[pjw] INFO: City Council passes resolution against sanctions/war in Iran

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hi Iraq Affinity Group supporters

Yesterday three members of City Council-- Mayor Wheeler, Commissioner 
Fritz (who sponsored the resolution) and Commissioner Eudaly-- unanimously 
passed the resolution against US war and sanctions, and for diplomacy with 
Iran. Commissioners Hardesty and Fish were absent.

There was great testimony from members of the Iranian American community 
including Goudarz Eghtedari of American Iranian Friendship Council and 
Sahar Yarjani Muranovic, Executive Director of Oregon NOW (who spoke about 
Iran at our forum last Tuesday).

Partly because of the confusion that happened when the Iran resolution and 
the resolution to support the UN ban on nuclear weapons got swapped in 
order, and partly to save time, the Council heard public testimony on both 
items at the same time... in between the invited panel speaking about 
nukes and the panel on Iran.

You can watch the whole thing here:

https://youtu.be/wZxAACJ6pqg?t=1h36m58s

My testimony comes at about 2:07; I noted that PJW is supportive of ending 
nuclear weapons, noted we sent over 150 signatures in asking for the 
Council to pass resolutions on Iran and Venezuela, talked about how Iran 
is being blamed for anything that goes wrong in the region, and connected 
the harm of the sanctions to what happened in Iraq.

The testimony against nuclear weapons included first and third generation 
hibakusha (survivors of the Hiroshima bombings), a Marshall Islander and 
an atomic veteran.

Though the Council was prepared to pass the resolutions anyway, they were 
clearly moved by the testimony. And in a surprise twist ending, out in the 
hall the Mayor actually said the same thing to me that I said to people 
as we left the chamber-- it's nice to be on the same side every once in a 
while. It's great to come out of that building with a win of some kind 
even if it's just going on record with a anti-war policies rather than, 
say, banning military manufacturing or transport of radioactive materials 
in the city.

Anyway, thanks to all who wrote in, signed the petitions, and/or were 
generally supportive. Our next steps include helping Veterans For Peace 
get the no war on Venezuela resolution before Council as soon as possible. 
It's seeming as if the forced resignation of Evo Morales was likely 
heavily influenced by the US.

dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group