Iranian Media Claims Prominent American Leftists Signed Petition Condemning America, Supporting Iran's 'Right' to Go Nuclear

A general view shows the reactor building at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, 1200 kms south of Tehran, on August 20, 2010. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Iranian media is buzzing with the news that a number of prominent American leftists signed a petition over the weekend supporting their right to have a nuclear program.

On Saturday the International Action Center (IAC) held a meeting at Riverside Church in New York to both commemorate its 20th anniversary, and celebrate the birthday of former US Attorney General and IAC founder Ramsey Clark.

There, Clark and IAC co-director Sara Flounders reportedly began a petition titled "Hands Off Iran" where they urged Americans to lift the sanctions against Iran, stop the "threats of war," and recognize Iran's "right" to go nuclear, Iran's PressTV reports.

It should be noted that the IAC describes itself as an "anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist" organization that, among other things, openly defends convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal.  Appointed to the post of attorney general by former President Lyndon B. Johnson, Clark later tried to get President George W. Bush impeached for his "war of aggression" in Iraq.

Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark speaks during a news conference on September 17, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)

Iran's Fars News has the complete text of the reported petition, which they reported as being titled "99ers on the negotiations of G5+1 with Iran."

PressTV and Fars News appear to be referring to the same petition, however:

There are two sides in this dispute, one composed of the US and its allies in the European Union who accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons - without presenting even an iota of credible facts and supporting documents - and the other, Iran, which is striving to protect its right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes...

Using an unfounded accusation as a pretext for acts of aggressions, one side of the dispute headed by the US empire is currently punishing the other side, Iran, with the genocidal sanctions, an inhuman act that has endangered the life of tens of millions of innocent Iranian citizens for their "crime" of deciding to live independent and free from the yoke of hegemonic powers. The excuse for these aggressions is an allegation that has strongly been denied by Iranian officials and international organizations...

One side to this dispute has continuously shown its imperial arrogance through war crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria and by fully backing the repeated Israeli mass killings of the Palestinian people, and the other, Iran, has not initiated any war against any nation since its people overthrew the US puppet regime of Shah back in 1979. That record matched with the current position of Iran on opposing wars elsewhere in the world indicates the fact that Iran wishes to live in peace with other nations.  [Emphasis added]

Sara Flounders, center, an organizer with the International Action Center, is surrounded by reporters while she discusses plans for a Sept. 11 emergency mobilization against racism and anti-Islamic bigotry rally during a news conference, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010. (Photo: AP)

Overlooking Iran's funding of recognized terrorist groups and openly hostile rhetoric to Israel and the West, the petition concludes by urging "freedom-lovers" not to side with the United States, which apparently seeks "domination, exploitation and plunder," while Iran merely seeks its sovereignty.

America, they add, only represents the "privileged interests of big capitalist forces" and cares nothing for "the interests of the 99ers."  It is unclear, also, whether the IAC is aware that the Occupy-affiliated term "99ers" seems to echo the Iranian term "twelvers," referring to those who wish to hasten the return of the twelfth imam by creating apocalyptic conditions.

It should be noted that the text of the petition is not currently on the IAC website, but there is an older "Solidarity With Iran" petition with the same requests.

Sara Flounders, moreover, has been affiliated with "Stop War on Iran" for years, and its website lists yet another petition with the same ends.

One of the signatories is Ramsey Clark, former U.S. attorney general.

The IAC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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