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Local peace protests held around Mass. after air strike attack on Iranian leader

WALPOLE, Mass. — Peace protests occurred in Walpole, Boston, Arlington and Andover on Saturday, with all of the protestors wanting to send a message that they don’t want war with Iran.

These protests come after President Donald Trump ordered an airstrike on the Baghdad airport early Friday morning. In the drone attack, Iran’s top military leader Qasem Soleimani was killed. United States Intelligence officials believe Soleimani was behind an attack on a United States military base in Iraq that killed an American contractor.

President Trump also said that Iran was planning more attacks on U.S. troops and diplomats. Many U.S. cities -- including Boston -- have beefed up patrols and are on alert in case of retaliation. But President Trump said Americans are safer following the Baghdad air strike.

“Let this be a warning to terrorists, if you value your own life, you will not threaten the lives of our citizens," President Trump said. "Americans have many blessings, but perhaps the greatest among them is the blessing of being protected by the most exceptional and virtuous military on the face of god’s earth.”

A retired Army Ranger said he believes this was the right move by the Trump Administration.

Major Bob Kinder has been involved in high-stake counter-terrorism attacks. He said two former U.S. presidents passed on attacking the top Iranian military leader fearing retaliation. But Kinder believes that if President Trump didn’t order the airstrike. more Americans would have been killed.

“He met his maker because fortunately, we had credible intelligence that he was going to continue these attacks and escalate them,” Kinder said.

He added that right now, we’re at a heightened risk of retaliation, but he believes this was the right move overall.

Protestors in Boston on Saturday flooded the area right next to the Boston Common, the Public Garden and Park Street Station. Their goal: urging leaders to seek peace with Iran.

“This is for us to remember who we are and what we stand for and have the courage to keep on coming out as things get scarier and harder in this country,” said Teresa Kohenpehe of Watertown.

“I wanted to go somewhere to show that I don’t think the U.S. should be getting into another war,” said Nathan Foster of Somerville. "I don’t think it’s good for us, I don’t think it’s good for anyone around the world.”

In Walpole, a smaller protest met with a counter-protest that was in support of the president’s stance on the issue. In Arlington, Massoudeh Edomond, who is originally from Iran, led the protest.

"To me terrorism is going attacking with a drone and attacking someone in a land, in a foreign land, which happened to be Iran,” Edomond said when asked by a reporter what he would say to people who consider Soleimani a warlord and a terrorist.

The Iranian Ambassador to the U.N. called the attack an act of war. However, President Trump says they, and critics of the airstrike, have it wrong.

“We took action last night to stop a war, we did not take action to start a war,” he said.

Protesters Boston 25 News spoke with say they haven’t heard of immediate plans for additional protests in the weeks to come, but if tensions continue to escalate between the U.S. and Iran, they say that they will be back.