Local group demands peace among Iran tensions

GOSHEN, Ind. - Residents gathered at a peace vigil  in Goshen Saturday demanding no war with Iran.

This comes nearly a month after tensions rose between the United States and Iran after the U.S. ordered an air strike to kill powerful military commander, Qasem Soleimani.

“We’re just here to protest the war. We don’t want war, we just want peace with Iran,” Melinda Wobrock, one attendee said.

“I’m here because peace matters because the world is a community. So if we don’t live at peace with our neighbors then our community is going to break up,” Lynn Diener, another attendee said.

Dozens of people met outside the Elkhart County Courthouse in Goshen to speak up against war with Iran. They say they don't agree with the U.S's decision to assassinate Iranian General Qasem Soleimani or the deployment of troops to the region.

“These people are people of faith gathering to give voice to peace with Iran,” Bruce Bishop, the event organizer said.

“I’m here to speak out against war with Iran, to end the economic war through these maximum pressures as they call it, sanctions that are seriously hurting the Iranian people,” David Cortright, the Special Advisor for Policy Studies at the Keogh School of Global Affairs.

Iran fired missiles at Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops in retaliation for that drone strike at Baghdad airport that killed Soleimani.

“I was very afraid that we might just start a war and this could be the opening round of the war,” Cortright said.

“Any harm you do to them, you do to us,” one speaker at the vigil said.

Protests and vigils were held around the world and now, Goshen is added to that list.

“These kinds of vigils are very important in trying to show the president and our political leaders that people don’t want war with Iran,” Cortright said.

Cortright spoke at the event Saturday to not only speak out against the war but to encourage support of a resolution.

“Support of the resolution that’s been introduced in congress for the war powers act that says that the United States cannot use military force against Iran without approval of the U.S. Congress,” he said.

Tensions have decreased in following weeks. President Trump stating just days after the strik: “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.”