UNDERSTANDING THE IRAN - AMERICA –ISRAEL CRISIS

By Abdullahi Danladi

The current happenings in the Iran requires some explanation as to the root cause of its crisis with America and America's attachment (Isreal). This is so because the world politics is so interwoven that one has to carefully examine the issues to put things in their proper prospective. It is in this light that this write up is put to help digest the issues in simple terms to allow proper understanding of the events.

The crisis between Iran, America, and Israel did not start today. It is the result of many years of distrust, fear, and power struggle. To understand what is happening now, one must first understand that these three actors see the world very differently and are driven by very different interests.

Iran has, since its 1979 Islamic Revolution, refused to submit to Western control, especially that of the United States. Before the revolution, Iran was closely tied to America, but after overthrowing the pro-American government, Iran chose a path of independence and resistance. From that moment, America began to see Iran not as a partner but as a problem. Israel, on the other hand, sees Iran as its biggest threat in the Middle East, not because of distance, but because Iran openly supports groups that resist Israeli occupation and also refuses to recognize Israel’s legitimacy. This long-standing hostility has been simmering for decades.

America and Israel constantly accuse Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons. Iran insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes such as electricity and medical use. Whether one believes Iran or not, the reality is that America and Israel fear a strong, independent Iran that cannot be easily controlled. For them, it is not only about nuclear weapons but about power, influence, and who controls the Middle East. Israel believes that if Iran becomes too strong, it will lose its military dominance in the region. America believes that Iran’s influence weakens its authority and threatens its allies.

In recent times, tensions have increased sharply. Military strikes, assassinations, cyber-attacks, and covert operations have all taken place. Israel, sometimes openly and sometimes quietly, has attacked Iranian interests, while America has imposed heavy economic sanctions that have made life very difficult for ordinary Iranians. These sanctions have crippled Iran’s economy, caused inflation, unemployment, and hardship, and this suffering has pushed many Iranians into the streets in protest. While some protests are about genuine economic pain, America and its allies often try to turn such unrest into a tool to weaken the Iranian government further.

Iran sees this as a form of siege. From Iran’s perspective, it is surrounded by American military bases, threatened by Israel, punished economically, and targeted politically. So when Iran responds with harsh language or military threats, it believes it is defending itself. When it supports resistance groups in the region, it believes it is pushing the battle away from its borders. To Iran, backing resistance movements is not aggression but self-defense.

Israel, however, does not see it that way. Israel believes that Iran’s influence in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine is a direct danger to its survival. Therefore, Israel believes it must strike Iran before Iran becomes too powerful. This is why Israel supports military action, sabotage, and even assassination of Iranian figures. America stands firmly behind Israel, providing political cover, weapons, and diplomatic protection, especially at international institutions.

The danger in all of this is that every side believes it is acting defensively, while every action looks aggressive to the other side. This creates a cycle where one strike leads to another, one threat produces a stronger threat, and mistrust keeps growing. Meanwhile, ordinary people — especially Iranians, Palestinians, and people across the Middle East — suffer the consequences. Rising oil prices, instability, fear of war, and economic hardship do not stay confined to one country; they spread across the world.

For the common person, this crisis is not really about nuclear science or high-level diplomacy. It is about power and control. It is about whether a nation like Iran is allowed to chart its own path or must submit to global powers. It is about whether Israel can remain the uncontested military power in the region. It is about whether America can continue to act as the world’s policeman without serious resistance. And it is about how smaller nations and ordinary people pay the price when big powers refuse to compromise.

In simple terms, this crisis is like a powerful bully trying to keep order according to its own rules, a heavily armed ally that fears losing dominance, and a defiant opponent that refuses to bow. Each believes it is right, each fears the other, and none wants to appear weak. Until trust, fairness, and genuine dialogue replace threats and force, the world will continue to live on the edge of a conflict that could easily grow far beyond Iran, America, and Israel.