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Middle East in Crisis – 2

Netanyahu’s war on Iran has no future

By M. K. BHADRAKUMAR | Indian Punchline | June 16, 2025 

An unnoticed undercurrent of the Israel-Iran war is that three Christian nations in Europe — UK, France and Germany — have joined the fray with alacrity on the side of Israel.  

Strange, isn’t it, that these European countries comprising the so-called E-3 have a well-established exclusive path of dialogue with Iran but are joining Israel’s warpath? It’s a Crusade, stupid! 

The three ‘Crusader nations’ share Israel’s obsession to check the rise of a Muslim nation as an emerging power in the Middle East that could radically transform its geopolitical alignments. Simply put, destroying the Islamic regime in Iran is the real objective of Israel’s war — and of the three Christian nations from Europe. 

Reportedly, Israeli fighter jets which attacked Iran used the British air base in Cyprus; British refuelling planes are on deployment in Syrian-Iraqi airspace for use of Israeli fighter jets; French president Emmanuel Macron, as defender of Roman Catholicism openly vows that he will act to prevent Israel’s defeat; Germany, the fountainhead of Protestantism, has also similarly positioned itself behind Israel. 

However, on the other hand, what emerges from the hour-long phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday is that they will work together to advance the path of dialogue with Iran, the current conflict situation notwithstanding. The Kremlin readout stresses that Putin forcefully denounced the Israeli aggression. 

Such a line-up of the principal actors signals that Israel’s best bet lies in killing the war itself as a strategic error and create a ‘new normal’? But will Tehran allow Netanyahu to get away with murder? That’s the million dollar question. Putin will have to use all his persuasive power during the planned visit to Iran — ie., if it still goes ahead. 

The Israeli thinking behind its assassination of the IRGC leadership and military commanders stemmed out of the foolish miscalculation that Tehran lacks a political will to resist aggression. The Israeli objective is on the one hand to create conditions for a regime change in Iran and on the other hand to derail any form of US-Iran constructive engagement.

All through, terror has been the chosen weapon for Israel and the western powers to undermine and weaken Iran. But a point has been reached where a containment of Iran is no longer feasible. Logically, Iran’s neighbours in the Muslim world should have rallied in support of Iran but that’s too much to expect, given their limited sovereignty to act independently. 

Nonetheless, Iran will not capitulate. Iran’s sense of national pride and honour as a civilisation state will prompt it to circle the wagons and wage a protracted war until victory. From the early days of the revolution, the Islamic republic which was founded on the principles of justice and resistance on the bedrock of nationalism and independence, got attracted to Mao’s concept of ‘protracted people’s war’ to keep predator nations at bay. That strategy paid off during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). 

Saddam Hussein too, like Netanyahu, miscalculated that Iran was a hopelessly weakened nation in the civil war conditions with its economy in virtual collapse, army in disarray, state formation yet to crystallise, and with no allies in the region to lend a helping hand. But as it turned out, Iran fought an 8-year war defiantly to a stalemate, undeterred by the lavish support extended to Saddam by the Western powers and their regional allies. 

The US even equipped Saddam’s army with chemical weapons to stop the human-wave–attack tactics of Iranian fighters, but of no avail — although, an estimated quarter million Iranians sacrificed their lives.  

At some point, in a very near future, Israel will also meet the fate of Saddam, having miscalculated Iran’s grit to resist. Netanyahu also estimated that Iran is a much weakened country compared to last year due to the setbacks taken by the Axis of Resistance. Such naïveté underestimates the potency of resistance at the very core of Shi’ism. 

Last week, the resistance forces that were supposedly vanquished from the face of the earth regrouped and began firing missiles at Israel — from Syria, of all places! On May 4, Houthis fired a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv hitting the perimeter of the main terminal of Ben Gurion Airport! Reports suggest that Hezbollah has restored its supply routes from Iran.  

What Israel fails to grasp is that resistance movements do not die if their raison d’être remains. Israel is, in reality, in very deep crisis fighting on multiple fronts amidst a cascading domestic political crisis and an economy that requires drip feeding by Washington. 

As the US’s capacity to influence events in the Middle East keeps diminishing, Israel’s unviability as a nation propped by the Jewish Lobby in the Beltway appears sharper in focus. Already, there is resentment within the US about bankrolling Israel and fighting its wars.

On the contrary, the rise of Iran is inevitable — with a population base 10 times bigger than Israel’s, vast mineral resources, a self-sufficient agricultural sector and broad-based industry, innovative progress in technology, big domestic market, highly strategic location and trained manpower. 

Iran’s stamina is of a long distance runner, as Iran-Iraq war showed, whereas, Israel’s forte is as sprinter on a 100 metre track. Make no mistake, Israel, a small country with a population of 8 million people will get hollowed out in a protracted war. 

In the current scenario, what goes against Israel critically is that while President Donald Trump tried and failed to stop Netanyahu on the warpath, he is not going to deploy American forces to fight Israel’s war. 

