UNISON is extremely concerned by the dangerous military escalation in the Middle East, which risks pushing the region into a protracted conflict, which threatens regional and international peace and security.
The US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, launched whilst international mediation efforts are ongoing, are a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and international law. We particularly condemn any attacks on civilians and are deeply concerned by reports of such attacks, including on a girls’ school.
We also condemn the illegal and indiscriminate attacks by the Iranian regime against several states in the region including Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, which violate the sovereignty of these nations and risk dragging their governments further into this rapidly escalating conflict.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Iran as they face yet more devastation, following the brutal killing of thousands of protestors by the Iranian regime. The future of Iran should be decided by its people, with the support of the international community working within the United Nations. Not by a unilateral military intervention, which violates international law.
We also stand in solidarity with our trade union partners and the millions of civilians throughout the region who fear the consequences of growing hostilities on their lives, jobs and public services.
UNISON joins the International Trade Union Confederation and trade unions in the region in calling for universal ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the convening of a special session of the UN General Assembly to strengthen international efforts to reduce nuclear armaments and safeguard global security.
We call on the government to avoid any attempts to drag the UK into any offensive and do all it can to support calls for an end to hostilities, the resumption of peace talks, and a diplomatic solution that upholds international law and the UN Charter.