The virtual seminar was held on May 18th, 2026, focusing on the consequences of the imperialist war on the workers lives.

At the beginning of the session, Mohseni Kabir, referring to the experience of Iranian workers during the recent imposed war, said: “We are happy that you, our friends in prominent global organizations like the WFTU and IWI, support Iranian workers. Today we are discussing the military attack of the US and Israel on Iran.”

He added: “The US, as a superpower, wants to tell countries what to do and what not to do, and otherwise punishes them. This is our view of recent history. Look at Iran’s case. Iran is located in a sensitive geographical position, bordering the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Iraq, and other important countries. We are on a major energy transit route, and the US is sensitive about this region.”

He continued: “During the time of the former Shah, before the revolution, the US did whatever it wanted in this country. The path of the government was determined by the US, and the revolution cut the US’s hand off from this sensitive region and its energy resources to some extent.”

Mohseni stated: “The US, with thousands of nuclear warheads, re-entered Iran’s nuclear file to dominate this region and country, and exerted pressure to use peaceful nuclear energy development as a pretext for pressure. This was while Iran’s nuclear activities were under global control, and Iran’s leader had declared the atomic bomb and military use of nuclear energy forbidden according to Islamic law.”

The member of the House of Labor’s Executive Board emphasized: “American and aligned media suggested that Iran has no future, that the people are under terrible pressure because of the hijab, and that the Iranian government is against any kind of women’s freedom. They used all these as excuses to justify their aggression. Many of you have seen Iran’s streets and know that in recent years there have been no particular conflicts over this issue, but the US and its allies created a public opinion atmosphere portraying Iran as dangerous and, in addition to being a dark regime, seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.”

He noted: “Now that Israel has assassinated our diplomats, military commanders, Hamas leaders in Iran, and our leader, they portray us as the aggressors. During the 12-day war, when I was at a meeting of the International Labor Organization, I suddenly saw the news of Israel’s attack on Iran. We were shocked that they assassinated our military commanders one after another. These actions were certainly not defensive.”

The Vice President of FISE continued: “During the recent war you witnessed over the past two months, the crimes continued. In addition to killing the supreme leader, Iranian political figures, and commanders, they targeted more than 200 students in a school in Minab, Iran, killing innocents. They targeted communication routes, bridges, medical centers, power plants, steel factories, petrochemical plants, and refineries.”

This labor activist stated: “Mr. Miedari, Iran’s Minister of Labor, recently stated that about 2 million people lost their jobs due to this war. Also, thousands of homes were damaged, and hundreds of thousands became homeless. Who is accountable for these crimes and will answer for this blood? Which body will prosecute the criminals?”

He emphasized: “Today in Iran, we see rich and poor, old and young, men and women gathering in the streets, condemning these attacks and calling for defense and resistance. We have many problems with the country’s management regarding the economy, wages, and other social issues. We defend our workers in these circumstances, but we never defend the bombing and aggression of any foreign power. We defend our country without weapons. This defense is achieved through our unity and presence. Imperialist superpowers cannot break us, as history has shown.”

Mohseni noted: “The US wants to destroy our people’s will and our independence. But it couldn’t, so our families, factories, and homes became its targets. I emphasize once again that we declare our message of solidarity with all countries and peoples suffering under imperialist oppression, like Cuba, Palestine, etc. Our Palestinian and Lebanese brothers and sisters have resisted the Zionist regime’s attacks for decades. We declare our solidarity with them.”

He concluded: “Our unity solves our problems. Our message to our brothers and sisters in Cuba and Venezuela is that you are not alone in fighting US imperialism; our hearts are with you, and if you are not afraid, you will be victorious. Long live the International Confederation of Trade Unions, the International Workers’ Institute, and the workers and toilers of Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Cuba, Venezuela, and all countries of the world who stand on the right side of history.”

Later in the session, Ali Yassin, Head of the Alwafaa Trade Union Federation of Lebanon, participating in the seminar, expressed solidarity with the war-affected people of Iran and its workers, saying: “The interference of aggressor countries like Israel and the US occurs while many regional and Arab leaders remain silent. We as trade unions must not remain silent against imperialist interference and must support the Palestinian people’s movement.”

