Over 300 prominent Iranian civil society figures — including human rights advocates, political analysts, and former political prisoners — have signed a public letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warning against U.S. military threats and affirming their commitment to defend Iran in the event of foreign aggression. The letter, also sent to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, comes during a period of growing tensions between Iran and the United States. Among the signatories are well-known figures such as Alireza Alavitabar, Bahareh Arvin, Ahmad Montazeri, Emadeddin Baghi, Masoud Behnoud, Shahindokht Molaverdi, Jale Shaditalab, and Mohammad Beheshti Shirazi — many of whom have long been critical of the Iranian government and have even faced imprisonment or other forms of repression for their positions. Part of their letter read:
“Though we have long criticized the ruling system in Iran — and many of us have paid a price for doing so — we believe that independence, security, and democracy must be achieved by the people of Iran, not through foreign military intervention,” the letter reads.
The statement opens with a reference to Iran’s eight-year war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, highlighting the devastation caused by that conflict — including the use of chemical weapons — and positioning Iran as a nation that knows too well the horrors of war. The authors stress that while Iran has not initiated any war in the last century, it has always risen in defense when attacked.
The signatories then turn their focus to the nuclear issue, criticizing Western double standards. They argue that while Iran’s peaceful nuclear program has been under constant international oversight, Israel, which is not a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), maintains an undeclared arsenal without scrutiny. They note that Iran entered the JCPOA (the 2015 nuclear deal) in good faith, only to see the U.S. unilaterally withdraw under President Trump and impose crippling sanctions on the Iranian people, affecting access to essential medicine, industrial development, and more.
Despite being political critics of Iran’s ruling establishment, the authors insist that the path to democracy cannot come through foreign intervention. They firmly reject any form of military aggression, especially from nations that they say exhibit authoritarian behavior themselves and support what the letter calls the criminal policies of the Israeli state. They assert that democracy must be shaped by the will of the Iranian people, not imposed by bombs or foreign powers.
The letter also denounces ongoing human rights violations by the Israeli government, particularly in Gaza, and accuses the U.S. and some European governments of enabling these actions through political and military support. They point to widespread condemnation of Israel’s conduct by international institutions, legal bodies, and student protests across the United States and Europe as evidence of growing global opposition.
In closing, the letter delivers a clear and powerful message:
“In the event of any attack on Iran, regardless of our disagreements with the government, we will defend our homeland with all our strength. Any aggression against Iran’s defensive capabilities is an attack on the Iranian people, not merely its regime — and such a conflict will destabilize the entire region.”
The signatories call on the global community to stand against militarism, U.S. threats, and the silence toward Israel’s actions, urging an international stand for peace, justice, and the sovereignty of nations. This letter marks a significant and unified stance from within Iran’s civil society: opposition to war, a demand for global accountability, and a declaration that the Iranian people — not foreign powers — must shape their country’s future.