Miles for Peace activists cycle through San Francisco
with message of peace, friendship and solidarity

Amid growing tensions between the governments of Iran and the U.S., fourteen cyclists arrived in San Francisco July 3 to convey a message of peace, friendship, and solidarity.
. Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

July 8, 2007

On July 3, fourteen "Miles for Peace" activists arrived in San Francisco as part of an extended bicyling tour that includes the United States and Europe. Their purpose - to convey a message of peace, friendship, and solidarity amid increasing hostilities between the governments of the United States and Iran.

As a gesture of goodwill and friendship, the cyclists brought with them a hand-made emblem of Miles for Peace which they dedicated to the citizens of San Francisco through the office of Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi.

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi receives a hand-made emblem of Miles for Peace
from Miles for Peace spokesperson Ali Nasii.

Last year, San Francisco supervisor Ross Mirkarimi passed a resolution condemning a possible, "preventive" war on Iran. As a city with a strong history of peace activism, we welcome the Miles for Peace cyclists and hope to create a space for US-Iranian dialogue and opportunities for locals to learn about the Middle East and engage in greater efforts of collaboration and solidarity.

Although official U.S.-Iran relations have been frozen since 1979, the US has renewed its vilification of Iran and the Iranian people since President Bush's declaration of Iran as part of the "axis of evil" in 2002. Iran's recent development of a nuclear program has attracted worldwide criticism and increased tensions with the US. The possibility of a US military strike on Iran seems more and more likely as the general situation of the Middle East deteriorates. The failure of the US government to engage in diplomatic relations has isolated the country both politically and through sanctions that punish the Iranian people rather than the ruling elite.

The American media has consistently demonized the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, it does not differentiate between the government and its people and thus Iranian voices are rarely heard in the US media. Fourteen cyclists, communicating the pacifist message of the Iranian people, started their journey in Europe and have now reached San Francisco.

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