Trump has an evangelical base in US politics and is on friendly terms with wealthy Jewish donors, but has nothing in common with the Crusader nations of the Old World — be it on Ukraine or Iran. In both cases, actually, he tends to view the paradigm through the America First prism where he sees immense potential to generate wealth through business links with Russia or Iran. 

Besides, Trump is far too smart a politician to risk the future of his MAGA movement whose core tenet is the total rejection of all interventionist ‘forever wars’. Trump knows only too well that American public opinion is staunchly opposed to Middle Eastern wars.

The replacement of Mike Waltz as NSA on May 1 (a known Israeli proxy who found himself in the top echelons of Trump administration) and the subsequent purge of the entire pack of ‘Iran hawks’ in the National Security staff under him, signalled that Trump is wary of Netanyahu’s diabolical plots to derail his negotiations with Iran through back channels. (here and here)   

During their phone conversation on Saturday, according to the Kremlin readout, Trump and Putin agreed to prioritise the “negotiating track in Iran’s nuclear programme… Trump noted, the team of US negotiators is ready for resuming work with Iranian representatives.” Clearly, a military confrontation with Iran does not figure in Trump’s calculus. 

That being the case, Netanyahu’s bombastic rhetoric apart, Israel’s best interests lie in ending this futile war in the quickest way possible. Conceivably, that is also the preference of the IDF. A protracted war on its own steam with a clutch of crusader nations in tow as cheer leaders is not something that can save Israel from destruction.

Curiously, Trump in his latest Truth Social post on Sunday after the conversation with Putin advised Israel “to make a deal” with Iran! Does that fit into Netanyahu’s war mongering? And Trump went on to burnish his own credentials as a peacemaker president! 

Trump concluded predicting that “we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran!” Succinctly put, Trump has no intentions whatsoever to risk American lives by fighting Netanyahu’s wars.  

Obviously, “PEACE, soon” will be Russia and Iran’s preference too, as serious negotiations can be resumed and agreement reached that would herald a US-Iran normalisation and the lifting of American  sanctions. But does that suit Netanyahu? 

The paradox is, Israel has no future in a protracted war with Iran, but an inconclusive end to this war will pose the high risk for Netanyahu of a cascading demand for a regime change in Israel. Loss of power means loss of parliamentary immunity from prosecution that Netanyahu hitherto enjoyed from corruption charges against him and his family members, and a possible imprisonment.

Read more: Iran Attack: Netanyahu Gambles Big, Rediff.com, June 14, 2025

June 16, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Seven Lies about Israel’s Attack on Iran

What you think you know about Iran is not true. I was a US intelligence analyst. Trump and Netanyahu are lying to you.

By Harrison Mann – Zeteo – June 14, 2025

“The first casualty of war is truth” is such a tired cliché – and one so self-evident to anyone who served in the US intelligence community – that I only dare to put it in writing because this week the lies literally did start flying before the bombs Israel dropped on Iran, in what we can now safely call the start of a full-scale war. If we want any hope of interrupting a disastrous cycle of escalation, we need to intercept the volley of lies that have already been launched out of Tel Aviv and Washington.

1. Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon

Before, during, and after the first wave of Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and military and nuclear leadership, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Iran was about to produce nuclear bombs – which he’s been warning since the 90s. Setting aside the Iranian government’s own denial that it was pursuing nuclear weapons – Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suspended Iran’s nuclear program in 2003 – both the International Atomic Energy Association and Trump’s Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard have affirmed earlier this year that Iran was not trying to build a nuclear weapon.

2. Israel’s attack on Iran was a preemptive strike required for self-defense

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called the strikes “preemptive.” To preempt what? Preparations for a large-scale military operation are very hard to hide, whether it’s Russia invading Ukraine, Israel bombing Iran, or a supposed Iranian offensive against the state of Israel. Had the Iranian military – which is monitored obsessively by multiple US intelligence agencies – actually been staging for an attack on Israel, the Trump administration would be well aware and offering much more muscular support than it has so far. If Thursday’s strikes were to preempt anything, it was progress on the US-Iran nuclear talks that the Iranian government (if not our own) appeared to be pursuing in good faith.

3. Israeli military operations will prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon

This is really two fallacies in one. First, a bombing campaign simply cannot reliably destroy a nuclear program composed of dispersed personnel (even though Israel has been able to assassinate some of them) and deep subterranean facilities whose conditions are difficult to verify from afar. As Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi acknowledged Friday, destroying the program “cannot be done via kinetic means,” a conclusion consistent with my experience in the US intelligence community. The only way to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program with certainty is to have the Iranian government do it voluntarily, or through a ground invasion that would be needed to enter facilities by force.

This leads us to the second fallacy: That the purpose of Israel’s offensive is to dismantle the nuclear program. Knowing that airstrikes and covert operations can’t actually destroy Iran’s nuclear research and uranium enrichment capabilities, what does Netanyahu hope to achieve with his newest war? “Striking Iran’s nuclear program, striking its ballistic missile capabilities; attacking its capacity to destroy Israel via a ground attack,” Israeli media wrote, citing Tzachi Hanegbi. In other words, total pacification or de facto regime change, which is what the Israeli government has already demanded – and more or less helped achieve – in Lebanon and Syria over the past year. Given the strength and scale of the Iranian state, the only way Israel could realistically achieve this is through the US military.

