(Washington, D.C., June 16, 2025) — In response to Israel's escalating attacks on Iranian infrastructure and hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens unable to leave Israel and Iran, DAWN issued the following statements:
"Israel's targeted attacks against Iranian media and government infrastructure make clear that this is war for regime change and Iran's nuclear enrichment capability is just the pretext," said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN's Executive Director. "President Trump campaigned on a promise not to get us entangled in another endless regime change war, but he's now allowing Israel and its Washington backers to dictate the agenda for a dangerous, new war with Iran."
"The U.S. government has a moral and legal obligation to protect the hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens unable to leave Israel and Iran," said Raed Jarrar, DAWN's Advocacy Director. "The Trump administration should act immediately to evacuate all U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, from Israel and Iran before the situation worsens."
"The U.S. should immediately withdraw troops, military assets, and bases from the Middle East because their continued presence is not only a danger to U.S. forces there but to the civilians anywhere near them," said Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man, Israel-Palestine Director at DAWN. "Maintaining a large military presence in the region unwisely turns them into unnecessary, opportunistic targets."
