To:
the American People
Open Letter to the American
People
In the wake of the death of tens of
thousands of Iraqis and over twelve
thousand Americans killed or
wounded, immeasurable destruction,
and continuing instability resulting
from the US occupation of Iraq, we
the undersigned express our deep
alarm at the prospect of US direct
or indirect military action in Iran.
We firmly believe that the
discontent with, and opposition to,
the ruling theocracy in Iran does
not mean that the Iranian people
support military operations against
their country by the United States
or any other foreign power. Iranians
still remember the serious blow to
freedom in Iran by the US covert
operation against the democratically
elected government of Dr. Mossadegh
in 1953.
Iran is a country three times the
size and population of Iraq, with a
history of struggle against foreign
invaders that dates back thousands
of years. The human cost, in terms
of Iranian and American lives, of
any US military intervention in Iran
may prove to be much higher than in
Iraq, with incalculable damage to
Iran's economy and national assets.
Any invasion or bombing of Iran will
increase militarism, strengthen the
grip of religious fanatics over the
state and nation, and further erode
democratic and human rights in Iran.
We ask you to oppose any military
intervention in Iran and work to
promote genuine peace in the region.
INITIAL ENDORSERS:
Ervand Abrahamian (Distinguished
Professor, Baruch College and the
Graduate Center CUNY); Manouchehr
Absalan; Soltan Abazied (MD, Paris);
Janet Lippman Abu-Lughod (Emeritus
Professor of Sociology, New School
University, NY); Deena Abu-Lughod
(NY); Geoff Adelsberg (Student,
WESPAC Foundation, Valhalla, NY);
Marc Adelsberg (Psychologist,
Valhalla, NY); Lori Adelsberg
(Valhalla, NY); Michelle Akinsanya
(Student, White Plains, NY); Kazem
Alamdari (PhD, Lecturer, California
State University, LA, CA); Nasim
Alikhani (NY); Todd Allen
(Programmer, Chicago, IL); Jay Amiri;
Jessica Andreu (Student, Valhalla,
NY); Amir Hossein Ansari: Hormoz
Ashtyani (MD, Chief of Pulmonary
Department and Clinical Director of
Sleep Disorder, Hackensack
University Medical Hospital, NJ);
Pooyan Aslan (PhD Candidate,
Polytechnic University, Brooklyn,
NY); Koosha Aslani (Master student
at CCNY Biomedical Engineering
Dept); Shams Atassi (Economist,
Syria); Robert Avila (San Francisco
Bay Guardian); Hojjat Babaei; Ana
Bacic (Princeton, NJ); Hassan Bahari;
Narges Bajoghli (Boston, MA); Ramin
Bajoghli (Boston University); Javad
Bajoghli (Virginia); Pari Bajoghli
(Virginia); Rahim Bajoghli
(Virginia); Ali-Reza Bani-fazl
(China); Reza Baraheni (Former
President of PEN Canada, University
of Toronto); Laleh Bashardoost; Amin
Bayat; Dr. Mansur Bayatzadeh;
Khosrow Behnam (Vancouver, Canada);
Nasrin Behnam (Beautician, Austin);
Ryan Bennet (NY); Robin Beringer
(Clinical Psychologist, Albany, CA):
Faramarz Bineshpour; Mary Bisharat
(Grandmothers for Peace
International, Sacramento, CA);
Professor K A Bisharat (California