4. The United States is not responsible for Israel’s attack

Shortly after Israel’s first strikes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement declaring, “We are not involved in strikes against Iran,” in an apparent attempt to distance the United States from the bombing and discourage reprisals from Iran against US troops in the region. He was quickly overruled by Trump, who cheered on the attacks and claimed he had full advance knowledge. No matter who knew what, and whether Trump explicitly gave Netanyahu a “green light” for the strikes, the United States literally fuels the Israeli war machine – the planes bombing Tehran this week use American jet fuel – and provides the munitions, repair parts, and other supplies needed to keep the Israeli military running day-to-day. Without that support – or without the hundreds of US troops manning air defense batteries in Israel right now – Israel would be unable to launch attacks in the region with impunity.

5. The attack will bring Iran to the table for a nuclear deal

Whether or not Trump actually believes in his post-strike appeal that “Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left,” reaching an agreement gets exponentially harder to do when Israel assassinates a top adviser on Iran’s nuclear negotiations. And the fact that Trump let Israel launch a massive attack while Washington and Tehran were in the middle of nuclear negotiations will prove to Tehran that it has nothing to gain from further talks. Plus, Netanyahu’s pledge for a long war against Iran means Tehran increasingly has little to lose by sprinting for a nuclear weapon.

6. Attacking the Iranian government will lead to a coup

Washington proponents of regime change in Iran have long hoped that weakening Iran’s rulers – whether through sanctions or now, a military blitz – would inspire Iranian people to rise up against their government. After this week’s attacks, this expectation has even less basis in reality than usual. However unpopular Khamenei may be in some sectors of Iranian society, he is not the one striking apartment buildings in Tehran.

7. Israel can “drag” the United States into a war against Iran*

Both opponents and supporters of war with Iran understand that Netanyahu needs the United States military to do most of the fighting and worry – or hope – that he will “drag” the US into a new conflict. But no matter what Israel does – and even no matter what Iran does – an American war on Iran remains a war of choice. If the Trump administration bombs or invades Iran, it’s because they wanted to, not because Netanyahu somehow forced them.

Given the disastrous regional consequences, which would likely dwarf the fallout from the 2003 invasion of Iraq, we should be clear that agency lies in Washington and nowhere else.

* ISRAEL – PALESTINE NEWS NOTES: Israel may not be able to drag the US into a war with Iran – but the Israel lobby can use its almost unlimited power to do almost anything.]

Harrison Mann is a former US Army major and executive officer of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Middle East/Africa Regional Center who resigned in protest of his office’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza under the Biden administration. He is currently with Win Without War.

June 15, 2025 Posted by | Deception, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Leave a comment

US complicit in Israeli attacks, must be held accountable: Araghchi

Press TV – June 15, 2025

The Iranian foreign minister says the United States must accept its responsibility for Israel’s deadly aggression against the country as multiple evidence shows American forces helped the regime wage its terrorist assault.

“We have solid evidence indicating that American forces and bases in the region have supported the attacks by the Israeli regime’s military forces,” Abbas Araghchi told foreign envoys in Tehran on Sunday.

He also referred to remarks by US President Donald Trump, who said the Israeli strikes were not possible without American equipment and that more raids were on the agenda.

“Therefore, in our view, the US is a partner in these attacks and it must accept its responsibility. Of course, we have focused on targets inside the Zionist regime in response to the attacks,” Araghchi added.

The Israeli aggression against Iran could not have occurred without the agreement and support of the United States, he said.

Meanwhile, the top Iranian diplomat said that Israel had “crossed a new red line” in international law by targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Unfortunately, he noted, the serious Israeli violation was met with “indifference” at the United Nations Security Council.

Araghchi further emphasized that Iran’s response to Israeli attacks was based on the principle of self-defense in international relations and that every country has the legitimate right to defend itself against aggression.

He also said that the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors will on Monday hold an emergency meeting on the Israeli attack on the Natanz nuclear site, expressing hope that it will condemn the raid as a flagrant violation of international law.

Additionally, the foreign minister stressed that Iran does not want the war with Israel to expand to other countries or the region “unless it’s imposed on us.”

“Basically, we did not initiate this war and we were pursuing diplomacy regarding our nuclear program, but this aggression was imposed on us. We are defending ourselves and this defense is completely legitimate,” he said. “Therefore, if the aggression stops, our reactions will naturally stop as well,” he said.

Also in his remarks, Araghchi highlighted Iran-US indirect nuclear talks and Israel’s disruption of the diplomatic process.

“It is absolutely clear that the Israeli regime does not want any agreement on the nuclear issue… The aggression against Iran amid nuclear talks demonstrates that the Israeli regime is opposed to any form of negotiation,” he pointed out.

The US government should condemn Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites if Washington wants to prove its goodwill and distance itself from the conflict, he concluded.

June 15, 2025 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , | Leave a comment

UK moving jets to Middle East for ‘contingency support in the region’

Al Mayadeen | June 14, 2025

The United Kingdom is sending additional fighter jets and support aircraft to the Middle East as part of what Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as “contingency support” for the region, following Israel’s deadly strikes on Iran.

