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How Close Were Iran Negotiations Before Trump Flipped the Table?

By Ted Snider | The Libertarian Institute | March 3, 2026

Iran has an “inalienable right” to enrich uranium for civilian use, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told the U.S. delegation with frustration in the final round of talks before the bombs started to fall on Iran.

And the United States has an “inalienable right” to stop you, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff answered with hubris.

Araghchi is right; Witkoff is wrong. Though the U.S. and its partners have presented the public with a war that was caused by Iran’s refusal to compromise on its civilian nuclear program, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has “the inalienable right to a civilian program that uses nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.”

That Iran was enriching uranium for peaceful purposes has been verified by the multiple consecutive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that followed the JCPOA nuclear agreement with Iran and by the 2022 U.S. Department of Defense Nuclear Posture Review and, most recently, by the 2025 U.S. Annual Threat Assessment.

Despite their “inalienable right,” Iran made the major concession of negotiating significant limitations on its nuclear program that could have met U.S. redlines. Instead, the negotiations were interrupted by bombs falling on Iran in an attack that was neither necessitated by the immediate need to defend against an attack nor sanctioned by the Security Council. Negotiations on Iran’s legal nuclear program were answered by an illegal war.

Though the United States seems to have been willing to negotiate if negotiation meant Iran capitulating to its demands, they seem to have been unwilling to negotiate, not only on guarantees against a nuclear weapons program, but on the demand that Iran give up its enrichment program entirely. It was the American demand that Iran could not enrich uranium to any level for the next ten years that finally triggered Araghchi’s frustrated cry that Iran has the “inalienable right” to enrich uranium for civilian use.

Iran offered the Americans a compromise that could have been received by the U.S. as, what former Iranian nuclear negotiator and Ambassador Seyed Hossein Mousavian called in an email correspondence, “a historical JCPOA PLUS deal.” But Washington said no.

There is a long tradition of the U.S. passing up on peace plans and saying no, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Ukraine.

There were reportedly three areas in which Iran was unwilling to sufficiently capitulate to American demands. The first was zero enrichment. The U.S. demanded no enrichment for the next ten years. Axios reports that, in its place, the “U.S. offered Iran free nuclear fuel for a civilian nuclear program.” When Iran refused, the U.S. said it was “a big tell.”

Had the U.S. sent diplomats with a historical understanding of the issue they were negotiating, they would have known that there were other interpretations. Iran has always made clear that they would not accept a situation like the one offered because of bitter historical experience.

On more than one occasion in the past, when Iran relied on others to provide its enriched uranium, the U.S. exercised its power to block it and deprive Iran of enriched uranium. When Iran began its nuclear program, they were only enriching uranium to the 3.5% required by its power reactors to produce energy. For the 19.5% enriched uranium needed for medical isotopes for imaging and treating cancer and kidney disease, Iran relied on an agreement with Argentina to supply it. When the uranium was used up, Iran requested that the IAEA help it purchase more under that body’s supervision, which Iran has the right to do as a signatory to the NPT. But the United States and Europe put up roadblocks and prevented the purchase.

Two decades later, Iran again agreed in principle to a nuclear fuel swap that would send their low enriched uranium out of country to be returned as 19.5% enriched uranium for medical use. But it was a trick. The U.S. wanted all Iran’s uranium to be sent out at once before any uranium would be sent back much later. The U.S. was trying to empty Iran of its uranium. When Iran offered a counterproposal of sending out smaller batches of low enriched uranium while receiving simultaneous small batches of uranium for medicinal use, the U.S. ignored the offer and the deal died.

When, one more time, Brazil and Turkey tried to broker a deal with similar simultaneous swaps, Iran agreed, but the U.S. ignored it and reprimanded Brazil and Turkey. On another occasion, when Iran turned to France for enriched uranium, the U.S. pressured them not to provide it.

Iran has learned that relying on others to provide enriched uranium leaves them vulnerable to the United States cutting them off and leaving them with none. Hence the vow that Iran would never again yield their right to enrich their own uranium for civilian purposes.

But Iran was willing to negotiate a deal that would ensure that there could never be a path for that low enriched uranium to become the highly enriched 85% uranium needed for a nuclear weapon. They offered layered options. Mousavian catalogued them for me:

“Iran had accepted coercion verification by the IAEA, to resolve all technical ambiguities, zero stockpile, dilute high-level enrichment, reduce enrichment level to below 5%, suspend the enrichment for some years and even to go for a regional consortium.”

There were three options on the table. In the first, Iran was willing to put itself under maximum inspections, to convert its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, and cap its enrichment at the 3.67% needed for a civilian energy program.

In the second, Iran was willing to limit their role in the enrichment cycle by becoming a member of a nuclear enrichment consortium. The consortium could include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and perhaps others. Enrichment would be capped at the 3.67% required for civilian use and monitored by the IAEA. Most importantly, a consortium would allow Iran to enrich uranium but deny it access to the full enrichment process by distributing various roles in the process across different member states.

