Protesters condemn Canadian complicity in American campaign of aggression against Iran
Protesters listen to speeches in front of the U.S. Embassy. (Aidan Jonah/The Canada Files)
Written by: Aidan Jonah
Hundreds of protesters came out to the U.S. embassy in solidarity with Iranian-Canadians and protested Canada’s complicity in the U.S. war agenda against Iran.
The historical context
In 1979, the US-imposed Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was removed from office by the Islamic Revolution.
In May 2018, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Iran Nuclear Deal by imposing imposed sanctions on the Iranian oil sector which constituted the violation of the JCPOA. This was a deal signed where Iran began to denuclearize in exchange for the removal of crippling economic sanctions.
Over the next few years, Trump has imposed crippling sanctions on all sectors of the Iranian economy. In particular, they have targeted the nation’s financial institutions.
Recent context
On Jan. 3, Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was assassinated on the direct orders of US President Donald Trump.
That day, the U.S. military sent an additional 3,000 soldiers to the Middle East. The deployment of additional soldiers from a brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division, came in addition to the 650 others already deployed in the region.
President Trump continued to escalate the conflict by threatening to target 52 important Iranian cultural sites.
On Jan. 8, tragedy struck as Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS752 was shot down by Iranian forces, killing 176 passengers including 57 Canadians. After initially denying responsibility, Iran’s President, Hassan Rouhani said "Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake." He vowed to prosecute those responsible.
The protest
Saman Tabasinejad of the No War with Iran coalition said she co-organized the protest to help people understand the lived realities of Iranian-Canadians and build solidarity between groups opposed to war with Iran.
The protesters assembled in front of the U.S. Embassy on University street at noon. For the next two hours, speakers from groups across the political spectrum condemned US aggression and economic warfare against Iran.
Suzanne Weiss of Independent Jewish Voices condemned President Trump and said he “is trying to strangle and starve Iran through crippling sanctions, which meant to bring them to their knees.”
Pouyan Tabasinejad of the Iranian-Canadian council attacked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for failing to stand up to President Trump and said he has been “following every dangerous American action on the world stage,” and causing tremendous harm to Iranian-Canadians in the process.
Fewer than ten pro-war protesters continuously blared loud music and accosted peaceful anti-war protesters throughout the protest.
The NDP MP for Hamilton Centre, Matthew Green, slammed the small pro-war group and said, “those who have the most rabid calls for war are the least likely to fight them, and the most likely to profit.” Green promised he would “never vote to send our troops to fight for foreign interests in foreign wars.”
The rally concluded soon after, with the organizers thanking protesters and speakers for coming out in “cold and rainy weather to support the fight against U.S. imperialism.”
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