State University); Aboulfazle
Bitolahpour; Ali Bodaghi; Dr Rebecca
Boehling (Associate Professor,
Department of History University of
Maryland, Baltimore, MD); Magda
Bogin (Tepoztlan, MX); Martin S
Booth (Fairview, NJ); Beth Brill
(West Chester, PA); Phyllis Brodsky
(MPA, Bronx, NY); Nabil Bushnag
(Head of Ibn-Rushd Institute for
Free Thought, Palestine); Joseph
Capone (Flemington, NJ); Jesse
Carsten (Student, Valhalla, NY);
Dario Cecchi (University of Rome,
Rome, Italy); Fabrizio Cecchi (Rome,
Italy); Ali Chakeri (Zand) (Paris);
John T Chalcraft (Lecturer in Modern
Middle Eastern History, University
of Edinburgh); Thomas Chapman (DMD,
NJ); C Chaqueri (PhD, historian and
author, Paris); Majid Chitsaz (PhD,
Asst Professor of Engineering, Penn
State University, Scranton, PA);
Chanette Chopin (Teaneck, NJ);
Miriam Cohen (Poughkeepsie, NY);
Jessica Collins (Tulane University,
New Orleans, LA); Robert Craig
(Chicago, IL); Ruth N Cray (Retired,
Evanston, IL); Charles Cutietta
Olsen (WESPAC Foundation, Valhalla,
NY); Rosanna Cutietta Olsen
(Valhalla, NY); Hamid Dabashi
(Kevorkian Professor of Iranian
Studies, Columbia University); Mehdi
Daghighi; Henry Dallal (London, UK);
Dr Arlene Dallalfar (Lesley College,
Cambridge, MA); John Daly
(Washington Township, NJ); Darioush
Danesh; Hooshidar Daragahi (MD,
Chicago, IL); Rakhshaneh Daryoush;
Arash Davari (LA, CA); Farah Davari
(LA, CA); Mohammed Davari (LA, CA);
Sarah Davidson (NY); Lene Deming
(Student, Valhalla, NY); Joanna
Donohue (Emerson, NJ); Afsaneh
Donyavi; Mary Doyle; Laura el-Sabaawi
(Tulane University, New Orleans,
LA); Abas Emami; Shirin Emami;
Louise Espy (NYC); Morchid Ezzi
(Businessman, Lebanon); Reza
Farazdaghi; Aundrea Fares (NYC);
Mansour Farhang; Mehran Fatehi;
Abbas Fathi (Maryland); Reza Fathi
(PhD, Pharmaceutical Sciences); Alan
Felsen (MD, Hackensack University
Hospital, NJ); Adam Fienberg
(teacher, NY); Michelle Fine
(Distinguished Professor of
Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center,
NY); Fadia Foda (Researcher and
Sociologist, Palestine); Manzar
Foroohar (History Professor,
California Polytechnic State
University, San Luis Obispo, CA);
Janet Forrester (JD, NY); Henry
Fracolossy (Paramus, NJ); Betty
Fussell (writer, NY); Mark
Gasiorowski (Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge, LA); Annie
Gauger (Boston ); Francois Gemenne
(London School of Economics);
Shahram Ghanberi (Social Researcher,
Paris, France); Hamid Gholampour
(Vancouver, Canada); Barbara L.
Ghoshal (Secretary, Northwestern
University, Des Plaines, IL); Ronesh
K. Ghoshal (Student, Univ of
Illinois,Champaign, IL); Shirin Gill
(Photographer, San Antonio); Rev
Johnny Glanton (Resurrection Mission
Baptist Church, Newark, NJ); Annie
Glanton (Westwood, NJ); Ray Gonzales
(Wyckoff, NJ); Ezzat Goushegir
(Playwright, Chicago, IL); Sharlyn
Grace (Student, Peace Project, NU,
Evanston, IL); Christopher
Gunderson; Dr. Babak Haghighi (DDS,
Monclair, NJ); Dr Elaine C Hagopian
(Professor Emerita of Sociology,
Simmons College, Boston, MA); Farhad
