We at WLUML are deeply distraught by the attack of Israel and the United States on Iran and the spread of war and destruction that now has reached Iran, after Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. The escalation of expansionist imperialist war, builds on years of atrocities across the region under the eyes and aids of the USA and EU states as they preach human rights and the values of democracy, yet they have been indifferent not just to international law but also the strong objection of their own nations that have taken to the streets time and again to object to these inhuman wars and genocide. We unequivocally condemn such military actions, which bring destruction, insecurity, and death while disproportionately harming women and children.
As a transnational feminist solidarity network, WLUML has long worked to amplify the voices of feminists and women’s rights advocates in the region, including Iranian activists, many of whom have paid a heavy price for their non-violent resistance against a misogynistic and brutal Iranian regime. The most recent wave of protests in Iran, under the rallying cry of “Woman, Life, Freedom” in 2022, emerged from decades of grassroots struggle against patriarchy, systemic violence, and injustice. The maturity of this pro-democracy movement, rooted in intersectional and feminist principles, has inspired women not only across the region but around the world. With women and youth at the forefront, Iranians have united to protest the regime and, more importantly, to collectively envision and work toward a democratic and egalitarian alternative. Launching the war in Iran not only does not bring peace and stability to the region but also endangers the achievements of decades of civil society efforts towards building a democratic society and a state responsive to their demands.
As feminists, we reject all forms of militarism, colonial expansion, and patriarchal state violence. War is never a path to justice, it breeds authoritarianism, deepens inequality, and ravages the Earth. We reject the false binary that forces people to choose between domestic repression and foreign aggression. We denounce both. Neither Israeli and American warplanes nor Iran’s internal repression reflect the will or interests of the people, especially women, children, and marginalized groups, who are always the first to suffer and the last to be heard.
We envision a world where conflicts are resolved through diplomacy, dialogue, and mutual respect, not through bombs, blockades, or sanctions. Feminist values demand not only peace, but also justice, environmental care, which seems to be the silent victim of wars and profit-seeking policies, and the right of all peoples to determine their own futures, free from violence, whether imposed from within or abroad.
We refuse to let the language of liberation be weaponized in service of occupation, nor will we stay silent as imperial powers redraw borders with fire and blood. We call on feminists and justice-loving people across the world to raise their voices, build solidarity, and resist the deadly machinery of war.
A feminist future is a demilitarized future, built on the pillars of justice, dignity, sustainability, and respect for life.
22 June 2025