The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) condemned the illegal United States-Israeli war on Iran, calling for immediate de-escalation, an end to all military operations, and a return to peaceful negotiations.
“International law must be respected. War is never in the interest of working people. Workers want peace, democracy and decent work, not relentless bombing and retaliatory attacks,” said ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle.
The ITUC condemned “the irresponsible and illegal bombing carried out by Israel and the United States against Iran”, calling for “an immediate end to these operations”.
“Such actions violate international law, undermine diplomacy and are predictably plunging the region into a wider, devastating war.”
The ITUC also noted that the “subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region”, saying it “further endangers civilian lives and deepens instability”.
“Escalation by any side will not bring security, peace or democracy.”
The ITUC called out countries supporting the war, saying it is “profoundly concerned about the decision of democratic countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom to explicitly support these military operations that violate international law … A failure to consistently uphold international law undermines its credibility and threatens peace and security for all.”
Regarding the situation in Iran, the ITUC said: “Workers and their families are always the first to suffer the consequences of war. In Iran, sanctions, a lack of basic democratic rights and regime incompetence have wreaked havoc on the economy. Millions face poverty, insecurity and extremely limited economic prospects. Military escalation will only exacerbate this suffering.
“The ITUC, its affiliates worldwide and the Global Union Federations have long stood with Iranian workers in their fight for democracy, livelihoods, safety, rights and solidarity. Independent trade unionists in Iran continue to face repression for exercising fundamental freedoms.
“The ITUC reiterates its solidarity and support for the labour movement, independent unions and the people of Iran. Iranian workers must be at the table to shape their own future.”
Meanwhile, a field report from Iran’s capital, Tehran, which was posted by the Coordinating Council of Teachers’ Trade Unions 10 days after the start of the war said: “The continuation of attacks and the news of civilian deaths have stolen sleep and peace from the city. The heaviest burden of this terror lies on the minds of displaced children, who tremble at every terrifying sound and have no shelter other than the trembling arms of their parents.
“The greater tragedy is our absolute helplessness; there is no siren to warn us and give us a chance to take shelter, and no shelter has been prepared where a mother can hide her child.
“Tehran’s citizens, abandoned and defenseless, are simply waiting for fate.
“And more bitter than all this is watching groups of regime supporters marching in these grief-stricken streets, claiming to mourn, but with slogans and speeches full of threats.”
Also opposing the war, Education International — the peak body of education unions across the world — condemned the February 28 bombings of the Shajare Tayyiba elementary school for girls in Minab and a second school in Tehran.
EI said: “The killing and wounding of students and educators is an intolerable violation of human rights and a grave breach of international humanitarian law.” It called for “the immediate cessation of all actions that place civilians at risk, and for the unwavering protection of schools as safe spaces for learning.”
EI reaffirmed its “unwavering support for the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom, dignity, and human rights,” concluding, “Their future must be decided by them — and no one else.”