'No war on Iran': New Yorkers rally against US and Israeli regime change plans
On a sweltering summer evening in New York City on Wednesday, hundreds of protesters assembled on the steps of the New York Public Library in Manhattan to convey what they said was a clear message to the city and country's elected officials: 'No War on Iran'.
The emergency protest, organised by a coalition of advocacy groups in New York and in several cities across the country, came as rumours swirled of a possible announcement of direct US military intervention in Israel's attacks on Iran.
More than 585 Iranians have been killed since Israel launched its aerial strikes on 13 June over claims Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
Though Israel said it would exclusively targeting Iran's nuclear programme and military sites, Israel has struck residential buildings, hospitals, civilian infrastructure and the Iranian state television headquarters, killing hundreds of civilians in what is largely being seen as a operation geared towards regime change in Iran.
Hospitals in Iran are reportedly overwhelmed with the injured and thousands have been searching for ways to evacuate the capital city, Tehran.
Protesters held up Palestinian flags, as well as signs urging for the bombardment to end. Several people waved placards that read: 'Money for people's needs. Not War with Iran'.
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Ahmad Shirazi, an Iranian-American film-maker based in New York City, told Middle East Eye that it would be a major catastrophe for the U.S and its allies if it attacked Iran.
"They tried in 1980. They were not successful. They cannot, and will not be able to get rid of one of the oldest countries in the world, like Iran," Shirazi said.
He said that both Israel and the U.S have been peddling lies for as long as he could remember.
Another protester, Philip, said that he had family currently in Iran and he was terrified for their safety.
"They are targetting civilians, water infrastructure. These are not precision [strikes]. I have family in Iran. They are afraid every night, he said.
Protesters carried placards calling for the U.S to deescalate tensions in the region (Azad Essa/MEE)
Spectre of US involvement
Though the US has denied direct involvement in Israel's strikes on Gaza, several reports indicated that not only has the US assisted Israel, it has also encouraged Israel to continue bombarding Tehran.
On Wednesday, three officials at the Arms Control Association, said American involvement in Israel's "illegal attacks" on Iran would "set back efforts to reach an effective nuclear agreement to block Iran's pathways to the Bomb".
The statement, released on Wednesday, said that a "consensus view among US intelligence agencies before Israel's bombing campaign was that Iran had not made a decision to move forward on building a bomb, and was several months away, if not longer, from being able to assemble a crude device.
"There was no imminent threat that Iran was weaponising its nuclear program before Israel's attack began."
For more than 20 months, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have taken to the streets to protest the ongoing war in Gaza.
Many at the protest on Tuesday said the impunity had allowed Israel to expand the war to Iran.
More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's war on Gaza;, which both human rights groups and genocide scholars have labelled a genocide.
On Friday, the UN Security Council will convene for a meeting to discuss the hostilities between Israel and Iran.
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