US, Israel Attack Iran: The Great Game in Play
R Arun Kumar
A FRAGILE ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump on June 24, following 12 days of Israeli attacks on Iran. Israel had launched its offensive on June 13. The boldness of the assault stunned many, especially given that the US and Iran had appeared to be engaged in sincere negotiations. The Israeli offensive effectively derailed these talks. The US directly joined the attacks on June 22, deploying B-2 bombers to strike Iranian nuclear sites with bunker-busting bombs. It is now evident that both the US and Israel are behaving like rogue states, showing little genuine interest in a negotiated resolution. Their actions reflect a commitment to advancing an imperial agenda rather than pursuing peace.
Israel justified its attack by claiming that Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. This conclusion was allegedly based on remarks made by Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, it is important to revisit some key facts concerning the IAEA’s role in Iran.
Iran ceased cooperation with the IAEA in February 2021, following then-President Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal negotiated under President Barack Obama in 2015. As a result, the IAEA stated that it could no longer verify the status of Iran’s nuclear activities. On June 9, Grossi remarked that “Iran’s failures to comply with reporting obligations had led to a significant reduction in the agency’s ability to verify whether Iran’s nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.” He further noted that Iran had “repeatedly either not answered, or not provided technically credible answers” to the agency’s questions regarding the presence of man-made uranium particles at three locations – Varamin, Marivan, and Turquzabad. Grossi concluded by expressing “serious concern” over Iran’s rapid accumulation of highly enriched uranium. However, at no point did he suggest that Iran was building, or intended to build, a nuclear bomb.
Despite these clear facts, Israel – shielding itself behind the IAEA – distorted the agency’s statements to justify its attack on Iran. This is not a new tactic in the imperialist playbook. One need only recall how then US President George W. Bush justified the invasion of Iraq by falsely claiming the country possessed weapons of mass destruction. In the name of eliminating those weapons, Iraq was bombed and devastated. The assassination of Saddam Hussein and the country’s descent into chaos and sectarian violence were direct consequences of that intervention. Israel is now following in the footsteps of its mentor – the United States. Unsurprisingly, then, it paid little heed to what IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi actually stated on June 19: “We did not have any proof of a systematic effort to move into a nuclear weapon.”
Israel’s real intention was never to “save the region or the world” from a nuclear threat. If that were truly the case, it would not have developed nuclear weapons itself or remained outside the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). In contrast, Iran remains a signatory to the NPT. What Israel finds intolerable is any country that dares to resist its aggression – particularly those that support the cause of Palestine and oppose the occupation of Palestinian land. Israel seeks to remain the unchallenged hegemon in the region, advancing and safeguarding US imperial interests.
Any country capable of posing a technological, military, or economic challenge to Israel is immediately labelled a threat. The US and Israel have acted in tandem to eliminate all such threats. They have successfully won over major Arab powers such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, and even Egypt. Many of these countries signed the Abraham Accords, brokered by Donald Trump, as part of the so-called “deal of the century” to resolve the Palestinian issue, not by recognising a Palestinian state, but by denying its very legitimacy. The Accords were designed to push these nations into aligning with Israel. Those who refused to follow the US-dictated line and posed strategic challenges were systematically targeted – Iraq first, followed by Syria and Libya. Now, Iran remains the last major country in the region that they seek to eliminate.
That Israel and the United States disregard international law, the United Nations, and its conventions has once again been demonstrated by the recent attack on Iran. Israel claimed the strike was a preemptive move to prevent a supposed Iranian nuclear attack. However, the UN Charter explicitly prohibits aggressive war against another nation, permitting military action only in cases of self-defence. Iran did not attack Israel, nor is there any evidence that it has developed a nuclear weapon or intended to use one against Israel. In no way can Israel justify its actions as self-defence. But then, when has Israel ever shown genuine regard for the UN, its resolutions, or its Charter? It has consistently defied numerous UN resolutions condemning its occupation and aggression in Palestine. It has shown no respect for resolutions affirming the Palestinian right of return and those calling for a two-state solution and recognition of the State of Palestine. To expect Israel to suddenly adhere to international law or respect the authority of the UN would be naive.
