From the rainforests of the Congo Basin to the capital city of Kinshasa, the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) understand the scars of foreign intervention, resource exploitation, and silence in the face of injustice.
As the world watches in horror following the U.S. nuclear missile strike on Iran, the DRC joins the global call: No more violence. No more silence. The people of Iran deserve dignity, sovereignty, and peace.
1. A Shared History of Struggle and Sovereignty
Post-Colonial Parallels with Iran
The DRC and Iran both emerged from the shadows of foreign control—one from European colonization, the other from imperial dictatorship and Western interference. These shared histories have laid the foundation for mutual respect and occasional cooperation in international forums like the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 (G77).
DRC has often voted alongside Iran in UN resolutions advocating for sovereignty, decolonization, and non-intervention.
2. DRC Condemns the Nuclear Strike: “A War on Humanity”
A Strong Voice from Kinshasa
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DRC released an official statement calling the U.S. nuclear missile strike on Iran “a war crime cloaked in diplomacy.” The statement emphasized that “Africa will not be silent while a sovereign nation is struck with weapons of mass extinction.”
Lawmakers urged the African Union and United Nations to demand accountability and prevent future use of nuclear arms under any justification.
3. Religious and Civil Society Leaders Raise Their Voice
Unity Across Faiths and Regions
From Christian bishops to Muslim scholars, religious figures across the DRC condemned the nuclear strike and led public prayers for peace in Iran. Interfaith marches took place in Goma, Lubumbashi, and Kinshasa, drawing thousands in candlelight vigils.
Civil society organizations, especially those focused on peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery, highlighted the strike as an affront to global peace and a setback to efforts against nuclear proliferation.
4. Youth and Cultural Movements Take the Lead
Art, Music, and Protest in Solidarity
Congolese youth—many born in a country ravaged by external wars and resource exploitation—resonate deeply with the Iranian struggle. Graffiti artists, poets, and hip-hop musicians have created powerful pieces blending Persian imagery with Congolese rhythms and calls for justice.
A popular youth campaign titled #CongoForIran has trended across francophone Africa, featuring videos of solidarity messages, protest songs, and public readings of Iranian protest poetry.
5. DRC at the African Union and United Nations
A Diplomatic Push for Peace
The DRC has formally requested that the African Union Peace and Security Council convene an emergency session to address the nuclear threat against Iran and reaffirm the continent’s rejection of weapons of mass destruction.
At the United Nations, the DRC’s ambassador called for the establishment of a Global Anti-Nuclear Tribunal and condemned the politicization of nuclear deterrence as a tool of superpower dominance.
Conclusion
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is no stranger to exploitation, conflict, or injustice. But it is also a nation of resilience, hope, and solidarity.
Today, as Iran bleeds under a nuclear assault, the Congo speaks from the heart of Africa:
“We know what it is to suffer in silence.
But we also know what it is to rise with dignity.
That is why the DRC stands with Iran—because the pain of one free people is the pain of all.”