Oppose the war and reject foreign interference
As you read this either the uneasy ceasefire between Iran and the US/Israel is still standing or we are back to a ‘hot’ war. Hopefully, though, there will be a peace deal.
Notwithstanding that, on 28 February, the United States and Israel launched a large‑scale military attack on Iran - an escalation that plunged the region into deeper instability and placed millions of civilians in immediate danger. Initial justifications centred on claims of preventing “support for people’s struggles”, but these were rapidly replaced by shifting objectives: talk of “regime change”, stopping alleged “nuclear weapons development”, and “limiting Iran’s missiles”. What emerged was not a strategy for peace or democracy, but a clear pursuit of a reshaped “New Middle East” that directly undermines the aspirations of people across the region.
The consequences have been devastating. Communities in Iran faced unprecedented bombardment by US and Israeli forces. At the same time, the Iranian authorities used and are using the crisis to intensify repression - arresting and persecuting protesters and branding them “foreign mercenaries”. The war has resulted in the deaths of government officials, but its wider impact has been the widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure and livelihoods.
This conflict spilled far beyond Iran’s borders, deepening suffering for workers and impoverished communities throughout the region. What is unfolding is precisely the situation long encouraged by reactionary forces, including Iranian monarchist factions and war advocates who present military intervention as a route to liberation while ignoring the human cost.
PCS is clear: this war runs directly counter to the struggles of the Iranian people. Those who have fought for 47 years against the repression of the Islamic Republic found themselves caught between US and Israeli bombardment on one side and intensified state repression on the other. It is workers, young people, and women - those leading Iran’s movements for equality and freedom - who are bearing the heaviest burden.
Our responsibility
Trade unions and the wider labour movement have a duty to respond. This war was not and is not a path to liberation. It endangers the lives and rights of the very people whose democratic struggles must be supported.
PCS called on trade unionists and allies to:
1. Oppose the war
Demand an immediate end to US and Israeli military attacks on Iran, and call for de‑escalation across the region.
2. Reject foreign interference
Oppose any attempt by the US to impose a “puppet” government on Iran. Stand instead with the people of Iran in their own fight for freedom, equality, and democratic rights.
PCS stands firmly with workers, democratic movements and all those striving for peace and justice. International solidarity is essential - and it is needed now more than ever.