Hajbabaei; Paula Hajjar (Educator,
NY); Reza Hamidian; Afsaneh Hamidian;
Ali Asghar Haj-Seyed-Javadi
(writer); Michael Hanagan (Vassar
College); Markie Hancock (Filmaker,
NY); Farideh Harandi (Lawyer,
Chicago, IL); Stephen Martin Harper
(Rio de Janeiro ); Ali Hashemi;
Hassan Hashemi; William Hastings
(PhD, Fordham University, NY);
Janice Hayden (Importer, Concord,
MA); Caitlin K Henry (NY); Sami
Hermez (graduate student, Department
of Anthropology, Princeton
University); Taraneh Farjad (NY);
Mateo Hinojosa (Teacher Peace
Project NU, Evanston, IL); Eliza
Hobson (Portsmouth, NH ); Maria Höhn
(Associate Professor of History,
Vassar College); Hamid Hosseini
(Distinguished Professor of
Economics and International
Business, King's College,
Wilkes-Barre, PA); Hengameh M
Hosseini (Adjunct Professor, King's
College, Wilkes-Barre, PA); Nubar
Hovsepian (Associate Professor,
History, Chapman University);
Lucille Isaacs; Hossein Jafari;
Guissou Jahangiri (journalist,
France); Mohsen Jalali; Aasam
Javanrudi; Hossein Janshekar; Naghi
Jorabchi; Ghasem Kahed; Kazem
Kardavani (author and scholar);
Diane Kargahi (Chicago, IL);
Mohammad Kargahi (Chicago, IL);
Ahmad Karimi; Parivash Kashani (LA,
CA); Leili Kashani (NY University);
Vida Kashizadeh; Carrie Kaufman
(NY); Sorosuh Kazemi (CA); Edmund
Leroy Keeley (Princeton, NJ); Mary
Keeley (Princeton, NJ ); Karen
Kennerly (writer, NY); Dr Walter
Kernan (Yale University of
Medicine); Houshang Keshavaraz Sadr
(Social Researcher, Paris, France);
Ali Keshavarzian (MD, Professor and
Director, Section of
Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Rush
Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical
Center, Chicago); Laleh Khalili
(Researcher, University of
Edinburgh); Lili Khansari
(Architect, NY); Zohreh Khayam
(Human Rights activist); Hadi
Khazravi; Ali Reza Khonsari (MD,
Radiologist, Wabash, IN); MA
Khonsary (MD, MS,
Internist/Cardiologist, Oradell,
NJ); Ardeshir Khooee; Fred Khosravi
(Chicago, IL); Mehid Kia; John
Kilper (Tulane University); Shirin
Kolbadi (Virginia); Carmel P Kooros
(PhD student, New School
University); Nicole Lalla (Student,
Valhalla, NY); Piruz Latifi; Chad
Lavin (New Orleans, LA); Joan Litman
(NY); Mehrdad Madresehee (PhD,
Professor of Economics, Lycoming
College, Williamsport, PA); Kaveh
Maguire (Oradell, NJ); Ali
Mahalatinia (Engineer, Vallejo,
California); Azar Mahloujian
(writer, Sweden); Farhad Mahmoudian;
Christina Maile (Architect, NY);
Alexander Majidi (PhD, NY); Stacy
Malyil (The Feminist Press, NY);
Anne Manning (NY); Manij Marashi (Womens
rights advocate, Evanston, IL);
Alane Mason (NY); Hossein Masoudi
(Physical Therapist Albany, CA);
Akbar Masoombeigi; Noel McCarthy
(Valhalla, NY); Susan McCarthy
(Valhalla, NY); Nick McColl
(Valhalla, NY); Mary Jean McGuire
(Somerville, MA); Dr. Essie Meisami
(Dept. of Molecular & Integrative
Physiology University of Ilinois at
Urbana- Champaign); Elizabeth Mertic
(World Citizen, Neighbors for Peace,
Evanston, IL); Professor Farzaneh
Milani (Professor of Persian and