There are also reports that Iran proposed suspending enrichment for three to five years and then joining the regional consortium.

In the most recent, according to Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, who was mediating the most recent talks between Iran and the United States, Iran “agreed not to stockpile excess nuclear material that could be used to build a bomb.” Since Iran would use all of its low enriched uranium for civilian purposes, leaving none to stockpile for any further use, that would ensure “that Iran will never ever have the nuclear material that will create a bomb.” Albusaidi clarified that that meant “there would be zero accumulation, zero stockpiling and full verification… by the IAEA.”

The pathway to a bomb was closed and a deal was “within our reach” when the bombs fell on Iran.

The other two areas of Iranian intransigence were over their program of military national defense. The United States insisted that Iran negotiate on its short and intermediate range ballistic missile program, but Iran refused. “We cannot continue to live in a world where these people not only possess missiles but the ability to make 100 of them a month,” an American official told Axios. Iran’s missiles are crucial to its national defense and possessing them is entirely legal. Every nation has a defense program, and at least thirty-one, including some that are potentially hostile to Iran, include ballistic missiles in that program, including the U.S. and several of its allies and partners, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, France, Greece, Israel, Poland, Romania, Turkey, and Ukraine. There is no legal argument for compelling Iran to end its missile program and no legal reason to go to war to force them to do so.

The final reason was Iran’s refusal to address its network of proxies. Stripping Iran of its ballistic missiles and its partners is stripping Iran of any ability to defend itself. And, again, there is nothing illegal in Iran supporting regional partners. And they are not the only one, as the training and financing of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), a dissident Iranian opposition group, shows, to support proxy forces.

“A peace deal is within our reach if we just allow diplomacy the space it needs to get there,” the Omani foreign minister said. But the United States did not allow the diplomatic space and opted, instead, for a war that violates the United Nations charter and hastens the death of international law.

March 3, 2026 Posted by | Deception, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Timeless or most popular, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on How Close Were Iran Negotiations Before Trump Flipped the Table?

War on Iran shifts to attrition phase: Bloomberg

Al Mayadeen | March 3, 2026

An analysis published by Bloomberg on Tuesday suggests that only days after open hostilities began, the confrontation between the United States and Iran has shifted into a prolonged war on attrition.

According to the report, waves of Iranian drones, particularly the Shahed-136, have continued targeting US military installations and infrastructure across the Gulf following the initial strikes launched by Washington and Tel Aviv. While Gulf officials claim interception rates exceeding 90% through US-supplied Patriot missile batteries, the economic imbalance of the battlefield tells a different story. Each PAC-3 interceptor costs millions of dollars, dramatically outweighing the comparatively modest cost of the drones they attempt to neutralize.

The disparity recalls lessons from previous conflicts, including the 12-day aggression on Iran in June 2025, where sustained barrages exposed the limits of even advanced air defense architectures. High-end Western interceptor systems can be placed under strain when deployed continuously against lower-cost aerial platforms. Analysts say this dynamic creates mounting financial and logistical pressure on US regional partners, raising persistent questions about the long-term sustainability of such defensive operations.

A strategic response to escalation

Observers cited in the report argue that Iran’s approach reflects deliberate operational planning rather than improvised escalation. By relying heavily on drones and calibrated missile deployments, Tehran appears to be managing its resources while imposing steady costs on foreign forces operating near its borders.

Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Center noted that an attritional approach “makes operational sense from Iran’s perspective,” suggesting Tehran is calculating that defensive stocks among US allies could be depleted while political pressure mounts across Gulf capitals.

Iran is believed to retain substantial reserves of ballistic missiles and loitering munitions. Reports indicate more than 1,200 projectiles have been launched since hostilities began, though heavier systems may be preserved for prolonged engagement. Analysts view this as evidence that Tehran is pacing its response rather than exhausting its capabilities prematurely.

Logistical Questions on Both Sides

Bloomberg also noted that Patriot interceptor supplies in some Gulf states, including Qatar, could last only days at the current rate of usage, prompting behind-the-scenes diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation. Production of PAC-3 interceptors remains limited, while the more advanced THAAD systems operated by Saudi Arabia and the UAE are generally reserved for high-speed ballistic threats and involve even greater financial cost.

These concerns echo remarks made separately to CNN by Shashank Joshi, defense editor at The Economist, who warned that high-intensity exchanges could quickly expose vulnerabilities in advanced interceptor stockpiles.

“But my supposition is that, after about sort of another week of this, we would begin to see very, very serious shortages, particularly of the most high-end interceptor munitions,” Joshi said.

