April 15, 2024

Israel’s aggression against sovereign Iranian territory − its bombing of Iran’s Consulate in Damascus, Syria, on April 1 − was an attempt to expand its genocidal assault on Gaza, which it is losing, to a regional war against Iran with the participation of U.S. imperialism.

Since Israel’s aggression killed 16 Iranians, including General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Israeli regime made a response to Iran not only justifiable but inevitable.

Nevertheless, Iran’s first response was diplomatic. Teheran appealed to the United Nations Security Council, under Article 7 of the U.N. Charter, seeking to condemn Israel’s aggression and to punish the Benjamin Netanyahu regime for its aggressive war move.

Only after this reasoned request failed to get an equally reasonable response from the international body − a body dominated by U.S. imperialism since its inception in 1945 − did Iran exercise its inherent right under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter to directly respond to Israel’s attack on their sovereignty.

Iran even warned the world of its pending action for days, including informing the countries Iranian drones would fly over. Only then did Iran take direct action, targeting  multiple Israeli military bases.

The Israeli and U.S. military claim their militaries intercepted almost all of the hundreds of drones Iran fired and there was little to no damage. But both Israeli and U.S. military and government officials are known serial liars, capable of creating any scenario that serves their interests. These regimes are fully confident that the imperialist-controlled media, including the New York Times, Washington Post and the West European corporate media, will report any story they are fed by the Pentagon or the Israeli regime as if it were true.

As we all learned since the phony Bay of Tonkin battle in 1964, the myth of the Kuwaiti babies killed by Iraq in 1990, as well as the “weapons of mass destruction” lie in 2003, fact-checking can wait for years, if it happens at all.

It’s important for people intent on learning the truth, especially for people within the United States, to read the statements from those fighting for liberation from imperialism. In this case, we must read what sources inside Iran and what analysts independent of imperialism have to say.

Iranian sources have said that the drones that were intercepted were inexpensive decoys. Apparently the U.S. government spent an astounding $1.1 billion of taxpayer dollars just to repel these decoy drones.

According to Iran, seven hypersonic missiles, used against the most well-protected bases Israel has, including the Nevatim air base, all got through  – making this attack more successful than expected. The F-35 fighter jets used to bomb Iran’s Consulate in Damascus were kept at the Nevatim air base.

Iran’s actions in solidarity with Palestinians

According to an April 14 article in TelesurEnglish, all missiles launched from Iran were named after Gaza to show that the action was in support of the Palestinian people. (April 14)   The Electronic Intifada and Al Jazeera broadcast clips of Palestinians in Gaza and in Jordan, along with Iranians and Iraqis, cheering as they witnessed Iran’s missiles filling the sky.  Hezbollah also carried out strikes against Israel from southern Lebanon.

Hundreds of Palestinians tore down a section of the apartheid wall that separates the Israel-occupied West Bank and Israel during Iran’s military actions.

The International Action Center recognizes and supports Iran’s right to take these actions, which are both self-defense and defense of all oppressed people in the region fighting for liberation.  Any risk of a wider regional conflict lies squarely with Israel and its backers, U.S. and NATO imperialism, especially following Israel’s repeated aggression against Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and against Palestinians in the territories Israel illegally occupies.

For decades, Israel has violated nearly every article of the U.N. Charter with its occupation of Palestinian lands, and illegal expansion of Israeli settlements. It has ignored every effort in the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council to limit its racist, settler-colonial occupation of Palestine and blatant goal of annihilating the Palestinian people.

It is no surprise that after Iran’s defensive action, the arrogant Israeli regime immediately appealed to the U.N. Security Council to intervene on behalf of Israel, the aggressor.  It did this despite Israel’s repeated criticism of the U.N. for condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza, condemnations that the Israeli regime continues to ignore.

As part of the axis of resistance to Israel and world imperialism, Iran has every right to provide weapons to those fighting for liberation.

Israel learned from U.S. imperialism

We should point out here that the U.S. military has set the example for Israel’s arrogant aggression on sovereign diplomatic territory when, during the U.S./NATO war against Yugoslavia in 1999, the Pentagon bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade.

Iran’s defensive response on April 13 marks the first time Iran responded directly to an imperialist attack on its territory.  Iranian leaders have shown they have the capability to hit back should Israel again commit aggression against Iran.  The unprecedented global solidarity for the liberation of Palestine since the Al-Aqsa Flood of October 7 has awakened a worldwide appreciation that Iran’s role in the axis of resistance is one of solidarity with the embattled and oppressed people of Palestine.

The movement in the United States that has taken on the task of stopping Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza should also perceive Iran’s action as part of that movement to defend the people of Gaza and say to both the Netanyahu and Biden regimes: “NO war on Iran!”