Te Pāti Māori stands firmly opposed to war and military escalation in Iran and across the Middle East.

We reject the idea that bombing, invasion, or unilateral military strikes create peace. History shows us the opposite. Military aggression destabilises regions, costs civilian lives, and deepens generational trauma.

Two truths can exist at once. Authoritarian regimes can be oppressive. And foreign military intervention driven by geopolitical interests does not liberate ordinary people. It is everyday families who pay the price. Bombing innocent girls at their school is monstrous!

As Indigenous people, we know what it means when powerful nations justify force in the name of “security”, “order”, or “freedom”. Too often those words mask economic interests, strategic dominance, and political ego. The legacy is displacement, grief, and long-term instability.

Aotearoa must not be silent or complicit. Our foreign policy should be grounded in international law, multilateral diplomacy, and the protection of civilian life. We call on the New Zealand Government to:

• Publicly condemn unilateral military aggression

• Advocate for immediate de-escalation

• Support diplomatic pathways through the United Nations

• Prioritise humanitarian aid and civilian protection

Peace is not naïve. Diplomacy is not weakness. International law is not optional.

War has never delivered enduring safety for ordinary people. It delivers profit for arms dealers and political theatre for leaders, while families bury their loved ones.

Te Pāti Māori stands for peace, sovereignty, and the protection of human life everywhere.

Kia tau te rangimārie.

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