Joshi further indicated that a sustained campaign would likely extend beyond intercepting incoming projectiles to targeting missile production networks and supply chains inside Iran, an approach designed to degrade long-term replenishment capacity rather than merely blunt immediate attacks.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth sought to limit expectations about an extended campaign, stating: “This is not Iraq, this is not endless.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi suggested that military units were operating under standing strategic directives. “Our military units are now in fact independent and somehow isolated and they are acting based on instructions, general instructions given to them in advance,” he told reporters.

If exchanges continue at the current intensity, both offensive and defensive arsenals could begin thinning within weeks.

March 3, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on War on Iran shifts to attrition phase: Bloomberg

Attrition Advantage: Why Iran Holds Upper Hand

By Ekaterina Blinova – Sputnik – 03.03.2026

The US cannot sustain a full-scale war of attrition in the Persian Gulf at the current pace of munition deliveries, veteran Russian combat pilot Maj. Gen. Vladimir Popov tells Sputnik.

“The Americans are operating ‘off the truck,’ [and are heavily dependent] ‘on resupply,'” veteran Russian combat pilot Maj. Gen. Vladimir Popov tells Sputnik. “This involves massive logistics—lengthy and time-consuming processes. And it’s far from easy to sustain that across an ocean from the American continent.”

The existing stockpiles in warehouses and arsenals of air and naval US bases across the region, including Israel, contain a limited number of shells, bombs and drones, according to the pundit.

  • “Without regular resupply from the US mainland—from the main weapons storage bases—their current stockpile would last roughly two weeks, no more than that”
  • Rotating troops could turn into a major headache for the Americans
  • Next comes the logistics of maintenance and rear-line support for supplying weapons to the region—extremely costly processes

“I think the advantage will clearly be on Iran’s side,” Popov says. “The calculations might suggest the Americans are in a far worse position than Iran. It’s also worth noting that the Israelis sparked this conflict—and their arsenal is similarly limited and unlikely to last long.”

March 3, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Attrition Advantage: Why Iran Holds Upper Hand

EU gas prices surge 50% right as Germany and France face down lack of energy reserves after cold winter

Remix News | March 2, 2026

Natural gas markets across Europe experienced a violent price surge on Monday following news that Qatar has suspended operations at the world’s premier liquefied natural gas facility, which accounts for 20 percent of global output. EU leaders are reportedly preparing for a crisis scenario if the war drags on due to already low gas reserves in the biggest member states, particularly Germany and France.

Prices went as high as 50 percent before settling back down to the current level of 45 percent at the time of publication, resulting in the current price of €46 per megawatt-hour. Similar price jumps were seen in the United Kingdom’s NBP benchmark index.

Adding to a potential crisis, EU storage levels have dropped below 30 percent capacity at the end of the winter season, significantly lower than the 40 percent recorded at this time last year. However, some of the biggest countries are facing the lowest levels of gas. Gas Infrastructure Europe shows German storage at 20.5 percent and French reserves at 21 percent. These low inventories leave the bloc increasingly susceptible to price swings and supply shortages if an LNG crunch worsens.

Now, the EU is already considering scenarios where the war could drag on for a long period of time, including up to years. While President Donald Trump has cited the figure of “four weeks” in regard to wrapping up the war, it remains unclear how long the war could go on.

Politico reports that the EU’s efforts to wean itself off of Russian gas and oil have created a “panic moment.”

“For Europe, I think it creates a panic moment,”Ana Maria Jaller-Makarewicz, lead energy analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, told Politico. “Four years ago [following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine] we had these issues.” But this time, she said, “We are not just now concerned about Russia, but about Qatar, the U.S. … so I think now since we have increased dependencies on other sources, we have also increased our vulnerability.”

Noting Qatar’s role as the second-largest supplier of LNG in the world, she noted that if Qatar cannot deliver natural gas efficiently and on time, “Russia could be the big beneficiary.”

“We could also see Russian energy flowing to other countries. There could be an opportunity for Russia if this Qatar LNG is stopped,” said the analyst.

QatarEnergy has not disclosed extent of damage

The energy crisis intensified after U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran escalated regional instability. In response to an attack on its infrastructure, QatarEnergy confirmed it had halted production linked to the North Field gas reservoir. While the company acknowledged the suspension, it gave no further details about the state of the fields and the company’s operations.

The world is currently focusing its attention on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint largely under Iranian influence.

Following the recent strikes, Iran has moved to obstruct traffic through the narrow passage, which serves as a primary artery for Qatari LNG and global oil, the vast majority of which is destined for Asian markets. However, energy is a global market, and a bottleneck in one location leads to a surge in prices everywhere.

The price surge may be only temporary, but experts warn that any prolonged closure of the strait could lead to a long-term surge in energy prices. Some have even warned of oil surging to $120 a barrel, while most believe prices within the range of $80 to $90 are a realistic possibility.

