Statement: Stop Trump, Netanyahu and Starmer’s war

The US–Israeli assault on Iran is not about “security”. It is about power, resources and geopolitical domination. The lie of “nuclear threat” is a pretext by both criminal regimes, just as the lie of “weapons of mass destruction” was used to destroy Iraq and kill over a million people. 

We state clearly: Trump has no right to dictate Iran’s future, no right to pursue regime change, and no right to reinstall the son of the former Shah, and certainly no right to kill state leaders. 

We recognise that the Iranian regime is a murderous dictatorship. We state unequivocally: it is for the Iranian people to decide who rules Iran, how, and when. We support the spirit of the 2022–23 uprising sparked by the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini — a mass revolt against authoritarianism and inequality.

Iranian workers and civil society organisations have a long and proud history of organising for liberation and justice, independent of foreign powers and repressive Iranian regimes. After the killing of thousands of protesters by the security forces in January this year, the Workers’ Union of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company stated:

“We have said many times and we repeat it again—the path to the liberation of workers and toilers does not lie in the path of a leader carved from above the people, nor in reliance on foreign powers, nor through factions within the government”.

Iran’s teachers and school students have been at the forefront of organising peaceful protests and strikes against the regime’s repression, yet now a hundred children are buried under the rubble of the Shajareh Tayyebeh primary school in south Iran after US-Israeli bombing. 

We condemn the British government’s complicity in this and other crimes against the Iranian people. Keir Starmer declared that British planes are “in the sky” above Iran. British military involvement makes our government a direct partner in aggression just as it is aiding genocide in Palestine. Britain must not participate in this war. End the £15 billion war budget escalation. 

We affirm that ordinary people pay the price — through bombs, sanctions, hunger and displacement. Refugees of imperial wars are victims of Western aggression. Refugees are welcome here and have the right to be here.

We condemn the record of aggression. Since January 2025, Trump has attacked Venezuela, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Yemen and Somalia. In 2025, Israel has attacked Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria and Yemen, while continuing genocide and war crimes against Palestinians. These two regimes, acting with absolute impunity, threaten international peace and humanity. They must be stopped and held accountable for their crimes. 

We denounce US exceptionalism, global domination and toxic nationalism. We state clearly: war, coups, and regime change are the weapons the US, UK and their allies use in a bid to enforce imperial control over the world.

We demand an immediate end to the war on Iran. The British government must not participate.

No British arms, intelligence, or military bases should fuel this aggression.

We call for a broad, united movement — trade unions, Palestine solidarity, anti-racist and anti-war forces, and all activists — to join protests, picket lines, and boycotts to stop this war.

Workers in Italy, Greece, and elsewhere — including dockworkers — have shown that organised workers can disrupt the war machine. British trade unions must act with the same determination. Through coordinated local, national, and international action, we can block weapons, end complicity, save lives, and defeat imperialism. We pledge our solidarity with workers who refuse to work for war and genocide and call on our trade union leaders to back protests outside UK weapons manufacturers and military bases implicated the US-Israeli attacks.

MENA Solidarity Network 

To add your name to this letter, fill in the form below. Names will be published here. Please note, names do not appear automatically and the list below will be updated periodically. If you leave your email we may contact you to update you on this and other relevant campaigns.

What you can do:

• Add your name to the solidarity statement by signing above
• Pass the motion below in your union branch
• Join local and national demonstrations called by Stop the War, CND and the Palestine movement. 7 March, 12 noon, central London. https://www.stopwar.org.uk/events/hands-off-iran-stop-trumps-wars-demonstrate-central-london/
• Follow Iranians for Palestine UK for updates from Iranian activists

Model motion: Stop Trump, Netanyahu and Starmer’s wars 

This union notes that:

1. British warplanes, bases and troops have joined the US-Israeli assault on Iran.
2. Air strikes have hit cities across Iran causing mass casualties including around 100 children killed in the bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh primary school.
3. The conflict is spreading across the region as Israel has renewed missile attacks on Lebanon, bombarding Beirut. 
4. Iranian missile strikes have been reported to have hit sites across the Gulf including Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
5. Iranian independent unions and civil society organisations at the forefront of organising resistance to Iran’s authoritarian regime have condemned intervention by foreign powers, stating clearly that it is up to the Iranian people to decide who should rule them and how. 