Women Studies, University of
Virginia); Mehran Mirabdolbaghi;
Assad Moayed (TMCS Inc, Sacramento,
CA); Jilla Moazami (International
Peace Academy, NY); Behrooz Moazami
(Tulane University); Mahla Moazami
(Virginia); Masood Modaress; Ali
Moeini; Maliehe Mohammadi; Parviz
Mohassel (Architect, NY); Elahe
Mohtadi; Bagher Momeni (historian
and writer, Paris); Nastaran
Moossavi; Leda Mora (Little Ferry,
NJ); Parvaneh Moussavian (PHARM D);
Zohreh Movahed (Engineer, Maryland);
Majid Mozaffari (Toronto, Canada);
Nahid Mozaffari (PhD, NY); Ali
Mozaffari (University of Toronto);
Ali-Reza Nadimi (Austria); Michelle
R Nasser (graduate student, Tulane
University, New Orleans, LA); Nahid
Navab; Shahin Nawai (Berlin); Ahmad
Nazem; Mehdi Nazer (Human Rights
activist and College Professor);
Sara Neekoo (Washington, DC);
Barbara Nestor (UK); Mehrshad
Nikmaram (Hackensack, NJ); Ghodrat
Nobakht; Dr Massoud Noghrehkar
(USA); Fereshteh Nouraie (University
Professor); Marilyn Novin
(Hartsdale, NY); Catherine O'Connor
(Chandler); Abdol Ostad (Fairfax,
VA); Khasha Ostovany; Farahnaz
Owrang; Nader Pakdaman (San Jose,
California); Behnaz Pakizegi (PhD,
William Paterson University of NJ);
Esmaeil Panahian; Hamid Parcham
(Virginia); Kaveh Partovi
(Vancouver, Canada); Pariya Parvin;
Farzan Parvizi (Laguna Beach, CA);
Omid A Payrow Shabani (University of
Guelph); Parastoo Pedrud; Sophia
Pentoliros (education student, NY);
Anthony Pereira (Associate
Professor, Tulane University, New
Orleans, LA); Vanessa Petti
(Student, Valhalla, NY); Steven
Pierce (Assistant Professor of
History, Tulane University, New
Orleans, LA); Barbara Pierce
(Oberlin, OH); Ali Pourmand (Tulane
University, New Orleans, LA);
Mostafa Pournejat (Environmental
Specialist, Portola Valley, CA);
Professor Tyko Kihlstedt Department
of Art & Art History (Franklin &
Marshall College); Patrizia Rafat
(Rome, Italy); Mahmoud Rafi
(Secretary, The League for the
Defense of Human Rights in Iran);
Pari Rafi (Germany); Ali Rahnema
(Professor, American University of
Paris); Frederic Ramade (writer,
Paris); Faramarz Ramazani; Vivian
Ramos (NYC); Professor Asghar
Rastegar (MD, Yale University);
Mahshid Rasti; Yousef Razizadeh
(NY); Taufik Reda (Economist,
Syria); Kathie E Reilly (Hillsdale,
NJ); Hamid Riazi (Canada); Grace
Richardson (Writer, Neighbors for
Peace, Evanston, IL ); Carol
Ritchell (Secretary Northfield, IL);
Beverly R Rogers (MS APN RN CS BC,
New Milford, NJ); Farahmand Rokni (Akhavi)
(Paris); Khalil Rostamkhani; Kaveh
Rostamkhani (student, Germany);
Ramine Rouhani (NY); Saba Rouhani
(University of Chicago); Shelene C
Roumillat (PhD Candidate, Department
of History Tulane University, New
Orleans, LA); Laura Roush (NY); Dr
Mina Roustayi (NY); William Ryland
(Tulane University, New Orleans,
LA); Mohammad Sabzevari; Kamran
Sadeghi; Akbar Sadrebazaz; Marie
Sagun (Saddlebrook, NJ); Mehdi
Saharkhiz; Zakaria Sakkal (political
activist in Syrian opposition,
Syria); Darab Shabahang (Artist,
Maryland); Saman Salari Sharif
(Student, UNIL, Geneva,
