We have received sad news; Iran has not issued visas for Veterans For Peace delegates Elliott Adams and Will Covert. We have no explanation for why. But for now that means the Veterans For Peace Delegation will not be going to Iran.
The letters of peace we receive will be given to other people to take to Iran in May.
Our contacts are talking with Iran and we are still hoping, though they say it is unlikely, we can get visas for a later trip.
The vision of this Veterans For Peace delegation is still alive and needed - US veterans taking on a new role in foreign relations, that of building bridges of humanity to support international peace.
Will and Elliott will continue to try to get visas, but it maybe up to others to carry their dream of building people-to-people connections with Iran while they turn to other work.
Thank you to all of you who have supported us in this effort.
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Would you find letters helpful? Whom should we write and what should we say?
ReplyDeleteI can't see much benefit in an official visit. The Iranian government is completely reactionary and any official visit would be tightly managed by government. Right?
ReplyDeleteMaybe an outreach to Iranians by indirect means, through groups of Iranians outside the country would be a more effective way to letting regular folks in Iran understand that regular American people, including vets do not seek war, etc.
Jim (Vietnam vet from SF)
I will be making the trip - I had been looking forward to sharing time with Elliott and meeting Will Covert. Many thanks to Will for suggesting a special Memorial Day Ceremony in Iran. Our leader has said we may meet with veterans groups there. I will try to represent VFP there (I'm president of the Tacoma, WA chapter). I may be able to make a report at the National Convention - or at least talk with friends about it there. Peace (Viet vet)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear... my trip was a wonderful experience.... I recommend that next time VFP members go that there be a little less fanfare. On the other hand, it shows that Elliott and Will are seen as a threat to the status quo military minds.... In Peace, Jim (now from Ithaca)
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