Speaking en route to the G7 summit in Canada, Starmer reiterated calls for de-escalation but stopped short of ruling out military support for “Israel”. Asked whether British forces could be involved in defending “Israel” against Iranian retaliation, he said, “I will always make the right decisions for the UK,” adding, “We are moving assets to the region, including jets, and that is for contingency support in the region.”

Downing Street confirmed the move includes additional fast jets and refueling aircraft joining existing UK deployments. Preparations reportedly began Friday, just hours after Israeli forces launched a wave of airstrikes targeting senior Iranian military leaders and nuclear facilities.

Pressed further on the UK’s potential involvement in countering Iranian missiles or drones, Starmer declined to offer specifics, “These are obviously operational decisions and the situation is ongoing and developing, and therefore I’m not going to get into the precise details. But we are moving assets… and that is for contingency support across the region.”

No word on prior knowledge of Israeli strikes

The UK government has not confirmed whether it had prior knowledge of the Israeli operation, although Starmer indicated coordination was taking place: “I’m not going to go into what information we had at the time or since… there’s a constant flow of information between our allies, and between us and the US.”

The prime minister also revealed that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump, and other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I suspect that when we get to the G7 there will be many other exchanges of views on an intense basis,” Starmer said. “We do have longstanding concerns about the nuclear programme that Iran has, and we do recognise Israel’s right to self-defence. But I am absolutely clear that this needs to de-escalate. There’s a huge risk to escalation for the region and more widely in terms of conflict. We have seen the impact already on the economy and oil prices.”

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary David Lammy also spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, echoing Starmer’s message for restraint, “We’re having ongoing discussions with our allies all of the time,” Starmer said, “Our constant message is de-escalate.”

Diplomatic Collapse

The Iranian Foreign Ministry declared further nuclear negotiations with the US “pointless” under these conditions, asserting that “Israel’s hostile measures against Iran were the result of Washington’s direct support for the regime.”

Oman has since confirmed the cancellation of the Muscat talks, reflecting the collapse of diplomacy under Western duplicity.

As Iran reaffirms its legitimate right to self-defense under international law, the UK’s actions suggest not neutrality but strategic complicity.

The Islamic Republic continues to urge the international community to abandon double standards and take a principled stance against “Israel’s” lawless aggression.

June 15, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Leave a comment

Tucker Carlson blasts Trump over Iran attack

RT | June 14, 2025

US President Donald Trump’s support for Israel’s strikes in Iran could spark an “all-out war” in the Middle East, American journalist Tucker Carlson has warned.

Early Friday morning, IDF jets bombed nuclear and military sites across Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with a barrage of drones and missiles targeting Israeli cities. The escalation threatens ongoing negotiations over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, which Trump revived earlier this year.

In what he described as possibly his “final newsletter before all-out war,” Carlson – a key Trump ally during the 2024 presidential election – argued that the US was “complicit in the act of war.”

“While the American military may not have physically perpetrated the assault, years of funding and sending weapons to Israel, which Donald Trump just bragged about on Truth Social, undeniably place the US at the center of last night’s events,” Carlson wrote.

“Washington knew these attacks would happen. They aided Israel in carrying them out. Politicians purporting to be ‘America First’ can’t now credibly turn around and say they had nothing to do with it,” he added.

In a post on X, Carlson contended that “the real divide” is not between supporters of Israel and Iran, but “between warmongers and peacemakers.”

“Who are the warmongers? They would include anyone who’s calling Donald Trump today to demand air strikes and other direct US military involvement in a war with Iran,” he said.

Carlson stated that the “warmongers” include talk show hosts Sean Hannity and Mark Levin, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, and Republican donors Ike Perlmutter and Miriam Adelson.

While the US State Department has denied involvement in the strikes, Trump confirmed he had prior knowledge of the Israeli operation and praised the attacks as “excellent.” He blamed Iran for the hostilities and accused it of refusing to accept the terms of his proposed nuclear deal.

Addressing the UN Security Council, Iranian envoy Amir Saeid Iravani said the US and other Israeli allies “share full responsibility for the consequences” of Israel’s actions.

June 14, 2025 Posted by | Mainstream Media, Warmongering, Wars for Israel | , , | Leave a comment

US gave Israel 100s of laser-guided missiles knowing they would be used against Iran: Report

Press TV – June 14, 2025

The United States quietly delivered hundreds of advanced laser-guided missiles to the Israeli regime, knowing that the projectiles would be used by it towards attacking Iran.

The Middle East Eye (MEE) news and analysis website carried the report on Saturday, identifying its sources as US officials, and naming the projectiles in question as air-to-surface Hellfire missiles.

“There is a time and place for Hellfires. They were useful to Israel [as it was seeking to strike the Islamic Republic],” a senior American military official told the website.

The US also provided the regime with the missiles, knowing that their features specifically armed Tel Aviv for surgical strikes, it added.

Also on Friday, the US president, himself, confirmed in remarks to Reuters that he and his team knew the attacks were coming. “We knew everything,” Donald Trump said.