This union believes that:

1. British troops and resources must be immediately withdrawn from any role supporting Trump and Netanyahu’s war. 
2. British support for Israel’s genocide in Palestine is escalating the crisis and slide towards war across the region.
3. The trade union movement must show its solidarity with workers in Iran standing with them in rejecting foreign intervention, affirming their right to organise independently of the state and condemning the brutal repression of protests and opposition movements by the Iranian regime. 
4. The trade union movement must campaign and organise against weapons and bases here in Britain being used to fuel this imperialist war and mobilise in solidarity with workers who refuse to allow their labour to be conscripted to carry out war crimes. 

This union resolves:

1. To support local and national protests against the war on Iran called by Stop the War, CND, the Palestine movement and the trade unions.
2. To make a public statement calling for the immediate withdrawal of all British military and diplomatic support for this war, reaffirming our demands for and end to complicity in Israel’s genocide in Palestine, and calling on trade unions to back protests at weapons factories and military bases involved in the conflict. 
3. To send a message of solidarity to Iranian independent unions and civil society organisations supporting their calls for peace, democracy and justice for the Iranian people and their rejection of foreign intervention.
   Or email action@menasolidaritynetwork.net and we will pass on the message.

Download the PDF version of the motion here

First name, Last name, Role (in union or organisation), Union or organisation, Country