March 3, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , | Comments Off on EU gas prices surge 50% right as Germany and France face down lack of energy reserves after cold winter

Israel launches Bible study program targeting US evangelicals

The new initiative features Israeli soldiers, West Bank settlers, and a pastor of Messianic Judaism as key voices

By Nick Cleveland-Stout and Connor Echols | Responsible Statecraft | February 28, 2026

An Israeli-funded firm is hoping to boost evangelical support for Israel through a guided Bible study program that features interviews with Israel Defense Forces soldiers, theologians, and West Bank settlers, according to a new website uncovered by RS.

The firm, California-based Show Faith by Works, is launching a new initiative called “Hear from us,” featuring an eight-part series of lessons that mix typical Bible study prompts with stories about the importance of modern Israel.

Show Faith by Works previously sparked outrage among some evangelical communities after proposing a campaign to geofence churchgoers’ phones during worship hours to deliver pro-Israel advertisements. Since September, the Israeli government has invested over $3 million in the firm.

Republican strategist Chad Schnitger, who is overseeing the influence operation, hopes his initiative will shore up Gen Z support for Israel. While 70% of evangelicals over age 60 support Israel, only 39% of evangelicals between 18 and 29 do, according to a Marquette University Law School survey from late last year.

Schnitger says his funders at the Israeli Foreign Ministry want him to focus narrowly on religious issues. “They’ve not asked me to talk about politics, they’re not asking me to talk that much about the war,” Schnitger said. “This is here to be a champion for the Christian church and take the message to the American Southwest.”

But the materials on his website, reported here for the first time, suggest a blurry division between religion and politics. A sample booklet, for example, denies that “Hear from us” represents a “political movement” but appears to embrace controversial views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For instance, the pamphlet displays a map of Israel that shows full Israeli control over the Palestinian territories and the Golan Heights, which are internationally recognized as Syrian land.

The booklet’s release comes amid rising concern over possible expansion of Israel’s territorial claims. Just last week, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Tucker Carlson that “it would be fine” for Israel to take control of territories belonging to Arab states, including the West Bank and Gaza. Asked about the remarks, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said that Israel’s borders should be “as broad as possible.”

Schnitger did not respond to a request for comment from RS.

‘GAZANS GOTTA GO’

Hear from us’ guided Bible study features interviews with several speakers whose views are controversial, both within Israel and among critics of its conduct in Gaza. One such interviewee is Chaim Malespin, an IDF Sergeant Major who runs an organization that helps Jewish immigrants move to Israel and “provides essential support” to Israeli soldiers.

Malespin has long faced criticism from anti-missionary groups in Israel, who have alleged that he seeks to evangelize Jews and convert them to Messianic Judaism, which follows some Jewish traditions but considers Jesus the Messiah. He drew criticism in 2022 for his viral claim that Lapid’s wife is secretly a Messianic Jew, which he later apologized for. On another occasion, the Jewish Agency cut its partnership with Malespin’s organization for having “created the perception” that it evangelizes.

Since October 7, Malespin has posted daily updates on the Gaza War. In one video posted after the United Kingdom recognized Palestine, Malespin said Palestinians “don’t want to do anything but destroy Israel.” Another video, titled “Cleanup on Aisle Palestine,” featured Malespin reacting to what sounded like Israeli bombing of Gaza. “Wow, loud explosions huh?” said Malespin, standing in front of an Israeli armored vehicle.

Perhaps most inflammatory are the views of Yishai Fleisher, who joins the program for a study session that carries “the story [of Israel] forward,” according to the sample booklet. Fleisher is among the most prominent advocates of Israeli annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, a policy that he has championed as the spokesperson for the settler community in the segregated West Bank city of Hebron.

Fleisher has long railed against the idea of a two-state solution, arguing that Israel should have full control of the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River and that Palestinians should have limited rights. In a recent video posted on his popular YouTube channel, Fleisher said that Carlson, in his interview with Huckabee, was “spitting on the God of Israel,” adding that the American political commentator “needs to be taken down” like the Biblical Goliath.

The prominent settler is also a frequent commentator on U.S. policy toward Israel. He has referred to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s annual conference as the “Fourth Pilgrimage Holiday,” after the traditional Jewish holidays of Sukkot, Shavuot and Passover. In a podcast episode entitled “GAZANS GOTTA GO,” he advocated for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and likened pro-ceasefire protestors on American college campuses to the Amalekites, who were massacred by the army of Saul, according to the Bible.

“Amalekites come for the Jews because they know that Jews represent civilization,” he said. “That’s what we’re seeing with the Jihadis on campus in the United States.”

Another interviewee is Messianic Jewish Pastor Avner Boskey. The preacher has written lengthy criticisms of Islam, warning in one pamphlet that “paganism and demonic worship are the spiritual matrix out of which Allah was elevated.” And, when Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City last year, Boskey wrote a piece with the subheading, “When The Upper West Side Turns Into The Lower West Bank.”

