Thousands of advocates of the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers held rallies across the globe on Saturday in support of the deal.
Dubbed the "Global Day of Peace for Iran," the rallies were staged in over 100 cities around the world, most importantly in Washington, New York, Berlin, Paris and London, to voice support for peace, diplomacy and the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany), IRNA reported.
Participants in the demonstrations called on the opposing groups in the United States and Israel to stop their attempts to portray the deal as a failure.
Inspired by the brainchild of several peace activists, the ceremonies were publicized in social media, the participants told IRNA.
A supporter of the deal in Berlin believes, "The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (as the accord is officially known) between Iran and P5+1 could enhance global peace."
An organizer of the event also said, "The nuclear deal will make the world and the Middle East safer and will help lift the illegal sanctions imposed on the country."
"The strong participation of the people, regardless of their national, political and religious views … and the unanimous support of peace with Iran and advocating the settlement of disputes by political solutions and dialogue, was astonishing even to us," said another organizer of the event.
Describing the rallies as a "spontaneous popular movement", he said the participants aim to promote peace through diplomacy.
***US Blacks Move
Meanwhile in New York, American civil activist, priest and trusted White House adviser Al Sharpton pushed America's black churches to lobby in favor of the Iran pact.
"I am calling on ministers in black churches nationwide to go to their pulpits Sunday and have their parishioners call their senators and congressmen to vote yes on the Iran nuclear plan," he was quoted by the Hill as saying on Friday.
"We have a disproportionate interest, being that if there is a war, our community is always disproportionately part of the armed services, and that a lot of the debate is by people who will not have family members who will be at risk."
He also argued that his efforts would counter a coordinated national effort against US President Barack Obama's historic diplomatic achievement.
"There needs to be a balance in this," he said. "Clearly lobbyists and others like (pro-Israel lobbying group) AIPAC are pushing on their side, and there needs to be an organized effort on the other side."
"A lot of Democrats, I think, should have to consider how their voters will feel in their base vote," the reverend noted.
On July 14, Iran and the six major powers finalized the text of the agreement in the Austrian capital Vienna.