• Nada Abdelmagid United Kingdom
• Stephanie Paige Adams
• Sarah Ahmed United Kingdom
• Salim Ahmed United Kingdom
• Ana Maria Alcalde Callejas Activista UGT Espana
• Anne Alexander member UCU / NUJ Britain
• Huda Al-Hadithy United Kingdom
• Tasleem Ali Steward Bury branch United Kingdom
• Rezwaan Ali United Kingdom
• Fiona Allan United Kingdom
• Jamie Allinson UCU Scotland
• Victoria Araj UCU United Kingdom
• George Arthur Barnsley TUC secretary NEU United Kingdom
• Marika Asgari Branch Vice chair Newcastle UCU UK
• Peter Ashan Member UNISON England
• Fodil ATTAR France
• Rosemary Atwill ISO NEU United Kingdom
• Suddaf Awan Member Unison United Kingdom
• Ayla Maria Ayna SWP United Kingdom
• Zahir Aziz UK
• Susan Baker United Kingdom
• Caroline Barker RCN Uk
• Jake Barrigan United Kingdom
• Mike Barton Branch Secretary, London Retired Members UCU UK
• Golbarg Bashi US
• Salieyah Begum United Kingdom
• Jonathan Bellini Community UNITE United Kingdom
• Martin Bennell Unite Community UK
• Kate Bennett Committee Member UCU Uk
• Sarah Biasibetti Rep NEU UNITED KINGDOM
• Pamela Blakelock ISO NEU United Kingdom
• Cecily Blyther Co-chair of Anti-casualisation Committee UCU United Kingdom
• Jeanne Boyle Asst Sec GM Unite Community Branch UK
• Alexandrina Braithwaite Unite United Kingdom
• Stephen Brown United Kingdom
• Mandy Brown Chair London Region UCU Britain
• Jenni Browning Wales, UK
• Nusrat Bukhari Rep Unison Uk
• Peta Bulmer University of Liverpool UCU Branch Secretary, and UCU NEC University and College Union United Kingdom
• Alan Burgess Chair Unite Uk
• Molly Burkmar
• Carol Bushnaq GB
• Paula C
• David Calland Steward Unison UK
• Camilla Royle Camilla Royle NUJ United Kingdom
• Judith Carter Lecturer Ucu United Kingdom
• Dylan Carver UCU United Kingdom
• A Chaudhry Uk
• Rohima Chowdhury Supply officer NEU England
• samuel cox EQUITY United Kingdom
• Sarah Cox NEU Retired member NEU England
• Sabine Dahn UK
• Helen Davies Barnet UNISON branch chair and LONDON LG SGE rep UNISON UK
• Roghieh Dehghan BMA United kingdom
• Walter di Filippo N/a N/a Greater London
• Adele Dolan City Lead Intersectional Uprising United Kingdom
• Pippa Dowswell Islington Joint Secretary NEU United Kingdom
• Kim Dryden United Kingdom
• Malcolm Ducker UK
• Graham Dyer UCU UK
• Sara Ebrahimpour Malmir Unison United Kingdom
• Liz Edwards Retired Union teachers in Further Education UK
• Afaf Elhag UK
• Anthoulla Elias
• Vicky Elkington UK
• Rashid Elsheikh United Kingdom
• Murtada Eltigani Anti corruption committee Democratic Sudan
• ali emrani UK
• Gwyneth Farleigh Unite England uk
• Jo Fazzani United Kingdom
• Amin Feizpour Director The Iran Circle United States
• James Fernandes Member Unite England
• Helen Field Chair, Southampton Branch Unite Community Uk
• Ricky Field England
• Helen Field Unite Community chair, Southampton branch Unite Uk
• Julie Forgan Environmental Officer UNISON Britain
• Penny Foskett International Officer NEU Britain
• Fiona Francois UK
• ted franklin uk
• Steven Friday Rank and file AFGE United States
• James Gibson United Kingdom
• Mutaal Girshab United Kingdom
• John Gomme Retired member Unite UK
• George Gray
• Linda Greatorex Branch Chair Unite The Union United Kingdom
• Morgan Green Union Member United Tech and Allied Workers Wales
• Cort Greene Venezuela and USA
• Julius Griffin United Kingdom
• Ameen Hadi Chair, NW TUC Black Workers Committee Unison United Kingdom
• Peter Hallward Department rep (Kingston University) UCU GB
• Jacqui Halsall-Hughes Branch organiser PCS United Kingdom
• Ihsan Hassan Canada
• Wayne Heimbach Local SEIU Representative – retired United States
• Quentin henrion United Kingdom
• Chelsey Hillier
• Julie Hope Unite Community UK
• Billy Howle Member Equity Uk
• zainabb hull united kingdom
• Marlene Hutchinson Member Unite in Community United Kingdom
• Trevor Hutton UK
• Atsuko Inoue Japan
• Marina Isaac UCU United Kingdom
• Owen Isaacs
• Mahssa Izadi United Kingdom
• Peyman Jafari USA
• Helen James NEU United Kingdom
• Joern Janssen member IG BAU London
• Diana Jeater Branch committee member UCU GB
• Jane Jenkins United Kingdom
• Stephen Johnston Branch Treasurer Unite Community Leeds and Leeds TUC UK
• coral jones Chair doctors in Unite Unite UK
• Clare Joseph Member Equity United Kingdom
• Surinder Kaur Member UNISON United Kingdom
• Sumandeep Kaur Member NEU UK
• Sara Kestelman member Equity UK
• Mohamed Khalifa United Kingdom
• Asma Khalik United Kingdom
• Tareq Khamis Unite GB
• Kishor Khan
• Muaz Khan
• Raeesa Khan Member UNITE UK
• Saleha Khanom Member Unison UM
• Ayesha Khanum Member NEU United Kingdom
• Charlie Kimber Unite United Kingdom
• Sally Kincaid Unite Community/Retired NEU United Kingdom
• Roger King NEU United Kingdom