Destiny Magnett, Programs and Outreach Manager at Churches for Middle East Peace, told RS that the initiative contributes to the erasure of Palestinian culture, heritage, and history. Much of the sample booklet, for example, promotes a controversial new archaeological site called the Pilgrimage Road that cuts through a Palestinian neighborhood in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem and has caused structural damages to local homes.

“Pilgrimages to this land simply don’t exist in a vacuum detached from the everyday realities of people on the ground,” said Magnett. “Acknowledging that should be part of the responsibility undertaken by anyone working at the intersections of faith and Israel/Palestine.”

Shifting strategies

Show Faith by Works’ initial plan, filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), indicated that the firm would “geofence” the physical boundaries of major churches in the American Southwest during worship times in order to “track attendees and continue to target [them] with ads” on behalf of Israel.

But the campaign was met with backlash from many congregations. The Christian Life Commission of Baptist General Convention of Texas urged church leaders to sign a letter calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to prohibit foreign government use of tracking technologies at churches. A campaign and website called “show mercy and do likewise” was created as an interfaith project to support Christians being targeted by the campaign. Timothy Feldman, an attendee of one of the churches listed, told RS, “It was a strange feeling to see my local church directly targeted by a foreign country committing a genocide on the other side of the world.”

Show Faith by Works responded to the concerns by defending the geofencing campaign. Schnitger, the founder of the firm, told RS in an email at the time that “irresponsible” media outlets had “sensationalized” the firm’s use of geofencing. “It is a very common marketing tool that literally every person with a smartphone in America has experienced in one way or the other,” Schnitger explained. He later revealed that he was scrapping the geofencing campaign “due to security concerns.”

It is unclear whether this pivot will help Schnitger and the Israeli government win more support among Evangelicals. Uriesou Brito, presiding minister of counsel for the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches and senior pastor of Providence Church in Pensacola, told World — a media outlet that says it is “grounded in facts and biblical truth” — that he disagrees with Show Faith by Works’ approach. “My general principle has been that we should always be cautious when any government funds religious or theological outreach,” said Brito. “The concern in my estimation is not unique to Israel.”

Nick Cleveland-Stout is a Research Associate in the Democratizing Foreign Policy program at the Quincy Institute. Previously, Nick conducted research on U.S.-Brazil relations as a 2023 Fulbright fellow at the Federal University of Santa Catarina.

March 3, 2026 Posted by | Deception, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism | , , , | Comments Off on Israel launches Bible study program targeting US evangelicals

Douglas Macgregor: A New World Emerges: Iran Will Win & Israel May Not Survive

Glenn Diesen | March 2, 2026

Douglas Macgregor is a retired Colonel, combat veteran and former senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Col. Macgregor argues a new world is emerging with a new Middle East – in which Iran will win and Israel may not survive. Please like and subscribe!

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March 2, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Video, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Douglas Macgregor: A New World Emerges: Iran Will Win & Israel May Not Survive

Stuck in Another Disastrous Middle East War

By Ron Paul | March 2, 2026

Unfortunately, President Trump listened to the neocons and Benjamin Netanyahu instead of his MAGA base and other voices of caution as he launched a surprise attack on Iran over the weekend. For the second time in nine months, the US Administration used negotiations with Iran as a cover to launch a pre-planned attack.

Last week’s talks produced “progress” according to all sides, with technical teams set to meet this week to work out the details. President Trump, however, suddenly announced that he was not happy with the talks because the Iranian side refused to say “the magic words” that they would not pursue nuclear weapons.

But Iran has been insisting for decades that they have no interest in producing a nuclear weapon and our own intelligence has confirmed that they are not doing so.

Shortly after President Trump’s announcement, the US and Israel launched their attack, killing Iran’s religious leader along with some 40 other political and military leaders in a “decapitation” strike.

It was supposed to be like the Venezuela operation. Quick and painless for the US. Kill the leadership and the long-suffering people would take to the streets and reclaim their country. It may make a good plot for a Hollywood movie, but in real life these regime change operations have never worked. Millions did take to the streets in Iran, but it was to mourn the slain Ayatollah and to reaffirm support for their government.

Just like we “rallied around the flag” after the attacks on 9/11.

Quickly, Iranian retaliation for the attacks began to take their toll on US assets and Israel. US soldiers have been killed and US fighter jets have been shot down. US bases in the region are either damaged or destroyed. Likewise, US embassies and consulates have come under attack, including by Iraqis likely still furious over the US destruction of their country 20 years ago.

And, with the Pentagon warning that the operation may go weeks instead of days, we are quickly running out of missiles.

Billions of dollars have already been spent on this unprovoked attack, and when the smoke clears – if it does – we may see hundreds of billions or maybe much more having been wasted on yet another Middle East war. Just what President Trump promised he would not do.