Observers, meanwhile, note that reports of Washington’s unstinting arms support — aimed at further equipping the regime to better target the Islamic Republic — have emerged, despite the United States being engaged in indirect talks with Iran, ostensibly to give diplomacy a chance.

The MEE further reported that the Trump administration had prior knowledge of the plan for “months.”

The Israeli aggression, targeting various cities across Iran, including the capital, Tehran, included a series of precision attacks aimed at assassinations, which led to the martyrdom of Major General Hossein Salami, the former commander-in-chief of the IRGC.

Among the other victims were Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the IRGC’s aerospace division, and Major General Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of the country’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

The attacks also claimed the lives of veteran nuclear scientists Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi, Fereydoun Abbasi, and Dr. Abdol-Hamid Minoucher, along with more than 70 civilians, including children and women.

The Islamic Republic has responded by firing dozens of missiles and drones towards sensitive and strategic targets across the occupied Palestinian territories.

The retaliation began on Friday and lasted into Saturday, when a new wave of Iranian missiles began targeting the regime.

Iran has, meanwhile, hailed the reprisal as a “major blow” to the regime, and vowed that it is well capable of repeating the operation.

Providing the pledge in a televised interview on Saturday, Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, a senior advisor to the chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), said the reprisal, codenamed Operation True Promise III, had witnessed the Corps’ successfully strike at least 150 Israeli targets, including critically strategic bases.

June 14, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Leave a comment

US Involved in Shooting Down Iranian Missiles – Reports

Sputnik – 14.06.2025

Israel received help from US air defense systems and a Navy destroyer in shooting down Iranian missiles launched in response to Israel’s attack on Iran, The Washington Post reported, citing US officials.

Anonymous US officials told The Washington Post that the US has both ground-based Patriot missile defense systems and Terminal High Altitude Air Defense systems (THAAD) in the Middle East. American air defense systems, as well as a US Navy destroyer in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, were used to shoot down Iranian missiles heading toward Israel, the officials said.

US fighter jets are also patrolling the sky in the Middle East and the US is shifting its military resources, including ships, in the region, The Washington Post specified.

Iranian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Friday that Israel’s aggression against Iran was intentional and fully backed by Washington. Iravani emphasized that Iran “will not forget that our people lost their lives as [a] result of the Israeli attacks with American weapons. These actions amount to a declaration of war.”

Iravani said that at least 78 people were killed and 320 others were injured as a result of Israel’s strikes against Iran, which started in the early hours of Friday, as part of Operation Rising Lion. Attacks across Iran – including Tehran – killed top military officials and Iranian nuclear scientists.

US Representative Pitt McCoy said on Friday during a UNSC meeting that the United States was informed about Israeli strikes against Iran ahead of time but was not militarily involved in the operation.

Iran launched a retaliation, dubbed Operation True Promise 3, against military targets in Israel on Friday, in response to Israel’s strikes.

Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei has called Israel’s attacks a crime and vowed Israel would face a “bitter and terrible fate.”

June 14, 2025 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , | Leave a comment

Large Numbers in Congress Back Attack on Iran, Call for US to Support Israel

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | June 13, 2025

Following the opening salvo in Israel’s bombardment of Iran, many members of Congress rushed to make statements declaring their support for the Jewish state. Some went further, demanding the White House defend the Jewish state from retaliation. A small number of lawmakers criticized Israel and called for Washington to stay out of the conflict.

Shortly after the start of the Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, military bases, and residential buildings, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) posted on X, “Game on. Pray for Israel.”

Graham led a chorus of largely Republican lawmakers who called for prayers for Israel as it attacked Iran.

Some lawmakers hoped the war would bring down the Iranian government. “The threat from Iran will only stop when the regime is destroyed.” Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL) added, “Anything less is just a temporary respite from the existential threat Iran poses to our allies and the free world.”

Many US members of Congress claimed that Israel’s preemptive attack on Iran was an act of defense. “Make no mistake: Israel is not the aggressor. It is defending itself against an existential threat that long predates the present preemptive strike. The true aggressor is the Islamic Republic and its empire of terror—an empire stained with the blood of innocent Israelis,” Bronx Democrat Rep. Ritchie Torres wrote on X.

Other members of Congress, including Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) framed the Israeli strikes as “defensive.”

Rep. Mike Lawler said that the Israeli strike was “justified,” but the US should attack Iran if Tehran responds to Tel Aviv’s war. “Let there be no doubt, we will defend our ally Israel, our other partners in the region, and our military and diplomatic personnel. Iran should understand that there will be grave consequences for any actions they take in response to this justified strike on their nuclear facilities,” he said.

A frequent argument given by members of Congress is that the nuclear weapons threat Iran poses to Israel justifies the ongoing Israeli attacks. “Iran has greatly expanded its uranium enrichment with the goal of producing nuclear weapons that pose an existential threat to Israel,” Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins wrote. “Our country too is at risk as Iran continues its development not only of fissile material but also of ballistic missiles. I hope the Israeli operation to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability is successful.”

