Two of Iran's most prominent Nobel Peace Prize laureates have joined leading Iranian filmmakers in a powerful appeal for an immediate end to hostilities between Israel and Iran, as well as a halt to Iran's uranium enrichment program.
Shirin Ebadi and Narges Mohammadi, alongside acclaimed directors Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, published an op-ed in France's Le Monde condemning violence targeting civilians and calling for a democratic transition in Iran.
"Deeply committed to Iran's territorial integrity and the inalienable right of its people to self-determination under genuine sovereignty, we believe that continuing uranium enrichment and the devastating war between the Islamic Republic and the Israeli regime neither serves the Iranian people nor humanity at large," the group wrote in their joint statement.
Warning Against Nuclear Ambitions
The laureates and filmmakers further warned that Iran and its people should not be sacrificed for nuclear ambitions or what they described as "the ambitions of the Islamic Republic."
This appeal comes amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently declaring "the battle begins" against Israel, while promising "no mercy" for Israeli leaders.
Israel has defended its military actions against Iran at the United Nations, claiming its strikes were aimed at "neutralizing an existential threat" from Iran's nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed support for Iran, stating that the country has a "legitimate right to defend itself against Israel's thuggery."
The conflict has raised concerns across the international community about regional stability and the potential for wider escalation in the Middle East.
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