WE NEED DIPLOMACY, NOT SABRE-RATTLING  AGAINST IRAN, SAYS CANADIAN PEACE ALLIANCE

The decision by the Harper government to sever diplomatic ties with Iran and to expel all Iranian diplomats from Canada is a dangerous and unwanted escalation of the current crisis. The Canadian Peace Alliance condemns this decision and calls on the government of Canada to normalize relations and to call for a peaceful and negotiated settlement.

This is not the first time that the government of Canada has led the drive to war with Iran. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has stated publicly that Iran is the “greatest threat to world peace." The severing of diplomatic ties shows that, in fact, the Harper government is the real threat to peace and stability.

“The global community is calling for negotiation and dialogue to avert war,” said Sid Lacombe, coordinator of the Canadian Peace Alliance. “Keeping diplomatic channels open for that discussion is an absolute prerequisite to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict. The Harper government has just told the world that they don't care for peace and are instead paving the way to war.”

Iranian-Canadians also spoke out against the decision to sever ties.

“We are worried that these actions by the Harper government are a sign of imminent attack,” said Niaz Salimi, president of the Iranian Canadian Community Council. “We are opposed to any actions which brings us closer to war.”

A war with Iran would cause untold civilian deaths and could escalate into a much larger regional conflict. There is no credible evidence that Iran is using nuclear technology to create a weapon, yet the Canadian public is being asked, once again, to put its faith in fictitious claims about Weapons of Mass Destruction. The fact that no weapons were ever found in Iraq - and that the evidence of such a program was deliberately fabricated - renders any accusations against Iran extremely questionable.

This fall, Canadians will demonstrate their opposition to the possibility of war against Iran by joining anti-war events across Canada. For more information, visit www.acp-cpa.ca.

The Canadian Peace Alliance is the largest umbrella peace organization in English Canada. Founded in 1985, the Alliance represents over 180 labour, student, faith and community organizations across the country.

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DON'T ATTACK IRAN 

The Canadian government's suspension of diplomatic relations with Iran, raises serious questions about whether this is a prelude to war. 

This latest development takes place in the context of recent media reports that Israel may attack Iran before the US presidential elections in hopes it will draw the US and possibly other NATO countries into the conflict. 

WAR ON IRAN: WOULD BE AN ILLEGAL, MISGUIDED DISASTER

The recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report contains very little new information and still does not draw the conclusion that Iran is building a nuclear weapon. The report cites a series of tests that may be used for civilian or military purposes but doesn't point to any proof of the existence of a nuclear weapons program. It is instead a collection of unverified intelligence reports from “member states”. 

Regardless of the findings in the report, any use of military force against nuclear installations in Iran will be dangerous and illegal under international law and must therefore be opposed. 

Stephen Harper wants to militarize Canada. Under the Conservatives, military spending has reached its highest levels since World War II. There are now plans to expand Canadian military bases around the world. And the military is fast becoming a central thread in the fabric of society. We need to stop this new Canadian militarism.

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