Campaign news

No war on Iran

26th January 2012

The risk of a new military conflict with, or military strike on, Iran has intensified. A new oil embargo will bans all new oil contracts with Iran, and cuts off all existing deals. Also, all of the Iranian central bank’s European assets are to be frozen. The sanctions come into force on 1 July.

The new sanctions will make it even more difficult for Iran, Opec’s second largest producer, to be paid in foreign currency for its oil exports (which were worth more than $100 billion in 2011). Previous rounds of EU and US sanctions targeting Iran’s financial system have already caused a shortage of foreign currency. A shortage of foreign currency means that Iran cannot import food at a time when food prices have already risen to astronomical levels. The Iranian rial has tumbled to a new low. But the sanctions are unlikely to dramatically weaken the regime. The rich and powerful are able to protect themselves to a large degree from the effects. In fact, leaders of sanctioned regimes are almost always strengthened (and enriched) by sanctions.

However, the sanctions will mean even more misery for ordinary Iranians: many workers will not receive their wages in time (if at all) and social security payments and the remaining food subsidies could be the first to be cut by a theocracy under financial pressure. This will only increase the hardship and miserable conditions that our brothers and sisters in Iran have had to endure for many years.

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan prove beyond doubt, democracy can only come from below, from the people themselves. But a people driven to their knees by brutal sanctions are hardly in the position to overthrow dictatorship. We know from history that sanctions are only the first step in wars being waged against ‘unfriendly’ regimes. A military attack against Iran is very much on the agenda. Should the regime in Tehran really decide to close the Strait of Hormuz, this could happen sooner rather than later.

That is why it is so important that we side now with the people of Iran in their struggle against their own theocracy and the threats by imperialism.

What can you do?
Support the Stop the War emergency protest this Saturday, 28 January
See the Hands Off the People of Iran website for more campaigning actions

Further reading:
Jeremy Corbyn’s Morning Star article

LRC chair John McDonnell MP has raised concerns in Parliament, asking the Foreign Secretary William Hague about the dirty war already underway. Hague’s response is hardly reassuring:

John McDonnell (Lab): There have been reports and allegations that covert military operations have already taken place in Iran, with bombings and assassinations. Will the Foreign Secretary confirm that the UK Government and the UK are not involved in the operations and that they do not support such intervention by foreign forces?

Mr Hague: We are not involved in, and we do not support, assassinations. Beyond that I do not comment on intelligence matters.