Over the past 12 days, we have witnessed intense aerial bombardments by both Israel and Iran. Israeli airstrikes have targeted infrastructure, civilian areas, military and nuclear facilities, senior generals, and nuclear scientists. Reports indicate that more than 600 people have been killed in Iran, including 263 civilians, and over 4,000 have been wounded. According to estimates by the Israeli army, at least 50 people were killed in Iran’s retaliatory attacks. The stark reality is that both countries have inflicted severe damage on one another and pushed the world to the brink, threatening global peace.
Israel assassinated several of Iran’s top generals and nuclear scientists, hoping to cripple Iran’s ability to retaliate from the outset. However, this assumption proved wrong. Iran quickly regrouped after its initial losses and launched strikes on Israeli military and intelligence infrastructure. Israel has even threatened to assassinate Iran’s leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. The United States has joined in this escalation, with officials declaring that they know where Khamenei resides and that it “would not be difficult” to target him – but that they have “chosen not to.” The US has also called on Iran to surrender. Such provocative statements have only inflamed tensions rather than diffused them. As expected, Iran responded defiantly, declaring it would never surrender and would continue to resist.
Iran has issued strong warnings to the United States and European powers, cautioning them against joining Israel in any military aggression. Russia, too, has warned the US against attacking Iran. Both the Chinese and Russian presidents have held extensive discussions on the West Asian crisis, and have specifically urged Israel to agree to a ceasefire. Turkey has also expressed serious concern over the escalating conflict in the region. Despite these calls, the US chose to side with Israel and entered the conflict. After the US directly bombed Iranian nuclear sites, Iran retaliated by targeting US military bases in Qatar and Iraq. The capricious Donald Trump then announced on June 24 that he had successfully negotiated a ceasefire. However, exchanges of fire between Israel and Iran continued, prompting him to lash out at both countries. As we go to press, the ceasefire appears to be holding, but it remains fragile by nature.
This fragility stems from the ceasefire’s failure to address the root causes of instability in West Asia – chiefly, the unresolved Palestinian question and the persistent pursuit of hegemonic dominance in the region. Neither Israel nor the United States is willing to accept these two fundamental conditions, the resolutions of which are essential for establishing a lasting peace. Until that changes, only a precarious ceasefire is possible, while the region continues to sit atop a tinderbox, ready to explode at any moment.
Despite these widely known consequences, imperialist forces and their allies appear determined to pursue their expansionist agenda. They view this as a means to reassert their hegemony over the region and, by extension, over the world. A weakened Iran would represent a setback to the emerging efforts to build a multipolar world order. Now a member of both BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Iran plays a key strategic role as an ally of Russia and China. The US believes that undermining Iran would simultaneously weaken Russia and China by depriving them of a vital partner.
Conversely, if Israel were to fail, it would be seen as a major blow to US hegemony. Not only would the US lose influence in West Asia, but such a development would also reinforce the growing perception of America as a superpower in decline – politically, economically, and militarily. Such an outcome would significantly undermine US imperial efforts to maintain global dominance and preserve a unipolar world order under its control. Imperialism would never want to see itself in such a situation.
What is unfolding is a new Great Game, with the potential to reshape global power structures and profoundly impact the future of humankind. A pro-people and humane resolution would be the recognition of the State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Such a resolution will only be possible if the machinations of the US and Israel are decisively challenged and defeated.
If the BJP-led government in India were wise, it would recognise this as a moment to distance itself from the US-Israel axis and instead align with other developing nations in the effort to build and strengthen a multipolar world order. Unfortunately, there is much reason to doubt both the wisdom and intent of the current BJP-led regime.
