The history of Iran, it seems, is strangely intertwined with war. A rich and turbulent past, it holds countless tales of conflict, each reinterpreted by successive generations. Yet, when we delve into the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of these wars, from any time or place in history, one truth remains unshakeable: war is inextricably linked to devastation and sorrow.
We, women researchers of Iranian history, who for many years have dedicated ourselves to understanding the history of Iranian women, meticulously sifting through every page of our nation’s past in connection with its women, have consistently encountered only damage and loss when we arrive at the history of war.
We have seen and read how every soldier who goes to war is not merely one person. He carries his home, his mother and sisters, his wife and daughters, with him to the battleground. The statistics of war casualties, even when women are kept behind the front lines, have never been truly accurate. Because one soldier is not just one person, but several. And every bullet does not just kill one individual; it also kills countless lives tied to that one, the number of which is vast.
And today’s wars, in the modern world, grip humanity with far greater destructive and devastating power than ever before. In the geography where we live, will there ever be an end to these predetermined wars? Wars that consume human and natural resources in their flames, leaving behind only mounds of ash?
Only for others, who speak of human rights and their benefits for nations, to sit upon the ashes and once again issue bombastic statements. Truly, how much longer must innocent people pay the price for the investments of global powers and the fortunes amassed through the destruction of nations and the annihilation of their peoples?
With these preliminary thoughts alone – thoughts that warrant hours of discussion and writing – the Iranian Women Historians Association, as an institution whose members strive for a correct understanding of historical realities and are engaged in researching and writing Iran’s history, and who have always read the sorrowful pages of war, declares its resounding “NO” to war. We consider war not only destructive but also a cause of increased dependence on the world of power and wealth for capitalists, and the fattening of its promoters and merchants.
We are determined to write and speak about living and building our homeland for our children. We stand firm so that we do not have to fight. We stand for the preservation of Iran’s history and culture, and for the secure lives of you, the dear children of Iran.
The “Life Against War” coalition has called upon civil institutions to join this campaign through their independent statements.
This news indicates an organized movement to spread the message of “Life Against War” and to garner broader support from civil society. The previous statement from the Iranian Women Historians Association, which was earlier presented as a blog post, can be seen as a clear example of a response to this very call; an independent institution that loudly says “no” to war and focuses on building and living.
This action by the coalition shows that the goal is to create a broad front of independent voices, all agreeing on a single message – the rejection of war and the emphasis on life.