However, top intelligence officials in both the Trump and Joe Biden administrations repeatedly stated that Iran was not attempting to develop a nuclear weapon. During recent talks about its nuclear program with Washington, Tehran said it was willing to agree to caps on its energy program to ensure it was only used for civilian purposes.

That Director of National Intelligence affirmed in March that Iran was not making a nuclear weapon, did not stop Rep. Nancy Mace from asserting that the Islamic Republic was just “days” from building a nuclear weapon.

“We stand with Israel, fully and without hesitation. Iran was days away from a nuclear weapon. They fund terror and want Israel wiped off the map. Israel has the right, and the duty, to fight back,” she wrote on X. “America must never flinch.”

One of the most vocal Democrats supporting Israel is Sen. John Fetterman, who demanded that the White House aid the Israeli assault. “Our commitment to Israel must be absolute and I fully support this attack. Keep wiping out Iranian leadership and the nuclear personnel.” The post continued, “We must provide whatever is necessary—military, intelligence, weaponry—to fully back Israel in striking Iran.”

A handful of lawmakers did oppose the Israeli strikes. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) argued Tel Aviv’s war interfered with Trump’s effort to secure a new nuclear deal with Iran. “Netanyahu wasn’t trying to help diplomacy; he was trying to destroy diplomacy. How do we know? They reportedly targeted and killed Iran’s chief negotiator with Trump,” he wrote.

Additionally, Democratic Representatives Hank Johnson and Rashida Talib called on Congress to exercise its authority over war making. “As America is mired in internal turmoil — and with Hegseth, Gabbard, and Rubio at the controls — foreign leaders like Netanyahu are emboldened to achieve their narrow objectives at America’s expense.” Johnson continued, “Before it’s too late, Congress must stop being a rubberstamp and start exercising oversight to prevent America from being dragged into another war.”

Among Republicans, Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Thomas Massie called on Trump to avoid directly entering the war. “War with Iran is not in America’s interest. It would destabilize the region, cost countless lives, and drain our resources for generations,” Paul explained. “We should pursue diplomacy, not destruction. Engaging in dialogue with adversaries is not weakness; it’s the strength of a confident nation seeking peace. Our primary responsibility is to protect American lives.”

Rep Massie was the only member of Congress to point out that the war Israel launched on Friday was offensive, and a war of aggression. “Israel doesn’t need US taxpayers’ money for defense if it already has enough to start offensive wars.” His X post added, “I vote not to fund this war of aggression.”

June 13, 2025 Posted by | War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , , | Leave a comment

Israel’s Attack on Iran: The Latest Developments

By Ilya Tsukanov – Sputnik – 13.06.2025

Israel has carried out an unprecedented, multi-wave surprise attack against Iran involving 200 jets, plus drones operating inside the Islamic Republic. Here’s a recap of the key details, plus new information that’s come to light in the past hours.

The attack, codenamed ‘Operation Rising Lion’, targeted:

  • The Natanz uranium enrichment facility and the Tabriz research site.
  • Cities, with damage reported in Tehran and at least 9 other urban areas. 320+ civilians injured, nearly 80 killed.
  • Air defense and missile launchers.
  • Top IRGC and Armed Forces leaders, nuclear scientists, a senior aide to the Supreme Leader.

Iran’s Response

  • Ali Khomeini vowed “severe punishment,” while President Pezeshkian promised to make Israel “regret” its “reckless” actions.
  • Iran cancelled a new round of nuclear talks with the US, owing to US “complicity” in the attacks.
  • Assassinated military leaders are being replaced, with Mohammad Pakpour taking Hossein Salami’s place as IRGC chief, and Abdolrahim Mousavi replacing Mohammad Bagheri as Chief of General Staff.

Has Iranian Counterstrike Taken Place?

  • Initial reports suggested Iran launched 100-200 drones toward Israel.
  • Other reports said up to 800 projectiles, including cruise and ballistic missiles, were launched.
  • But Fars News says Iran hasn’t carried out ANY substantive retaliatory attacks yet.

Trump’s Ultimatum

The US president wrote a mob boss-style Truth Social post boasting about the murder of “certain Iranian hardliners,” and warning that the next attacks will be “even more brutal” unless Iran makes a deal. Later, he issued a post about his “60-day ultimatum,” signaling direct knowledge of Israel’s plans.

  • Israeli officials told Axios the US gave Israel a “green light” for the strikes.
  • JPost reported Israel is trying to convince the US to join in on the attacks directly.

Key Reactions

Traditional regional US allies including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar sharply condemned Israel, with Qatar saying Tel Aviv’s “reckless actions continue to destroy prospects for peace” & put global security “in imminent danger.”

Russia condemned the sharp escalation of tensions and Israel’s blatant “violation of the UN Charter and international law.”

The UN’s response? “Concern” about the targeting of nuclear sites.

June 13, 2025 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , , | Leave a comment

The U.S. is on the Brink of War with Iran… Why and for Whom?

