When the U.S. bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran on June 21, many workers were rightfully worried that it could be the beginning of World War III. Two weeks later, a ceasefire appears to be holding, possibly allowing people in the U.S. to breathe a sigh of relief. Of course, that is not the case for people in Iran, who live under the constant threat of military attack from Israel or even another attack by the Pentagon.

We don’t need to wait for another act of war by the U.S. to figure out, in the words of the old union anthem, “Which side are you on?”

Here are a few points to consider:

1. Iran is not our enemy. Iran had nothing to do with the Big Ugly Bill, approved by Congress and signed by President Trump, that represents a massive transfer of wealth from the poorest people to the richest. Iran has nothing to do with the intensifying attacks on people of color, migrants, workers, women and gender-oppressed people, the LGBTQIA2S+ community and people with disabilities. Iran is not breaking our unions. Iran is not responsible for increased evictions, foreclosures, higher food prices, and hospital and school closings at home.

2. Every country, including Iran, has the right to defend itself. After Israel attacked Iran, killing hundreds of civilians, Iran struck back at Israel. For this Iran has been demonized in the big business media here. But Iran was exercising its right, recognized under international law, to self-defense.

3. Only nine countries in the world possess nuclear weapons and only one has ever used them. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the U.S. has about 5,400 nuclear weapons, most held within the country, but about 100 located in Europe. Over 1,700 are ready to be deployed with half of them on hair-trigger alert — meaning they can be rapidly launched with a presidential order.

China, in contrast, does not have any nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert, in keeping with its “no first use” policy. The U.S. killed between 150,000 and 250,000 people when it dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The use of “depleted uranium” weapons during the two Iraq wars caused massive casualties in Iraq and among U.S. servicepeople.

4. Imperialist wars hurt the working class by robbing social programs of funds. Under the Big Ugly Bill, millions of people will lose food assistance, medical care or both. A long list of necessary social programs face cuts. Yet it will raise the federal deficit by trillions of dollars! Where is the money going? A big chunk of it is going to the already bloated Pentagon budget.

5. War divides the workers of the world. When the U.S. launches a war against another country, often with the goal of “regime change,” its propaganda machine demonizes the other country’s people and leaders. Working-class people are fed lies about the so-called “enemy” to shift our focus away from our true enemy, the superrich exploiting class in our own country. This keeps workers of different countries divided, at a time when global class-wide unity is more needed than ever before.

6. Only the rich benefit from Pentagon aggression. We see many ways that wars hurt workers and oppressed people. Who do they benefit? Only the billionaire class, the wealthiest — those who finance the wars, those who profit from the manufacture of weapons and those in whose interest imperialist wars are fought, like Big Oil.

Which side are you on? If you’re in the camp of workers and oppressed people, your interests lie with Iran, with Palestine, with Yemen and the masses of exploited people around the world. Join them in demanding: U.S., Israel, hands off Iran!

Make your position clear before the next war starts.