Anti-war protests hit major US cities after strikes on Iranian nuclear sites

Washington, June 23 (IANS) Protests rage across several major US cities, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington and Los Angeles against the airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.

The demonstrations on Sunday came after US President Donald Trump announced that America had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran and warned Tehran of further military action unless it ended its confrontation with Israel.

The targeted locations reportedly include the highly fortified Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear facilities.

Over 200 protestors, including some war veterans, gathered outside the gates of the White House in Washington, holding banners that read "No War with Iran" against the Trump administration's air strikes.

Reports suggest that in New York, hundreds of protestors marched from Times Square to Columbus Circle waving flags and carrying placards which read, "Stop the war in Iran," "Hands off Iran," and "No new war in the Middle East."

Condemning the bombing, the protestors termed it an "act of war" and not diplomacy.

They raised concern, stating that such a move "would undermine the chances of an international treaty" to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons, according to local media reports.

"I am afraid that we will see a World War III that could be nuclear in its outcome. This is not just Trump throwing a couple of bombs at Iran. Iran is a massive nation," American media outlet CBS News quoted one of the protestors, Yvette Felarca, representing By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), as saying.

"I think it's really dangerous. Trump is such a weak idiot that the only policy he has is war, so this is super dangerous," she further said.

"If you notice with the Democrats, the party that told us that they were so much different from Trump, they're not saying 'Trump, end this war'. They are concerned about him dotting his I's and crossing his T's," said Sean Blackmon, organiser of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

Earlier on Sunday, US authorities were put on heightened alert following the American-led military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with major cities like New York and Washington stepping up security across sensitive locations.

--IANS

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