If Americans Knew | June 12, 2025

Excerpted from original URL:    • “Millions would die and that’s exactly wha…  

Col. Douglas Macgregor is a decorated combat veteran, author of five books, a PhD, and a defense and foreign policy consultant. In 2020 he was appointed Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense by President Trump. In 28 years of service Macgregor taught at West Point; commanded the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry; served as the Director of the Joint Operations Center at SHAPE in 1999; and was awarded the Defense Superior Service medal. – https://www.douglasmacgregor.com/about

For more information regarding war with Iran, visit: https://www.IAKN.org/IRAN

June 12, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Leave a comment

Iran condemns ‘biased’ IAEA, announces enrichment countermeasures

Al Mayadeen | June 12, 2025

Iran has sharply rejected a resolution passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors, accusing it of being “politically driven” and “biased”. In a joint statement released Thursday by the Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Iranian officials condemned the resolution and unveiled a series of countermeasures aimed at accelerating the country’s nuclear program.

This comes shortly after the IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution against Iran on Thursday, claiming Iran was in breach of non-proliferation obligations. The vote passed with 19 countries voting in favor, 3 opposing, and 11 abstaining, according to diplomats cited by Reuters. Two countries were absent and thus did not vote.

The resolution, marking the first formal accusation in nearly two decades that Iran has violated its nuclear non-proliferation obligations, was passed during a closed-door session of the 35-member board. The move, described as “politically motivated” by Iranian officials, was initiated by the United States along with the E3, Britain, France, and Germany.

IAEA resolution lacks ‘neutrality’

The joint statement asserted that Iran remains committed to its obligations under the Safeguards Agreement, adding that no IAEA report to date has ever confirmed any deviation or non-compliance. Iranian authorities described the IAEA’s latest move as lacking “neutrality” and being manipulated by Western powers, particularly the United States, Britain, France, and Germany, to pursue geopolitical goals.

In a direct response, Iran announced the activation of a new uranium enrichment facility at a secure site and plans to upgrade the Fordow nuclear plant by replacing older centrifuges with sixth-generation advanced models.

Iran blasts Western double standards on nuclear disarmament

Iranian officials criticized the IAEA and its Western backers for what they described as selective enforcement of nuclear obligations. The joint statement accused the US and its European allies of reviving “25-year-old allegations” that had already been settled under the 2015 nuclear deal, while turning a blind eye to “Israel’s” undeclared nuclear arsenal and refusal to adhere to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

“The United States, Britain, and France have failed to comply with Article VI of the NPT regarding nuclear disarmament,” the statement read, adding that Germany remains in possession of “inhumane weapons of mass destruction.”

Iran further warned that continued political maneuvering within the IAEA would render any future engagement futile. “This political approach toward Iran, which has always honored its obligations and cooperated extensively with the Agency, forces us to conclude that the path of engagement and cooperation is futile,” the statement asserted.

Iran thanks allies opposing the resolution 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, strongly condemned the resolution passed Thursday by the IAEA Board of Governors, calling it a politically motivated effort by Western powers to undermine the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.

Baghaei specifically denounced the role of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, accusing them of exploiting the IAEA to “cast doubt on the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”

He firmly rejected the allegations outlined in the resolution, which he said were based on “baseless and unfounded claims” and stemmed from a political report by the IAEA Director General. The resolution, jointly submitted by the four Western states, was described as “an unjustified, groundless, and cruel move,” aimed at exerting “maximum pressure on Iran to deviate from the legitimate rights and interests of the Iranian people in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

Baghaei warned that those behind the resolution will be held accountable for its repercussions. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will take proportionate measures in response to this move to secure and protect the interests and inalienable rights of the Iranian nation in benefiting from peaceful nuclear energy,” he said.

He also expressed deep concern over the conduct of the IAEA Director General, criticizing his public statements and what he described as provocative interviews on Iran’s nuclear activities. Baghaei accused the agency chief of undermining the organization’s neutrality, stating that he “must adhere to his missions and duties in accordance with the Agency’s statute.”

Furthermore, the Iranian diplomat extended gratitude to China, Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Belarus for issuing a joint statement rejecting the resolution. He praised their “responsible and legal positions” and reaffirmed the Iranian nation’s determination to defend its rights and interests as outlined in the United Nations Charter and the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Iran’s IAEA representative Najafi slams politicized resolution 

Iran’s representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Reza Najafi, strongly criticized the agency’s recent resolution against Iran, denouncing it as politically motivated and based on unreliable sources. Speaking on Thursday, Najafi warned that such moves undermine the IAEA’s credibility and threaten the rights of member states under its founding charter.

Najafi emphasized that any draft resolution brought forward by the Board of Governors should rely strictly on unbiased, verifiable evidence, not intelligence supplied by specific states with vested interests. “Basing reports on questionable or politicized information undermines the agency’s objectivity,” he stated, in clear reference to data provided by Western governments and the Israeli occupation.

US current approach risks setting a dangerous precedent

He warned that the United States’ current approach risks setting a dangerous precedent, one that could erode trust and cooperation between the agency and its member states. Najafi asserted that such behavior contradicts the IAEA’s stated commitment to impartiality and transparency.

Reaffirming Iran’s position, Najafi made it clear that the Islamic Republic would not tolerate any attempt to erode its sovereignty through international pressure.