Switzerland); Ariel Salzmann (PhD,
Department of History, Queen's
University, Kingston, ON); Shahnaz
Samadi; Said S Samatar (Professor of
History, Rutgers University, NJ);
Vida Samiian (Fresno, CA): Tara
Saycocie (NY); Stuart Schaar
(Professor of History, Brooklyn
College, NY); Anne Schaum (Oberlin,
OH); Abby Scher (Journalist, NYC);
Dr Irvin Schick (MIT, Boston, MA);
Akbar Seif (France); Iraj Seirafian;
Zoya Seraji (Stokholm, Sweden);
Kidra Shadroo (Software Engineer,
LA); Azita Shafazand; Morteza
Shahamat (MD, Internist, Wyckoff,
NJ); Hossein Sharahi (Austria); Pari
Sharif (MAL PC, LRC, Division of
Family Guidance, Hackensack, NJ);
Minoo Riahi Sharifan (Laguna Niguel,
CA); Shafi M Sharifan (PhD, PE,
Laguna Niguel, CA); Leyli Shayegan
(New York); Maryam Shayegan Hastings
(PhD, Marymount College of Fordham
University, NY); Vali Siadat (PhD,
Professor of Mathematics, Loyola
University, Chicago, IL); Peter
Sieger (Montclair, NJ); Chantal
Skibinska (Rome, Italy); Dustin M
Slaughter (Reseda, CA); Nathan
Slaughter; Peter Spader (PhD,
Professor of Philosophy, Marywood
University, Scranton, PA); Anita
Stewart (Ontario, Canada); Karen
Swenson (NY); Kashfieh Taghizadeh
(Portola Valley, CA); Ahmad Taghvaie;
Deborah Tall (writer, Ithaca, NY);
Professor Mohammad Tavakoli-Targhi
(Professor of History and Near and
Middle Eastern Civilizations,
University of Toronto); Abbas
Tehrani; Maryam Torbati (University
of Toronto, Toronto, Canada); Roxane
Torfeh (London, UK); Mehdi
Torfehnejad; Prof Meredith Turshen
(Rutgers University); Anne Tyler
(writer); Cyrus Vaghayehnegar; Alex
Valentine; Shapour Valli (Fordham
University at Lincoln Center, NY);
Shouleh Vatanabadi (NY); Mahvash
Vatankhahi (accountant, Maryland,
USA); Adelaide H Villmoare
(Poughkeepsie, NY); Alexander Walker
(Boston, MA); Beth Walker (social
work, NY); Leslie Walsh (Evanston,
IL); Solomon Wank (Lewis Audenreid
Professor of History Emeritus,
Franklin & Marshall College,
Lancaster, PA ); Barbara Wank
(Lancaster, PA); Terence Ward
(writer, author of Searching for
Hassan); Peter Wardujs (Teacher,
Evanston, IL); Mahnaz Warner
(Product Manager, Chicago, USA);
Thomas Watson (Mystic, CT); Dr Karen
Winkler (NY); Caroline Wolfe
(Oberlin, OH); Dean Wolfe (Oberlin,
OH); Paula Wolfert (Sonoma, CA);
Elizabeth Wrigley-Field
(International Socialist
Organization, Campus Antiwar
Network; student, NY University);
Said Yamin (LA, CA); Mehdi Yousefi (DMD,
MS Washington, DC); Zahra Yousefi
(Washington, DC); Faranak Yousefi;
Mahnaz Yusefzadeh (PhD, NY
University); Susan Zafarlotfi (PhD,
Clinical Director of Sleep Disorder,
Hackensack University Medical
Center); Ali Zafarlotfi (NJ); Hormoz
Zamani; Hamid Zangeneh (PhD,
Professor of Economics, Widener
University, and editor of the
Journal of Iranian Research and
Analysis); Alan Zankel (Chappaqua,
NY); Susan Zankel (Chappaqua, NY);
Mehdi Zarei (Geologist, Germany);
Dr. Fariba Zarinebaf (Lecturer,
Northwestern University Chicago,
IL); Claudia Zaslavski (Author, NY);
Ghobad Zokaei
Sincerely,
The Undersigned