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The US attack on Iran is an ideological attack. The attack can be seen as an extension of Israel’s ongoing attack on Gaza and the Iranian-backed Hamas militia there. The explanation used by the US is to crush Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons program. Experts disagree on how far Iran has come on the road to nuclear weapons. Iran itself claims that its nuclear program has peaceful purposes. That is, development to produce nuclear electricity.

Ideological war

The backdrop is that Iran aims to wipe out the state of Israel. The Muslim clergy that rules Iran sees the creation of the state of Israel as a mistake made by Western countries. Iran has a number of proxies in the Middle East that are in practice Iran’s extended arm. Hamas is one such militia. They have held both political and military power in the Gaza Strip for several years. Israel and the US view these militias and Iran as a threat to Israel’s existence. The US also sees Iran’s close relationship with Russia and China as a threat to its global interests.

Russia’s power in the region was significantly weakened after the takeover in Syria. Iran has been a major supplier of weapons and drones to Russia. These are actively used in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Feel free to read my previous blog about this.

US friendly regime change

The US and Israel want a new regime in Iran. A regime that is friendly to the US and Israel. Many others also want a different regime in Iran. The reason for this is first and foremost Iran’s violation of human rights. The regime in Iran is one of the most brutal in the world. Iran is one of the countries in the world that executes the most people. Opponents are imprisoned and in many cases executed. Women are oppressed, for example through what they are allowed to wear. All this means that many countries want a regime change for ideological reasons.

The US and Israel are probably looking for a more US- and Israel-friendly regime. Neither the US nor Israel is particularly concerned with human rights.

One of the questions going forward is what Russia and China will do. Can they see that a close friend is in trouble. Ultimately, this may be about China and Russia’s desire for an ally in the region. Influence in the Middle East is important to them. If the regime in Iran falls, the countries’ influence will effectively fall. The situation is dangerous. Trump may have led the US into a quagmire from which it may be difficult to emerge.

Sources:

CNN: Trump claims US “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear sites as Tehran warns of consequences

BBC: The US has changed the course of the conflict – how will Iran respond?

Aljazeera: By bombing Iran, the US continues to make the world safe for war