“Iran categorically rejects any pressure or mediation that seeks to undermine its sovereignty. We will defend our national interests, independence, and dignity,” he declared.

Politicized resolution in disguise

Najafi also expressed Iran’s outright rejection of what he described as a politicized resolution disguised as a technical safeguard concern, echoing Tehran’s longstanding understanding that the IAEA is being used as a tool for Western geopolitical agendas.

In a pointed warning to the E3, Britain, France, and Germany, as well as the United States, Najafi made it clear that Iran’s response would be firm. “These measures will not pass without consequences. They must take full responsibility for the repercussions and Iran’s strong reaction,” he said.

Kamalvandi: Political pressure will escalate Iran’s nuclear program

Behrouz Kamalvandi, Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization, reinforced the government’s defiant tone, declaring that political pressure would only accelerate Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“It is a strategic mistake to think that political pressure will push Iran to abandon its legitimate positions,” Kamalvandi said, warning that the current approach would “backfire”.

He confirmed that Iran would soon launch a third uranium enrichment facility, in addition to boosting enrichment capacity at existing sites. “We will develop sixth-generation centrifuges and increase uranium enrichment significantly,” he stated.

More Western pressure, more Iranian countermeasures

Iran’s latest response underscores its growing rejection of Western pressure and marks a new phase in the country’s nuclear trajectory, one increasingly independent of multilateral negotiations and oversight mechanisms perceived by Tehran as compromised.

This development comes just days ahead of the sixth round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, set to take place this Sunday in Muscat, Oman. The announcement was confirmed by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who wrote in a post on X: “I am pleased to confirm the 6th round of Iran-US talks will be held in Muscat this Sunday, the 15th.”

Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to carve a new nuclear deal to replace the 2015 accord that Trump unilaterally withdrew from during his first term in 2018.

June 12, 2025 Posted by | Progressive Hypocrite, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trump to Netanyahu: No green light to attack Iran, pursue deal

Al Mayadeen | June 10, 2025

US President Donald Trump has reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “Israel” does not have a “green light” to launch a military strike against Iran, emphasizing that diplomacy remains Washington’s preferred path.

According to Israeli Channel 12 sources, Trump stated during a phone conversation on Monday, “You don’t have a green light, there will be a deal with Iran. The attack (on Iran) needs to be taken off the agenda right now.”

The firm statement came in response to Netanyahu’s demand that Trump abandon ongoing negotiations with Tehran and support an Israeli military operation. Netanyahu reportedly insisted that Washington should “cease talks and support direct military action.”

Despite Netanyahu’s warning that “negotiations with Iran are futile, and they are trying to deceive you; all they want is to buy time,” Trump pushed back, reiterating that “nothing closes the door” and that “work is underway to reach an agreement.” Israeli Channel 12 previously reported that Trump expected a “not-so-good response” from Iran but remains committed to diplomacy.

Trump also addressed the war in Gaza during the call, urging Netanyahu to de-escalate. “I want you to work on ending the war in Gaza, not just the Deal of the Century, the war has exhausted itself,” he said.

Intelligence Blow to “Israel” Changes Strategic Calculus

The conversation took place against the backdrop of a major intelligence breakthrough by Iran, which, according to Iranian and regional sources, has obtained thousands of highly sensitive documents detailing “Israel’s” nuclear infrastructure and strategic projects.

On June 7, Al Mayadeen cited Iranian intelligence sources who revealed that the trove includes photos, videos, and technical data on “Israel’s” nuclear facilities, some previously undisclosed. The volume of data, the sources said, was so vast that reviewing it all “would take an exceptionally long time.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council announced on June 9 that this intelligence enables Tehran to carry out a proportional retaliatory strike on hidden Israeli nuclear sites if Iran is attacked. “Today, access to this information… has allowed the warriors of Islam to give a clearly proportionate response to a possible attack by the Israeli regime,” it stated.

Meanwhile, Iran has accused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of leaking confidential communications to Israeli intelligence, claiming this had led to the targeted assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists. “These documents clearly show that instead of playing a neutral role, the IAEA has become an instrument serving the objectives of the Zionist regime,” a source told Fars News on June 10.

Broader Implications

The revelations have added urgency to Trump’s diplomatic posture, as US intelligence officials increasingly warn that a unilateral Israeli strike could unravel the fragile state of nuclear negotiations and trigger a regional war. According to the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, “Israel” had been preparing to strike Iran’s nuclear sites but delayed the move at Washington’s request.

Iranian officials, meanwhile, have warned that any Israeli military action will be met with devastating counterstrikes. IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami recently said that it is not Iran’s nuclear sites that will be destroyed, but the “targets of the Israeli occupation entity.” Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh echoed that sentiment, stating, “Any hostile action by Israel against Iran would inevitably result in its destruction.”

With Iran holding what it describes as “one of the most significant intelligence blows” ever dealt to “Israel,” and with talks in Washington still on the table, analysts say that Trump’s call to de-escalate may reflect a growing US effort to avoid being drawn into a full-scale conflict.

June 10, 2025 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , , | Leave a comment

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