Latest news with #HosseinHamadani
Euronews
an hour ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Hundreds take to the street in the Hague to demonstrate against NATO
Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday to protest against NATO, rising military spending, and the risk of war with Iran. The protest comes two days before a summit of the alliance in The Hague, where leaders are expected to discuss increasing defence budgets. 'Let's invest in peace and sustainable energy,' Belgian politician Joe d'Haese said addressing a crowd in a park near the summit location. Although the protest focused on NATO and the war in Gaza, many Iranians joined in response to Sunday's attacks carried out by the United States on three key Iranian nuclear sites. Demonstrators were seen holding signs reading 'No Iran War,' and "Hands off Iran." 'We are opposed to war. People want to live a peaceful life,' said 74-year-old Hossein Hamadani, an Iranian living in the Netherlands. "Things are not good. So why do we spend money on war?' he added. Arno van der Veen, spokesperson for the Counter Summit Coalition for Peace and Justice, which organised the protest, said the role of NATO has become problematic now that the US decided to join Israel in the war in Iran. "If there is a retaliation from Iran now, which would be just and legitimate under international law, then we, as the Netherlands, would also be at war with Iran," he told Euronews. "The next step is a nuclear war. And that is what we are incredibly worried about, and why we can see that the moment you buy more weapons, the chances increase that you will also use them. And that is life-threatening," he warned. Anti-NATO activists are often criticised for having a supposedly pro-Russian stance. Van der Veen emphasised, however, that his organisation stands against Russian imperialism, while also opposing US imperialism. "They are both now trying to divide the natural resources in the ground in Ukraine," he said. "The population of Ukraine is the victim of this war, and also the population of Russia, because they are all sent into the army." The Netherlands is hosting the annual NATO summit, starting Tuesday, with world leaders meeting on Wednesday. Leaders plan to agree on higher defence spending, as pushed by US President Donald Trump. Talks were nearly complete last week, until Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that asking Spain to spend 5% of its GDP on defence was 'unreasonable and counterproductive.' Since Russia invaded Ukraine over three years ago, NATO countries have increased defence spending. But nearly a third still do not meet the current 2% target. The summit is under tight security, with the largest safety operation ever in the Netherlands, called 'Orange Shield.' It involves thousands of police and military officers, drones, no-fly zones, and cybersecurity teams.
3 hours ago
- Politics
Hundreds protest in The Hague against NATO, days before the Dutch city hosts alliance summit
THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Hundreds of people protested Sunday against NATO and military spending and against a possible conflict with Iran, two days before a summit of the alliance in The Hague that is seeking to increase allies' defense budgets. 'Let's invest in peace and sustainable energy,' Belgian politician Jos d'Haese told the crowd at a park not far from the summit venue. Although billed as a demonstration against NATO and the war in Gaza, protesters were joined by Iranians who held up banners saying 'No Iran War,' the day after the United States launched attacks against three of Iran's nuclear sites. 'We are opposed to war. People want to live a peaceful life,' said 74-year-old Hossein Hamadani, an Iranian who lives in the Netherlands. Look at the environment. 'Things are not good. So why do we spend money on war?' he added. The Netherlands is hosting the annual meeting of the 32-nation alliance starting Tuesday, with leaders scheduled to meet Wednesday. The heads of government want to hammer out an agreement on a hike in defense spending demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump. The deal appeared largely done last week, until Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that committing Madrid to spending 5% of its gross domestic product on defense "would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive.' U.S. allies have ramped up defense spending since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, but almost a third of them still don't meet NATO's current target of at least 2% of their gross domestic product. The summit is being protected by the biggest ever Dutch security operation, code named 'Orange Shield," involving thousands of police and military personnel, drones, no-fly zones and cybersecurity experts.
