Thousands of people are expected to march in cities across the globe on Saturday in support of Iran's deal with world powers over its controversial nuclear programme, activists said. The "global day of peace", as organisers describe it on Facebook, is aimed at showing support for the deal, which must be approved by US lawmakers before being implemented. The call to mobilise comes as the historic deal reached last month is under fire from US and Iranian hardline politicians.
Activists said the marches, organised partly by Iranians living abroad, will be a show of solidarity with Iran against "pro-war lobbies" in the US. Organisers say they have no affiliation with any group or political party. The agreement reached in Vienna provides for a progressive and conditional lifting of crippling international sanctions on Iran, in exchange for guarantees that the Islamic republic will not develop a nuclear bomb.
The deal has been publicly and vocally opposed by many members of the US Congress as well as by Israel, and has raised concerns among US allies in the Gulf. A Facebook page supporting the deal has already advertised marches on Saturday in around 80 cities, including Melbourne, Tokyo, Paris, Ottawa and New York. A US State Department spokeswoman acknowledged the campaign this week on social media.
"I have no idea who is doing this, but it's kind of awesome," said Marie Harf, re-tweeting a photo of a bike in Washington with a paper tag reading "Support IranDeal", the campaign's name. One of Iran's vice presidents also shared a link to "the voluntary campaign" on her Facebook page. Supporters of the deal "know that this agreement matters in reaching peace and a more secure and tranquil world," said Masoumeh Ebtekar, President Hassan Rouhani's deputy on environmental protection.
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