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The world order, in terms of war and peace, presents a bizarre spectacle now. Nowhere is this exemplified more starkly than in the middle-east. As if the nearly two-year long genocidal attack by Israel in Gaza, killing more than fifty thousand civilians was not enough of a brazen violation of international law on war and human rights, Israel made surprise attack on Iran on Friday last (June 13) drawing diabolical comparison with the eponymous Hollywood horror film (Friday, the 13th). As in the movie, the war unleashed by Israel had macabre cases of grisly murders committed in the dark of night. The murders involved not only top Iranian generals but also eminent scientists. Even killing army generals when there is no declared war between two countries are acts of state terrorism. America and Israel have been doing this vile act of crime for a long time in their dealings with the Iranian regime.
In 2018, President Trump withdrew from the international agreement (JCPOA) reached with Iran by America and European countries in 2015. This was followed by the killing of the Iranian General Suleymani by America under Trump presidency. In 2024, Israel killed senior members of Iran's Imperial Guards while they were having a meeting in Iranian embassy in Damascus in gross violation of international law protecting embassies.
The war imposed on Iran fifteen days ago was preceded by series of murders carried out by Israel that saw the decapitation of top order Iranian scientists. In brazen violation of international law and tradition regarding war, Israel mounted a vicious and devastating attack on Iranian nuclear and other sites of high military value without declaration of war. Such surprise attack can be justified when a country faces imminent attack by another country or countries. This was the case in 1967 when Israel faced a certain war declared by Arab countries and carried out surprise attack against Egyptian air force. But the war against Iran unleashed stealthily by Israel has no such justification. Iran was by no stretch of imagination preparing to attack Israel in any way. After the attack Israel's war mongering prime minister Netanyahu kept on saying that Israel faced an 'existential threat' from Iran because it was close to making a nuclear bomb. This apprehension is not substantiated by either international or American intelligence. The International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) in its latest report only said that Iran had not provided all the information it needed periodically. This mention of non-compliance is not the same as directly alleging that Iran was preparing for having nuclear bombs. The chief of IAEC, Dr Grossi, told AlJazeera in an interview given after the Iran-Israel war that Iran was not in possession or making a plan to weaponsise enriched uranium. In America, the head of Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, told the Senate that Iran was not close to making a nuclear weapon. All these reports on Iran's peaceful nuclear program were disregarded by Israel and it went to an undeclared war against Iran. As every analyst of middle- east knows, this war has been the dream of Netanyahu, nursed over the last three decades. But he did not get the approval from its staunchest ally America so long. At long last, in Trump he found a willing backer and a partner in committing the international crime of attacking a sovereign country without declaration of war. One can understand the motive of a diabolical mind like the one Netanyahu has, for warmongering, based on hatred of any country in the middle- east that dares to become powerful. But one expects an American president to take decisions on war in a calm and cool manner, consulting domestic leaders and close allies abroad. This is expected because when America decides on a war against any country, it has serious implications for world peace. Even a gung-ho president like George Bush Jr knew this elementary principle and however much undesirable the war against Iraq was, he at least declared the same beforehand and had one ally, the United Kingdom (UK), as a willing partner that gave the look of the war as being international. But president Trump took none of these steps before attacking Iran's nuclear sites under cover of darkness on an unsuspecting Iran. He did not get the approval of Congress, which he was constitutionally bound to do. Neither did he consult any of the allies in Europe before the massive attack on nuclear sites in Iran. Ironically, Iran was hoping to resolve the nuclear issue through discussions it was having with America. On the other hand, Iran had no hostile designs against America. So, when America launched the attack against Iran, it was unprovoked and undeclared. Like a pathological liar, president Trump kept saying, 'I gave Iran 60 days and Iran failed and so on 61st day Israel attacked'. This is a lie because there was no deadline of 60 days as the fifth round of negotiation between America and Iran was going to be held two days after the so called ' 61st day,' the day Israel attacked. What is more disgraceful and humiliating for America is to be seen as going for war at the behest of Israel when the latter was clearly an aggressor.
Neither America, nor Israel expected Iran to respond militarily with such force and determination after it suffered the devastation of Israel's pre-emptive attack. Not only the lethal counter-attack by Iran, the rallying of the Iranian public around their rulers have dashed all hopes of a regime change in Iran for which Netanyahu made exhortations in televised speech.
The latest developments are alarming for president Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has failed to prevent the Iranian missiles with its much vaunted Iron Dome and Arrow-2 air defence system. It may run out of these flimsy air defence system soon, leaving strategic sites vulnerable to Iranian missiles.
Emboldened by its success in counter-attack against Israel, Iran opened a new front on 23 June, attacking American military base in Qatar, in retaliation for America's 'betrayal of diplomacy' and unprovoked war. Iran's parliament has approved the closure of Hormuz strait as a reprisal for the war imposed on the country. If carried out, this decision will turn the world economy upside down, affecting all countries, including America. The last thing that has unnerved America and Israel is the declaration by Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council that Iran will get nuclear warheads from its allies. A nervous Donald Trump has lost no time in going to his social media and declaring that there is ceasefire between Iran and Israel and the two countries should abide by it. Taking the cue from his soul-mate, Netanyahu has also issued a statement that his country has declared ceasefire and so Iran should stop its attacks.
It does not require much imagination or intelligence to conclude that both president Trump and Netanyahu now realise the catastrophic implications of their undeclared war against Iran and are unilaterally declaring ceasefire. But having committed acts of aggression in violation of international law, they are hardly in a position to ask Iran for ceasefire. What is required in the present circumstances is surrender by Israel. The other alternative is for United Nations (UN) to convene a meeting of security council and get an unanimous resolution for ceasefire. As a condition for compliance, Iran should demand war reparations from both America and Israel for the damages it has suffered.
It would be embarrassing for America's allies to appear as apostles of peace only days after they confirmed Israel's right to defend itself and approved the attack by America as legitimate. If the Iran-Israeli war comes to an end now through ceasefire and on Iran's terms ( regarding reparations), the international order in war and peace based on international law will have a new lease of life. Warmongers will know that cannot always win and there will be a reckoning.
American should impeach Donald Trump for his recklessness that has humiliated the country. Israel should send Netanyahu to Hague where he is wanted as a war criminal. For European countries, the Iran-Israel war should be a sobering object lesson, leading to independent foreign policy free from double standards to judge events.
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