"The Foreign Minister Winston Peters has failed to call out the genocidal threats of the US and Israeli governments against the 90 million people of Iran as he meets with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Peters' silence in the face of imminent war crimes is not good enough," said Valerie Morse of Peace Action Wellington.

"Instead of using his visit to Washington to tell the US administration to stop their fascist war, Peters sent his time pleading with Rubio about New Zealand's desperate economic reliance on the US and about further New Zealand military engagement with these genocidal killers."

"Thus far, the New Zealand government has failed to condemn this illegal and completely unprovoked war on Iran. Now US President Donald Trump threatens to wipe an entire civilisation off the face of the earth, and still there is nothing but crickets from Peters and Luxon on these war crimes. Their silence speaks volumes."

"It is truly disgusting that Peters is prepared to bow down to the criminal gang in Washington and sacrifice the people of Iran, Lebanon and Palestine all so that New Zealand can enjoy a privileged economic position."

"This war will only escalate and the economic collapse that is landing on the New Zealand people will be crushing. This government has completely failed on moral leadership in the international arena, and
economic leadership in the domestic arena by failing to protect us in the time of an unprecedented crisis."

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