Sign your name at: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-a-sovereign-democratic-transition-in-iran-not-war
To the Honorable Members of the United States Congress,
We write to you as a global coalition of concerned citizens, human rights advocates, and members of the Iranian diaspora—including many of your constituents. We write at a moment of extreme peril and profound possibility.
The streets of Iran have spoken with one voice. The Iranian people have delivered a final verdict on a theocratic regime that survives through corruption and repression. Their demand is clear: a secular, democratic republic where law derives from the consent of the governed.
The regime’s back is against the wall. But the Iranian people now face a historic precipice. Between the grip of a collapsing theocracy and the terrifying specter of foreign military intervention, there must be a third way.
We urge you to see this moment not as a prelude to war, but as an opportunity to align US policy with the will of the Iranian people. We support their call for a sovereign, peaceful transition built on three pillars:
First, a National Transitional Council. This inclusive, interim body would unite representatives from the protest movement, ethnic communities, labor councils, and the diaspora to steward the country, ensure basic security, and prevent a vacuum that leads to chaos or fragmentation.
Second, a Sovereign Constitutional Convention. Following a national referendum, a directly elected assembly would draft a new constitution for a secular, democratic republic, explicitly establishing popular sovereignty, separation of powers, and a bill of rights for all Iranians.
Third, a Truth and Reconciliation Process. An independent commission would investigate decades of human rights abuses, providing victims with acknowledgment and a path to healing. This process aims to dismantle the legacy of state violence and build a foundation for a unified, lawful society.
Why Congress Should Support This Path:
It is the Best Safeguard Against War. Military intervention would be a catastrophic error, drowning democratic aspirations in blood and empowering the very hardliners it seeks to dislodge. Supporting an Iranian-led transition removes the pretext for attack.
It Answers the True Mandate from Iran. The Iranian people are not asking for foreign bombs; they are building their own future. A US posture that supports their right to a peaceful, self-determined transition is the most powerful form of solidarity.
Our Appeal to the United States Congress:
We call on you to:
– Publicly resolve against military escalation and make clear Congress will not authorize an offensive war against Iran.
– Voice support for a sovereign Iranian-led transition, recognizing the legitimacy of the Iranian people’s struggle for democracy.
– Prepare to lift sanctions and engage diplomatically with any legitimate, peaceful transitional authority that emerges from the will of the Iranian people.
The world is watching. You can choose a path of escalation that leads to disaster, or you can choose principled restraint that empowers a democratic movement and fosters lasting peace.
Stand with the people of Iran. Support their right to build a free, secular, and democratic republic without the shadow of foreign bombs.
For a Future of Peace and Sovereignty,
The Undersigned Global Citizens
Sign your name at: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-a-sovereign-democratic-transition-in-iran-not-war
