FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2026

Contact: Pablo DeJesus | info@uusj.org

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UUSJ Condemns Air Strikes on Iran

War and hegemony are immoral; they remain unlawful without authorization.   

WASHINGTON D.C. — Early on Saturday, February 28, 2026, the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran. Iran responded by firing missiles at Israel and U.S. military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. The Trump administration has said it will continue strikes. 

After initial reporting, Iranian state media confirmed that the U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In response, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) made the following announcement. Pablo DeJesús, Executive Director, UUSJ, stated:

“Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice condemns U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran. We say no war with Iran. Stop the strikes.

We urge de-escalation and a return to diplomacy during Iran’s declared period of mourning for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. We send prayers to those in the path of this violent state-sponsored conflict. We mourn civilian casualties, including as many as 100 children, reported dead thus far.

We call for an end to the autocratic, authoritarian, and hegemonic conduct on display, and we extend that call to the various conflicts in the region, especially for those that show clear characteristics of ethnic displacement, cleansing, genocide, or war crimes.

The President’s actions operate beyond the bounds of the Constitution, which is clear on this matter: only Congress has the authority to declare war. Therefore, UUSJ calls on Congress to pass the Iran War Powers Resolution (S.J.Res.104?/?H.Con.Res.38).

The President’s actions are also immoral and disproportionate in the circumstances.

While not a peace church, we Unitarian Universalists stress that war must be reserved for instances where peace and diplomacy have utterly failed. Where the harm to civilians can not be avoided. When, in fact, military interventions have a clear and overwhelming opportunity—likelihood, even—to save civilians on both sides of the conflict. 

Ultimately, war is to be used only when it is evident to the vast majority of U.S. citizens that state-sponsored violence, by our military, under our flag, in our name, has a preponderance of moral weight behind it. Then, only with the consent of our duly elected members of Congress, in advance of war actions, not after the fact, as we have seen with this administration and most modern Presidents, in both parties.

The necessity of this war is not evident to us. We do not give our consent. We withhold concurrence with a Congress looking to further and extend war and conflict at the behest of the Trump administration.

Unitarian Universalists have long opposed any intervention into Iran by the U.S. military. Our faith tradition upholds humanitarian goals of protecting innocent life and global human rights, and has done so again in response to this action.

UUSJ joins others in calling for negotiations and international cooperation, and to say, no war with Iran. Pass the Iran War Powers Resolution.”