegation”.
But regardless of this particular dispute it is abundantly clear that a further war in the already war-torn and devastated region would be a catastrophe for all the peoples caught up in it, including ordinary US soldiers. Iran is more than three times the size of Iraq with more than double its population. The idea that Iran could be invaded and subdued is utter madness. It would inevitably involve a prolonged war costing hundreds of thousands, probably millions of lives.
The alternative to a land invasion – bombing from the air – is equally abhorrent and dangerous. Not only would it inflict massive civilian casualties, but as Iran would inevitably retaliate, perhaps by actually attacking tankers and closing the Hormuz Strait, it would enormously increase the likelihood of a disastrous land war.
The fact that the two major advocates of an attack on Iran are the criminal warmongering regimes of Saudi Arabia and Netanyahu’s Israel is itself an argument against this course of action, while making it absolutely clear that this has nothing to do with the human rights record of Iran, which we in no way defend.
The last thing any of the peoples of the Middle East or the world need is another appalling war. We call on the Irish Government to make a strong and public stand against any attack on Iran.
Contact:
John Molyneux, Secretary, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 085 735 6424
Jim Roche, PRO Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 6472737
Glenda Cimino, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 086 124 9456
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