He added: “The people and army of Lebanon have experience with conflicts with militias and Zionists. Our people in southern Lebanon were involved in war for half a century. They tried to push Israel back behind the Litani River and then out of Lebanon entirely. Today, Israel has not left this region and has advanced to the Litani River, contrary to all treaties. This regime does not understand negotiation or dialogue.”

He concluded: “The attack on Iran’s embassy and its revolutionary people was a continuation of this trend. Iran was the first country to establish a Palestinian embassy instead of an Israeli one, and today it is paying the price for its resistance. Today, many resistance forces have backed this movement because of the stance taken in Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine. Resistance in Lebanon also continued against occupation, within the framework of Hezbollah.”

Ali Yassin concluded: “Palestinian resistance also grew again in response to such a situation. The Palestinian people fought for their basic rights, like the people of Lebanon. They know and saw that in Lebanon and Palestine, in addition to killing leaders like Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, they committed mass killings and even destroyed animals and plants.”

This Lebanese labor activist stated: “We tried everything to free our prisoners from the prisons of the Israeli occupying government, and we saw resistance as the best weapon.”

In detail he mentioned that Imperialists have always been driven by greed to conquer more resources, more energy routes, more oil, etc. So everything must be placed in a geopolitical context. We are talking about a region with a rich history, inhabited for thousands of years. After the Balfour Declaration, the foundations were laid for the creation of a state for Jews. In 1948, the State of Israel was recognized, first by the United States and then by the USSR. However, it soon became an imperialist project and a military base, aimed at stabilizing imperialist actions.

But there were also Zionist militias before 1948. In Palestine, UN Resolution 242 urged Israelis to return some occupied territories. Specifically, regarding Lebanon, we experienced a civil war between patriotic forces that supported Palestine and right-wing reactionary forces that cooperated with the Zionists. Later, right-wing militias joined together to form the so-called “South Lebanon Army.” In 1978, Israel invaded Lebanon again. Once again, the UN resolved that Israel should withdraw and create a “security belt.” In 1978, the first agreement between Egypt and Israel took place, meaning between Israel and an Arab state. In 1979, the Iranian Revolution took place and a blow against Zionism. In 1982 there was a massive Israeli invasion of Lebanon as far as the Beqaa. Many patriots fought against the Israeli project.

Later, the May 17 agreements were signed. The Lebanese patriotic resistance exercised its right to resist the invader. UN Resolution 425 was signed under pressure, not out of compliance. The Israeli state felt that Palestinians and Lebanese would not tolerate its actions. Regarding the current situation, since October 2023 a new war has erupted. Many became martyrs.

Now we are facing a new situation. Israeli aggression against Lebanon has intensified. Israel is deviating from agreements. They continue bombing infrastructure, civilians, and buildings.

They accepted the American proposal document, with restrictions imposed on the Lebanese resistance. This only benefits Israel.

Israel continues its aggression against Lebanon, taking advantage of the global political climate. However, Lebanese authorities have offered to enter into direct peace talks with Israel.

When the Resistance decided to respond to Israel’s actions and the thousands of civilian victims, Lebanese authorities considered it an illegal practice. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN LEBANON IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE because we are facing the project of a new Middle East. The largest entity opposing it is Iran. Now we can all understand what the war in Iran means. The State of Israel is the spearhead of this malignant project. I send my most sincere solidarity to everyone present here.

“Everyone supports the Resistance. Every free person must react. American imperialism is so greedy that it wants to steal our resources.”

Mohamed Yahya, Head of the Palestinian Workers Coalition, elaborated on the reality of the Palestinian people:

“Today, we speak to you about an extraordinary war. We speak to you about a war of genocide and ethnic cleansing inflicted upon the Palestinian people for more than 78 years. We speak about a succession of catastrophes suffered by the Palestinian people: from the displacement of 1948, through the displacement of 1967, and the expulsions of 1973, after which a continuous series of disasters befell our steadfast people. And we are not far removed from the catastrophe following October 7: the massacres in Gaza and the American-Zionist atrocities committed there, which have thus far resulted in the deaths of nearly 80,000 people, as well as the displacement and imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of our people and workers.

Israel’s war against all of Palestine is nothing but a bias in favor of Israel, aimed at preserving its security and resources. It comes within the framework of protecting Israel and entrenching the occupation of Palestinian lands.

