Iran’s People Deserve Peace — Not Bombs, Not Dictators
Written by ACI in 19 June 25The war between Iran and Israel is not a war for democracy. It is not a war for justice. It is a war that serves the strategic interests of foreign powers—Israel and the United States on one side, and the Islamic Republic’s regime on the other, which clings to survival by endangering its own people. The Iranian public, already battered by decades of repression, now finds itself alone, exposed, and unprotected.
Open Letter: Iran’s People Deserve Peace — Not Bombs, Not Dictators
From Dr Hossein Ladjevardi, President
Association des Chercheurs Iraniens (ACI)
Paris, June 18, 2025
The war between Iran and Israel is not a war for democracy. It is not a war for justice. It is a war that serves the strategic interests of foreign powers—Israel and the United States on one side, and the Islamic Republic’s regime on the other, which clings to survival by endangering its own people. The Iranian public, already battered by decades of repression, now finds itself alone, exposed, and unprotected.
We urge the international community to reject any approach that seeks regime change through bombs. Democracy cannot be dropped from the sky. The future of Iran must be built by its own people—through peaceful transition, not external imposition.
Over 220 civilians have already been killed in Iran. More than 1,000 have been injured. Critical energy and nuclear infrastructure have been bombed, prompting warnings from the IAEA about the risk of radiological disaster. Prices have surged. Fuel shortages have begun. And still, no one speaks for the Iranian people.
For almost half a century, the Islamic Republic has held Iranians hostage to authoritarian rule. Now, through its reckless foreign policy, it has dragged the country into a catastrophic war. And still, no political force inside or outside Iran seems prepared to speak for the people’s rights—the right to live in peace, to vote, to speak, to rebuild.
Recent research by the Association des Chercheurs Iraniens—drawing on a major public opinion survey—shows that the Iranian people overwhelmingly desire democracy, equality, and a future free from sectarian rule. The “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement was not a foreign project—it was an organic, courageous demand for justice from within Iranian society.
That future is now at risk. The cost of rebuilding Iran—already devastated by decades of corruption and sanctions—is rising with each bomb dropped. If the war continues, Iran may spiral into collapse: fragmented opposition, failed institutions, and a refugee crisis that will touch not just Iran but Europe and the wider region. Already, geopolitical players like Russia are preparing to fill the post-conflict vacuum.
We call on the EU, the UN, and all governments committed to peace to:
- Demand an immediate and unconditional ceasefire
- Uphold the principle of non-attack on nuclear infrastructure on humanitarian and environmental grounds
- Protect humanitarian space and allow for civilian evacuations and aid
- Reject externally imposed regime change and support peaceful, people-led transition
- Elevate Iranian civil society voices, not warlords or exiled elites
The people of Iran are ready to build their democratic future. What they need is protection—not occupation. Respect—not bombs. And the chance to shape their own future.