Al Jazeera
5 hours ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Hundreds protest against NATO summit, Israel-Iran conflict in The Hague
Hundreds of people have protested in The Hague, in the Netherlands, against NATO and increased military spending in advance of a summit, as Iran's conflict with Israel and the United States intensifies by the day. People demonstrated on Sunday against the military alliance, Israel's punishing war in Gaza and the Israel-Iran conflict, hours after the US targeted three nuclear sites in Iran in a sudden escalatory move in support of its biggest ally in the Middle East. Hossein Hamadani, 74, an Iranian who lives in the Netherlands, told The Associated Press news agency that they are 'opposed to war'. 'People want to live a peaceful life … Things are not good. So why do we spend money on war?' he added. Following the US's attack on Iran, an unnamed NATO official told the Reuters news agency that the alliance was watching the situation 'closely'. The summit is expected to kick off on Tuesday, with leaders of the 32 NATO-allied countries to meet a day later on Wednesday. During the meeting, the heads of state will discuss an increase in defence spending, which has been repeatedly demanded by US President Donald Trump, along with thinly veiled threats to leave the military alliance. On Thursday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke out against the agreement to increase defence spending to 5 percent of national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as not only 'unreasonable but also counterproductive'. In a letter to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Sanchez asked for a 'more flexible formula' that either makes the spending target optional or excludes Spain from its application. But Trump said a day later that Madrid was 'notorious' for underspending on defence and said it needed to pay what other NATO members were paying. The allied countries have ramped up defence spending since Russia invaded Ukraine more than three years ago; however, almost a third of the members still do not meet the bloc's current target of at least 2 percent defence spending.
Asharq Al-Awsat
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Hundreds Protest in The Hague against NATO, Days before the Dutch City Hosts Alliance Summit
Hundreds of people protested Sunday against NATO and military spending and against a possible conflict with Iran, two days before a summit of the alliance in The Hague that is seeking to increase allies' defense budgets. 'Let's invest in peace and sustainable energy,' Belgian politician Jos d'Haese told the crowd at a park not far from the summit venue. Although billed as a demonstration against NATO and the war in Gaza, protesters were joined by Iranians who held up banners saying 'No Iran War,' the day after the United States launched attacks against three of Iran's nuclear sites, The AP news reported. 'We are opposed to war. People want to live a peaceful life,' said 74-year-old Hossein Hamadani, an Iranian who lives in the Netherlands. Look at the environment. 'Things are not good. So why do we spend money on war?' he added. The Netherlands is hosting the annual meeting of the 32-nation alliance starting Tuesday, with leaders scheduled to meet Wednesday. The heads of government want to hammer out an agreement on a hike in defense spending demanded by US President Donald Trump. The deal appeared largely done last week, until Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that committing Madrid to spending 5% of its gross domestic product on defense "would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive.' US allies have ramped up defense spending since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, but almost a third of them still don't meet NATO's current target of at least 2% of their gross domestic product. The summit is being protected by the biggest ever Dutch security operation, code named 'Orange Shield," involving thousands of police and military personnel, drones, no-fly zones and cybersecurity experts.
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Hundreds protest in The Hague against NATO, days before the Dutch city hosts alliance summit
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Hundreds of people protested Sunday against NATO and military spending and against a possible conflict with Iran, two days before a summit of the alliance in The Hague that is seeking to increase allies' defense budgets. 'Let's invest in peace and sustainable energy,' Belgian politician Jos d'Haese told the crowd at a park not far from the summit venue. Although billed as a demonstration against NATO and the war in Gaza, protesters were joined by Iranians who held up banners saying 'No Iran War,' the day after the United States launched attacks against three of Iran's nuclear sites. 'We are opposed to war. People want to live a peaceful life,' said 74-year-old Hossein Hamadani, an Iranian who lives in the Netherlands. Look at the environment. 'Things are not good. So why do we spend money on war?' he added. The Netherlands is hosting the annual meeting of the 32-nation alliance starting Tuesday, with leaders scheduled to meet Wednesday. The heads of government want to hammer out an agreement on a hike in defense spending demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump. The deal appeared largely done last week, until Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that committing Madrid to spending 5% of its gross domestic product on defense "would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive.' U.S. allies have ramped up defense spending since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, but almost a third of them still don't meet NATO's current target of at least 2% of their gross domestic product. The summit is being protected by the biggest ever Dutch security operation, code named 'Orange Shield," involving thousands of police and military personnel, drones, no-fly zones and cybersecurity experts. ___ Associated Press writer Molly Quell in The Hague contributed.