The neocon “cakewalk” crowd, including Lindsey Graham and others, have been proven wrong again. Tragically, more American servicemembers may die while the neocons blame someone else for the fiasco they helped launch.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of the US/Israeli attack that “this combination of forces enables us to do what I have longed to do for 40 years…”

But the purpose of the US military is not to fulfill the decades-old wishes of foreign leaders. There is a good reason we have a Constitution that says only Congress can declare war.

Launching a military strike during negotiations will have lasting negative effects for the United States. Who would ever trust US diplomacy again if talks are used as a distraction for pre-planned attacks?

The Administration is doing its best to spin this unfolding disaster as all going according to plan, but what is the plan? No one knows. Do they know?

Here’s a plan: End this today. Return the destroyed US bases to the countries where they are located. And just come home. That is what a real “America first” movement looks like.

March 2, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Stuck in Another Disastrous Middle East War

‘Trump’s Gift to Iran’: Iranian Media Shows 165 Graves for Minab School Bombing Victims

‘Trump’s Gift to the people of Iran’
Sputnik – 02.03.2026

Iranian media have published a shocking aerial photo showing the diggi9ng of 165 graves for the young victims of the Minab school attack.

The victims, girls aged between seven and 12, were killed in a devastating attack by US and Israeli forces.

The photo is captioned: “Trump’s gift to the people of Iran.”

The school in Hormozgan province was hit on Saturday morning in the first wave of US-Israeli missiles.

Iran has condemned the attack as a brutal act of terror, accusing the US and Israel of committing war crimes by targeting innocent children.

The attack has drawn widespread condemnation within Iran, with many calling it a violation of international law and a stab at the very heart of Iranian society.

March 2, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on ‘Trump’s Gift to Iran’: Iranian Media Shows 165 Graves for Minab School Bombing Victims

Future of the Middle East after the Killing of Khamenei

By Abbas Hashemite | New Eastern Outlook | March 2, 2026

The US and Israeli ambition of regime change in Iran has not been achieved yet, despite the killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, making the region more volatile.

The Illusion of Diplomacy and Violation of International Norms

The United States, at the behest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, attacked Iran on February 28, 2026. Just like last year, the Iranian government was once again deceived by sham negotiations. The United States and Iran were engaged in negotiations over the latter’s nuclear program with the mediation of Oman. The first session of talks was held in Muscat on February 6, 2026. Soon after this round, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington.

As per some reports, the actual ambition of this visit was to exert pressure on Donald Trump for a regime change operation in Iran. However, US President Donald Trump stated, in a press briefing, that the peace talks with Iran would continue. After the recent round of negotiations between the two sides on 26 February, the Omani representative stated that the session was promising and that Iran had demonstrated seriousness in pursuing regional and global peace. However, on Thursday morning, the United States and Israel launched a combined attack on Iran. Many Iranian leaders and officials were targeted in this attack. The Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was also killed in this attack, sparking a huge response from Iran.

Retaliation and Regional Escalation

In retaliation, Iran targeted Israel and US military bases in the Middle Eastern region. Iran has conducted retaliatory strikes in several regional countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Israel. Despite repeated air strikes of the Israeli and American military on Iranian military sites and missile silos, Tehran continues to strike Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, and US interests in the Middle East. Iran has also targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln, the US military’s largest aircraft carrier, with 4 cruise missiles. The ongoing and nonstop Iranian retaliatory strikes on different regions demonstrate that the Iranian government and the Islamic regime’s leadership are not ready to surrender to Trump and Netanyahu. Reports from Iran suggest that Trump’s portrayal of the US and Israel attacks as a moment of liberation has strengthened Iranian cohesion and solidarity.

Domestic Consolidation and the Absence of a “Day-After” Plan

In contrast to the US and Israeli expectations, a large number of Iranian people took to the streets protesting against these strikes, showing solidarity with the Islamic regime and mourning the death of their top leader. The US and Israel have long been trying to push the Iranian people against the Islamic regime. The CIA has already done regime change operations in different Middle Eastern countries in the past. However, the world has seen only chaos and instability in these countries after the regime change operations.

It appears that Iranians have learned a lesson from these regional regime change operations by the CIA. The US and Israeli plan seems to be firing back. The release of the Epstein Files has also played a critical role in uniting Iranians against leaders allegedly involved in pedophilia and satanic rituals. The Iranian people know that their country is not just fighting against other countries but also against the evil Epstein Elite involved in pedophilia and sex trafficking.

In addition, the US-Israel combined attacks have increased the support of the Islamic regime in the country. Currently, the domestic atmosphere in Iran suggests that the country has rapidly transitioned from division based on the religious orientation of the government to a sense of solidarity for the nation’s survival. The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Larijani, issued a warning to the citizens that Israel and the United States’ ultimate ambition is the partition of Iran, framing the war as a defence of the country’s territorial integrity.

