WLUML unequivocally and uncompromisingly rejects war. Conflicts such as the one unfolding in Iran and across the wider region disproportionately harm the most vulnerable members of society, especially women and children. At the same time, they undermine, and often reverse, the hard-won progress of local movements striving for democracy, human rights, and self-determination. Even in less severe cases, war stalls these critical efforts, delaying justice and deepening suffering for those already at risk. WLUML is especially concerned about the rise of violence faced both internally by the authoritarian regime and externally as a result of foreign aggression, with civilians paying the ultimate price. The people of Iran have risked, and continue to risk, their lives to demand dignity, equality, and self-determination, not foreign intervention, not militarization, and not bombs dropped in their name. Indeed, there is no recent historical precedent, from Afghanistan, Syria, Libya to devastating American war and internvention in Vitnam, that external military aggression has produced justice or human rights.What it produces instead is systematic devastation, intensified repression, and the silencing of the very voices it claims to defend. We reject the normalization of Israeli war methods that treat the destruction of schools, hospitals, and civilian life as acceptable. What is unfolding is the deliberate “Gaza-ization” of societies, a model of war based on disregard for human life, collective punishment, and the systematic dismantling of civilian existence.
The current escalation, particularly the deliberate and coordinated American and Israeli military attacks on Iran and across the region, including Lebanon, is a war of choice and a grave violation of international law. We also firmly condemn Iran’s retaliatory attacks on the Gulf states; even when intended for American bases and facilities, they inevitably produce civilian casualties and expand the cycle of violence. These wars of aggression flagrantly bypass the UN Charter and actively erode the fragile legal order evolved over centuries to restrain aggression and protect civilian life. This is not about security; it is the entrenchment and normalization of force over law. Its consequences are immediate and far-reaching: destruction on the ground, and deepening economic, social, and political instability across the region and beyond, especially in the Global South. We refuse to legitimize or normalize a world in which war is once again presented as a legitimate instrument of political change.
For those of us engaged in feminist movements, this moment is particularly alarming. For decades, women’s movements, including the Iranian and WLUML, have worked to advance non-violent strategies, to open spaces for dialogue, and to challenge militarized and authoritarian forms of power. Militarization not only destroys lives and infrastructure; it actively dismantles and reverses these hard-won gains. It silences civil society, strengthens authoritarian tendencies, and rolls back fragile but vital progress toward democratic transformation.
At the regional level, any sustainable path forward must address the root causes of ongoing conflict. Without a just, enforceable, and rights-based resolution to the Palestinian question, grounded in international law and the recognition of Palestinian rights, efforts at de-escalation will remain fragile and incomplete.
We stand firmly against this war, not only because of its immediate devastation, but because of what it represents: a dangerous return to the logic of force over justice, domination over rights, and violence over dialogue.
The voices of women across the region remind us that another path is possible. It is a path grounded not in war, but in dignity, equality, and collective freedom. It is this path that must urgently and decisively be pursued.
Women’s movements across the region have consistently warned against militarization. Their experience shows that cycles of violence and retaliation do not create security. What they produce instead is prolonged and entrenched conflict, deepened divisions, and the systematic exclusion of those most affected. Peace cannot be imposed through force; it must be built through justice, accountability, and inclusive political processes.
In light of this, we call for a decisive and immediate reorientation away from war and toward political solutions grounded in rights, accountability, and collective participation. We demand:
- An immediate halt to military escalation and all acts of aggression. Full adherence to international law, with binding and enforceable measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
- Urgent diplomatic engagement to de-escalate tensions and prevent further regional expansion of the conflict.
- Support for inclusive political processes in Iran that reflect the demands of its people, including the release of political prisoners.
- Meaningful and institutionalized inclusion of women and civil society actors in all peacebuilding and political negotiations.