Iranian-American Politicians Reject Using Protests to Justify War

Iranian-American women elected to U.S. office have publicly opposed using Iran’s “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests to argue for war. Former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both referenced the movement to justify aggressive policies toward Iran. The movement began in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. In a new letter, U.S. politicians like Phoenix City Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari rejected this approach. They argue that the Iranian people’s call for freedom should not be used to promote military conflict. The letter underscores a divide on how to support protesters without escalating to war.