Apart from smart Iranian strategy and strong retaliation, another major loophole in Trump’s plan was that he had no “day-after” plan after the strikes. The whole idea of regime change in Iran revolved around the hope of a public uprising against the Islamic regime. Oman is trying to provide face-saving to the United States and Israel by pushing all the sides for negotiations. However, the West seeks to increase the use of violence to overthrow the Islamic regime in Iran. According to reports, France, Germany, and Britain have also signaled their intent to join the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. In a joint statement, they stated, “We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source.”

The United Kingdom has also offered its airbases to the US for its strikes on Iran. Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, stated, “We have taken the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran from firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved.” Trump has also stated, “Combat operations continue at this time in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved. We have ‌very strong objectives.” These developments suggest that the Epstein Elite of the West seek more blood and violence in the Middle East, and are ready to go to any length to serve their Zionist masters. Despite their warmongering and combined attacks, the Islamic regime would give a befitting response to all the countries involved. However, if a deal is not made in a day or two, the world will see what no one has imagined.

Аbbas Hashemite is a political observer and research analyst for regional and global geopolitical issues. He is currently working as an independent researcher and journalist.

March 2, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , , , | Comments Off on Future of the Middle East after the Killing of Khamenei

Decapitation attacks don’t work against strong countries

By Lucas Leiroz | March 2, 2026

A new war has begun in the Middle East. After months of tension, the US and Israel launched an attack against Iran on February 28th. With the failure of negotiations for a nuclear agreement, war seemed inevitable, and many analysts anticipated that both sides were merely preparing for an imminent conflict, which proved true.

The Israeli-American attack was an attempt to “decapitate” the Iranian government. The country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, was killed, along with almost his entire family, in a bombing of his residence and office. There were also serious violations of humanitarian law with attacks against a primary school, resulting in the deaths of over one hundred children.

Unlike previous cases where Israel attacked Iran, this time the Islamic Republic reacted immediately – and not only against Israel. All US-allied countries in the Middle East have been – and continue to be – targeted by Iranian missiles and drones in a relentless bombing campaign. Israel, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, and even British bases in Cyprus have been targeted by Iran.

Tehran is trying to inflict as much damage as possible to all military and energy infrastructure that enables US and Israeli operations. Oil facilities in the Gulf are being destroyed, as well as ships linked to Israel or the West in the Strait of Hormuz – which is currently only partially open, with Iran allowing passage only to ships from certain partner countries.

It is clear that the US and Israel were not prepared for such a profound reaction from Iran. American and Israeli authorities seemed to expect a late and moderate reaction, as occurred in the Twelve-Day War. The intensity and frequency of the Iranian attacks have caused a kind of partial “strategic paralysis” in the US and Israel – as well as in the affected allied countries – which simply could not anticipate the bombings to activate security measures efficiently.

Media reports indicate that the US approached Iran through the Italian government to suggest a ceasefire agreement, which was promptly rejected. There seems to be no interest on the part of Iran in de-escalating the conflict in the coming days or weeks. The situation becomes particularly tense considering that it involves not only military and strategic factors, but also issues of national pride and patriotic sentiments, considering the assassination of the Supreme Leader and civilians, including children.

American authorities, including President Donald Trump himself, publicly stated that the operation had achieved its objective of eliminating the Iranian leadership and that from that moment on it would be up to the local Iranian population to fight against state forces and complete a total regime change – thus seeking so-called “Iranian freedom.” However, the popular reaction was in the opposite direction, with increasing popular support for the Iranian retaliation.

This miscalculation on the part of the US and Israel is typical of their military mentality focused on decapitation attacks and quick assaults. The US is accustomed to short-duration wars, rapid invasions, causing high destruction to the enemy and promptly evacuating without significant attrition. Similarly, Israel, being a small country with limited resources, has always maintained a strategy of decapitation attacks, attempting to eliminate the leadership of anti-Zionist countries and armed groups in a fast manner and with minimal military effort.

However, this strategy is extremely limited. The US has been successful in operations against small countries in Latin America and some ‘failed states’ in Africa, but has always suffered when facing prolonged wars of attrition, such as in Vietnam or Afghanistan. Similarly, Israel has not even managed to neutralize Hamas and Hezbollah, which are non-state militias, by carrying out their decapitations in recent years. All this reveals the clear limitations of this type of strategy.

Iran is a country of considerable size, with over 90 million inhabitants and a complex political structure consolidated since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Popular support for the state is widespread – otherwise, the country would have already undergone some regime change, considering that the West constantly promotes mass protests and attempts at color revolutions there. Countries with such structure and complexity cannot be easily destabilized by quick decapitation operations.

Furthermore, it is important to remember that Khamenei was almost 90 years old and suffering from advanced cancer. Obviously, he did not control the entire Iranian chain of command alone, as there were many other high-level officials responsible for the local decision-making process. The authorities were already preparing for Khamenei’s replacement, as his death from natural causes was expected, so the impact of the “decapitation” was simply null.

