'We Apologize' for Trump's Aggression, Americans Say in Letter to Iranians
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The peace advocacy group CodePink is collecting American signatures for a letter apologizing to the Iranian people for US aggression, particularly President Donald Trump's decision on January 3 to order the assassination of Lt. General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.
"As Americans committed to peace and the safety of all people, we, the undersigned, apologize for the actions of our reckless, hate-filled president," the letter says, "and pledge to do everything we can to stop Trump's aggression, remove the crippling sanctions you are suffering under, and resume a process of diplomacy with your country.”
In a tweet about Saturday's demonstrations, CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin warned that war was still a very real possibility, Common Dreams reported.
"Think we avoided war with Iran a few weeks ago?" said Benjamin. "Think again. We are still on the brink."
CodePink's letter condemns in no uncertain terms the continuing conflict.
"The recent US actions towards Iran are the most dangerous and provocative of all of Donald Trump's foreign policy decisions," reads the letter. "The assassination of Gen. Soleimani—ordered by President Trump and carried out on sovereign Iraqi soil—risked the safety of the entire world, set a dangerous precedent, and was likely illegal under international law."
"Please accept our hand in friendship," says the letter. "May the peacemakers prevail over those who sow hatred and discord."
General Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy head of Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha'abi (PMU), and a number of their entourage were killed in a strike by American drones near Baghdad International Airport on Friday, January 3.
The White House and the Pentagon claimed responsibility for the assassination of General Soleimani in Iraq, saying the attack was carried out at the direction of Trump.
In the early hours of Wednesday, January 8, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) targeted the US airbase of Ain al-Assad in retaliation for the US move.