• James Larendon
• stanislao lauria ucu GB
• Jackie Lederer Member Unite Community United Kingdom
• Michael Letwin Former President Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys-UAW 2325 USA
• Stephanie Lewis International Relations Officer Unison England
• Charley Lincoln Community Unite England
• Lisa Lintott Member Unite United Kingdom
• Robert Littler Unite Scotland
• Rita Ludford Unite member United Kingdom
• Eliza M
• Max Mackay-Smith
• Janet Macnally UK
• Gabby MacPherson Unite United Kingdom
• Samantha Mansi United Kingdom
• Tanya manzoor member CWU United Kingdom
• Daniel Marsh Member Unite United Kingdom
• katrina mayer United Kingdom
• Marian Mayer Elected member National Executive Committee UCU United Kingdom
• Kathy McCubbing GB
• Carolyn McGrath Retired NEU United Kingdom
• Angela MCHugh Retired member UNITE Scotland
• Bernard McNamee Member Unite UK
• Robyn Mcsharry Member NEU England
• Konica Miah UK
• Laura Miles Ucu United Kingdom
• Caroline Moberg Uk
• mansour moini unison member unison United Kingdom
• Chanel Molloy Member NEU England
• Alexandra Morel UCU UK
• Gabriella Morelli United Kingdom
• Carlo Morelli Rep UCU UK
• Colin Morris Branch Treasurer Unite United Kingdom
• Andrew Murphy Member UCU UK
• Sue Nash Member Artist Union England UK
• Asif Naz Trade union Usdaw United Kingdom
• Azadeh Neman ISO NEU UK
• Senay Nyang Rep Unite the Union United Kingdom
• Kevin OBrien Retired Members Officer Unison Epsom & St Helier NHS Hospitals Branch United Kingdom
• Ruth Oliver GB
• Stephen Oren n/a n/a United States
• Tony Ormonde UNITE Greater M/c branch United Kingdom
• Rashid Osman Australia
• Allison Otsuka United Kingdom
• Kye Otsuka
• Marianne Owens Vice President PCS union United Kingdom
• Rebecca Palmer Unison UK
• Rania Papadima Member UCU United Kingdom
• James Parker Member Unite England
• Matt Perry NEC UCU UK
• Jennifer Pierce Unison
• Regine Pilling NEC / Branch Secretary UCU United Kingdom
• Antony Potts None None UK
• Nicola Pratt UCU member UCU United Kingdom
• Christopher Price Individual member Unison Britain
• Suzanne Priestman UK
• Rachel Pryor-Jones Steward Unison United Kingdom
• Ameena Rahman United Kingdom
• Ana Redondo Branch Chair UCU United Kingdom
• Karen Reissmann Retired member officer Unison Greatest Manchester Mental Health branch UK
• Andy Richards Member UNISON United Kingdom
• Andy Ridley Rep UCU Uk
• Kenneth Riley United Kingdom
• Kathryn Rimmington Trades Council delegate UCU GB
• Felix R-M International Officer UTAW-CWU UK
• Derry Rose Derry.rose45@gmail.com United Kingdom
• John Russell Unite United Kingdom
• Yasmin Sadiq UK
• Thi Sagherian-Dickey Member Dundee UCU United Kingdom
• Susan Sailman Unison Uk
• David Samms Labour Labour United Kingdom
• Amanda Sanders United Kingdom
• Miriam Scharf International Solidarity Officer Newham NEU Uk
• Naseem sheikh Work place rep unite the union United Kingdom
• Dave Sherry Branch vice chairc Glasgow Unite RM Branch Scotland
• Suhith Shivanath
• Khalid Sidahmed Vice chair Portsmouth Trades Council United Kingdom
• Sasha Simic Shop Steward Usdaw C133 Central Books branch United Kingdom
• Agnes Simon France
• Tom Sloan Branch secretary Fire brigade union United Kingdom
• Phil Smart Branch Secretary/Treasurer Unite United Kingdom
• Graham Smith United Kingdom
• Lorcan Smith Member Unite UK
• Ayesha Spence Member Unison United Kingdom
• Tony Staunton Branch Chair UCU SWRM Branch United Kingdom
• John Stephens Member/branch officer National Education Union England
• Eraldo Strumiello UVW Union – Executive Committee UVW- United Voices of the world United Kingdom
• Sarah Sturge Member Unite UK
• Nick Swabey England
• Clive Swan Unite UK
• Emma Tait United Kingdom
• Naoko Takakura United Kingdom
• Walter Tavener Branch Chair Unite the union United Kingdom
• Geoff Taylor UCU Southern Retired / TEFL Workers Union (IWW) United Kingdom
• Margery Thorogood Secretary Unite UK
• Fay Turner United Kingdom
• Charlotte Vines UK
• Sean Wallis NEC member and UCL Branch secretary UCU United Kingdom
• Louise Walton Equalities rep Unite Community Uk
• William Webster member IWGB GB
• Cecilia Wee Co-chair Royal College of Art branch and National Executive Committer UCU United Kingdom
• Saira Weiner Branch Chair, NEC UCU United Kingdom
• Rebecca Weston US
• Fiona Whitelaw Councillor Equity United Kingdom
• Steve Wilkins Branch Vice Chair and Trades Council Secretary Unite United Kingdom
• Zaineb Williams UK
• h williams GMB United Kingdom
• Carol Williams Self employed/ retired UK
• Eris Williams Reed Branch chair Prospect United Kingdom
• Gwen Winn London
• Jon Woods Branch Chair UNISON United Kingdom
• Claire Wormald Branch secretary Unison Essex
• Alma Yaniv Unite United Kingdom