In fact, the conflict seems to have already crossed the point of no return. Iran has shown that it has not been intimidated by the US and Israel and has made it clear that it will continue to target the entire regional infrastructure of the US, Israel and their allies, even if this means a widespread regional war. What Tehran seems to be doing is seeking a safe situation for itself, with sufficient demonstration of power and damage to its enemies, so that it can then engage in negotiations again in the future – the classic strategy of “escalating to de-escalate”.

Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Association, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert.

You can follow Lucas on X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram.

March 2, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Decapitation attacks don’t work against strong countries

Next Iranian leader should be killed too if hostile to US – Lindsey Graham

RT | March 2, 2026

The US should assassinate those who come to power in Iran if they remain hostile toward American interests, according to veteran war hawk Senator Lindsey Graham.

The targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials was the opening part of a US-Israeli regime change operation launched on Saturday.

In a Fox News interview on Sunday, Graham pushed for continued political assassinations abroad. “This regime is in its death throes. Finish them off!” he said. “The ultimate safety comes when people in charge of Iran don’t want to kill us.”

“I don’t know who is going to take over Iran after this regime collapses but I know this. If you want to be a friend to America, we’ll be a friend to you. If you wanna keep this crap up, then you will pay the same price [as] the ayatollah,” Graham added, citing decades of Iranian support for anti-American militancy.

President Donald Trump’s interventionist approach in Iran and elsewhere sets “the golden standard” for US foreign policy that even President Ronald Reagan could not achieve, Graham claimed. He urged Trump to “unleash the American military with Israel” on Lebanon’s Iran-aligned Hezbollah “tonight.”

Cuba should also be targeted, Graham said, claiming Havana’s “days are numbered.” The US should also pressure Saudi Arabia, custodian of Islam’s holiest sites, to “recognize the one and only Jewish state,” he added.

Support for Israel has been a longstanding US strategic policy in the Middle East under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Weeks before the joint attack on Iran, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee insisted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “does not want a war with Iran” and ridiculed the notion that “tiny little Israel is pushing the US into something it does not want to do.” He also denied that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was conducted in pursuit of Israeli interests, insisting that “zero” American troops were ever put on the ground for Israel.

March 2, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Next Iranian leader should be killed too if hostile to US – Lindsey Graham

Iran security chief says ‘no negotiations with US,’ confirms readiness for ‘long war’

The Cradle | March 2, 2026

The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, declared on 2 March that the Islamic Republic “will not negotiate with the United States” as the regional war rages on for a third straight day.

“Trump’s wishful thinking has dragged the whole region into an unnecessary war and now he is rightly worried about more American casualties. It is indeed very sad that he is sacrificing American treasure and blood to advance Netanyahu’s illegitimate expansionist ambitions,” Larijani said in a social media post.

The declaration came as a refutation to a Wall Street Journal report claiming that, hours after US-Israeli strikes halted negotiations, Larijani had pushed to resume nuclear talks with Washington through Omani mediators.

In a separate post, Larijani said Iran is prepared for a prolonged war, unlike the US.

Following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes on 28 February, Larijani emerged as a central figure in Iran’s security and military leadership.

While Larijani has been managing Iran’s retaliation to the attack, he is not part of the three-person interim council established to lead the country until a successor is elected.

The council met for the first time on 1 March, shortly after the killing of Khamenei, to ensure government continuity as the country declared a 40-day mourning period.

The supreme leader was killed alongside a number of Iran’s top military and security leaders, including IRGC Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, as well as several of Khamenei’s family members – his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and grandchild.

The unprovoked US-Israeli attacks that began on 28 February have so far resulted in the killing of at least 555 people across Iran.

That number includes at least 180 killed in a single Israeli strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab, with the vast majority being students aged 7-12.

UNESCO condemned the massacre as a grave violation of international humanitarian law, stressing the protections granted to civilians, especially children.

The joint US-Israeli aggression – dubbed ‘Operation Epic Fury’ by the US, and ‘Operation Roaring Lion’ by Israel – has carried out roughly 2,000 strikes across 131 locations in Iran, targeting key political, military, economic, and civilian infrastructure.

Following Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announcement of Operation True Promise 4 – targeting US bases in the Persian Gulf region – Gulf states condemned Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes on US bases within their territory, calling them violations of sovereignty, with all Gulf states reporting the interception of Iranian missiles.

Oman warned the US-Israeli assault had undermined diplomacy just as a nuclear deal was “within our reach,” urging Washington not to escalate further, as Russia denounced the US-Israeli attack as “unprovoked.”

March 2, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Fake News, Mainstream Media, Warmongering, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Iran security chief says ‘no negotiations with US,’ confirms readiness for ‘long war’

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