Two separate but politically aligned statements from seven imprisoned Iranian women — all feminist and labor rights activists currently held in Tehran’s Evin Prison — have emerged, calling for an end to war, foreign aggression, and authoritarian rule. The statements sharply criticize both the Israeli government’s military assault on Iran and the wider role of global powers in fueling destruction in the region. At the same time, they affirm the belief that liberation for the Iranian people can only come from popular struggle — not through foreign intervention.
In a joint declaration, four political prisoners — Reyhaneh Ansari, Sakineh Parvaneh, Varisheh Moradi, and Golrokh Iraee — emphasized that the path to freedom for Iran lies with mass resistance and the power of social movements. They categorically rejected any hope in foreign states, warning that imperialist powers bring nothing but new forms of domination.
Their statement paints a damning picture of Israel’s historic and ongoing violence in the region, stating:
“Israel came into existence through massacre and became the ‘landlord’ by occupation. It has turned the Middle East into a field of endless war through invasion and genocide.”
They refer to Israel as “the American military base in the Middle East,” responsible for atrocities in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, and now Gaza — and stress that these wars were never about nuclear weapons or real threats. Rather, they argue, Western powers use democracy as a cover for continuous military aggression.
They strongly condemn the recent Israeli attacks on Iranian territory, which have killed civilians and destroyed infrastructure, stating:
“The bombing of Iran and killing of civilians by the Zionist regime and its American allies must be condemned — just as their crimes in the rest of the Middle East have been.”
The four activists also express concern that the political future of the region is being shaped to serve Israeli hegemony, warning that only governments that unconditionally accept Israeli dominance are permitted to survive. They call those who justify or support Israel’s power — whether individuals or political groups — “traitors to the people of Iran and the struggles of the oppressed across the region.”
Their final words are a warning and a historical record:
“Future generations will remember those who danced on the corpses of the defenseless with shame.”
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In a separate message, political prisoners Anisha Asadollahi, Nahid Khodajo, and Nasrin Khodrjavadi addressed the Iranian people directly. They begin their letter with a salutation to the “oppressed and justice-seeking people” and firmly oppose what they describe as the “destructive wars of capitalist governments” aimed at preserving power and profit.
“Wars will not benefit the people in any way,” they wrote. “It is the people — who played no role in starting these wars — who will always pay the price.”
As female political prisoners, they describe themselves as “government hostages” held behind iron doors, unable to defend themselves. But even from within prison, they express deep concern for the people outside, and urge collective resistance to war.
“We demand an immediate end to this imposed war on the people,” they write. “And we ask you, the people of Iran, to stand against the warmongers and rulers with your collective presence and power.”
Both statements, though independently issued, reflect a shared conviction: that freedom cannot be achieved by relying on outside forces, and that the struggle against both dictatorship and imperial aggression must be led by the people themselves.
