On Friday, several dozen people gathered in Dakar to protest against the war in Iran and denounce military actions attributed to the United States and Israel.
Organised by the "SOS Senegal Committee against the war in Iran", the demonstration took place in the Place de la Nation, in a protest atmosphere but without incident.
Waving Senegalese, Iranian, and Palestinian flags, the demonstrators chanted slogans hostile to Western powers. Some wore t-shirts bearing the image of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The organizers described the mobilization as both national and pan-African.
“We are here to denounce the injustice and the war they are suffering. They are being bombed every day. This is not acceptable. We believe that everything can be resolved without resorting to war,” said protester Cherif Barro, calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
For Mouhamed Barro, organizer of the gathering, the consequences extend far beyond the Middle East: “Today, it’s not just about the countries under attack. Even the aggressor countries maintain economic and cultural relations with Senegal, sometimes since independence. The repercussions of this war are not limited to the Middle East: they extend to the Gulf and the entire world.”
The demonstration also received support from foreign representatives. Iran's ambassador to Senegal, Hassan Asgari, praised the initiative: "You are gathered here to send a message to the world: to say no to war, to all aggression and to all violations of international law, and to affirm your support for Iran and all oppressed peoples."
For her part, Venezuelan Ambassador Regzeida González Herrera strongly criticized US foreign policy, referring to the situation of President Nicolás Maduro: "Today it is Venezuela. Tomorrow it could be other countries in the world."
The demonstration ended peacefully, to the sounds of the national anthems of Senegal and Iran. Participants affirmed their commitment to continuing to raise awareness against war and foreign military interventions.