It is a war whose title is fascism, and even more than that. It did not stop there, but extended across the entire West Bank, beginning with the destruction of the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps. Not content with killing and displacing more than 60,000 residents of these camps, it demolished homes, destroyed infrastructure, and exhausted all the capabilities of our people in the West Bank and القدس  (Jerusalem), just as in Gaza. Tens of thousands of camp residents in the West Bank remain homeless and displaced from their homes.

Comrades, sisters, Palestine now lives in the embrace of a volcano of killing and an earthquake of systematic destruction and organized massacres. Palestine has become open prey for both the army and the settlers alike, who kill, pursue, vandalize, and assault innocent civilians.

This war, waged by the American-Zionist army against Palestine for decades, has become unmistakably clear in its nature: the rejection of all mechanisms of peace and the abandonment of any international or humanitarian agreements or standards. Israel has renounced all its agreements with the Palestinians and cast everything aside. It continues to build settlements, with more than 250 settlements and 320 new outposts established. At present, it is constructing more than 5,000 housing units, continuing the building of the apartheid wall, expanding settlements, and confiscating more than 100,000 dunams of land for settlement purposes.

The entire West Bank has become vulnerable to settler attacks. Trees, stones, people, and animals are all targeted. The so-called Zionist government has allocated billions of dollars for settlements while simultaneously withholding more than $5 billion of Palestinian Authority funds, as part of an effort to undermine and weaken the Authority’s ability to fulfill its role in society. It has cut salaries for prisoners’ and martyrs’ families and installed electronic systems that contribute to the killing of Palestinian workers through highly advanced technological means.

The apartheid wall has now exceeded 770 kilometers in length, and more than 1,150 checkpoints have been erected to fragment and divide the homeland. Yellow gates have been placed at the entrances of hundreds of cities and villages, tearing apart the fabric of the nation.

A wounded homeland now lives under the hammer of relentless settlement expansion. Today, we are living through realities beyond belief, as the occupation establishes hundreds of settlement outposts in preparation for transforming them into official settlements.

At a time when the Palestinian people aspire to live in peace and security, Israel is issuing laws imposing the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners, in addition to the torture they endure. More than 10,000 prisoners suffer in detention, including hundreds of workers who are continuously arrested.

Israel is also intensifying its efforts to undermine and dismantle the Palestinian Authority, especially as it continues to withhold more than $5 billion belonging to the Palestinian people, creating a financial crisis that prevents the government from paying people’s dues. This has created widespread poverty among public sector employees and led to the destruction and deterioration of all aspects of daily life.

As for workers, we can only speak of the tragedies endured by more than 750,000 workers who are unemployed and living under the weight of poverty and joblessness. They have no income and no means except waiting beneath the tent of hunger and deprivation, awaiting their fate. Unemployment has surpassed 90% in Gaza and exceeds 58% in the West Bank. More than 280,000 jobs have been lost, while hundreds of workers have been killed and thousands continuously arrested.

Because we always call upon the world to stand in solidarity with us and with our just cause, we take this opportunity, before this conference, to send a message of solidarity to our people, families, and workers in wounded brotherly Lebanon, which confronts with bare chests the fiercest warships, aircraft, and Zionist-American bombs.

We also affirm our solidarity with Iran, which has been subjected to repeated attacks and interventions by the head of imperialism, America, and its ally Israel, in attempts to undermine Iran’s unity and stability. Yet they have failed.

Nor do we forget our continuous solidarity with Cuba and Venezuela and the unjust blockade imposed upon them, whose clearly capitalist aim is to seize control of the wealth and resources of their steadfast peoples despite decades of siege.

Finally, we affirm our solidarity with all countries subjected to American interventions aimed at destabilizing them. We Palestinians will always stand with you and beside you, because today we in Palestine live under the worst, longest, and most brutal occupation in the world, marked by fascism and barbarism.

We are living through an extremely difficult phase and harsh conditions. All we can do is remain patient until we see the light with our own eyes, and until we achieve liberation and establish a sovereign state with الشريف (Jerusalem) as its capital. We also aspire to free all our heroic prisoners, halt the raging settlement expansion, lift the siege on Gaza, return the displaced, dismantle the apartheid wall, and end the occupation that weighs upon our hearts.”