A Fortress called “Iran”

Sergey Kozhemyakin, Pravda

The unleashing of another imperialist massacre – this time against Iran – makes us think about its causes and consequences. And if the first lie on the surface, then the future of the world is vague: an alternative to the hegemony of capital will not work out, which threatens new disasters.

47 Years of War

It is difficult to find an event predicted as long and stubbornly as the U.S. attack on Iran. The Islamic Revolution of 1979 deprived Western corporations of access to the country’s rich resources, and Western capitals to manipulate the marontian regime. Unsatisfied with the sanctions, the United States relied on Baghdad in the Iran-Iraq war. Washington and Tehran themselves have repeatedly been on the verge of a direct clash. American soldiers destroyed Iran’s oil platforms, fired from the Vincenes cruiser missiles shot down an Iranian passenger plane in 1988. All those on board were killed – 290 people, and the commander of the military vessel received the Order of the Legion of Honour.

Although Iran’s relations with the West were subsequently escalated regularly, the presence of a powerful army, a strong economy, networks from friendly governments and movements cooled the ardor of the most frenzied “hawks”. The revision of the cautious policy was outlined at the first term of Donald Trump. After leaving the “nuclear deal”, the White House began attempts to suffocate and pittance with Arab neighbors. The weakening of the anti-Iranian course did not bring even the “four-year” of Biden. In the alliance with Israel, the United States engaged in the systematic “cleansing” of Tehran’s allies.

Returning to power, Trump gave this policy even more acceleration. Iran’s enemies tried to set it on fire from the inside. Pravda analyzed in detail (see number dated January 16-19), the events of December-January, when, with the support of the outside, the peaceful protest was intercepted by armed terrorist forces.

This time it didn’t work that launched the “Plan B” – so many times the postponed invasion. Negotiations in Oman and Geneva have become a smokescreen. Washington, in the person of Steve Whitcoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner (the same couple, we recall, are entrusted with contacts with Moscow) insisted on the surrender of Iran. In addition to stopping uranium enrichment and exporting all stockpiles, it was required to curtail the missile program and refuse to support the allies.

To weight, the U.S. assembled a combat fist. Two aircraft carrier groups approached the Iranian shores, pumped up by weapons of bases in Arab countries. Trump called Iran “the world’s worst place to live because of bad leadership.” “The time has come to seek a new power,” he added. For the role of Iranian Quisling led the son of the former Shah Reza Pahlavi, who lives in the United States. On Trump’s instructions, the aforementioned Whitcoff met with him.

The treatment of Iran’s neighbors was feverishly. The February visit of US Vice President J.I. Vance to Armenia and Azerbaijan ended with contracts for Washington. Yerevan agreed to purchase nuclear reactors, Baku – to lay a fiber-optic cable along the bottom of the Caspian Sea. This is not counting military transactions for the supply of drones and boats. It was even easier to conspire with Arab monarchies. In public urging peace, they work closely with the United States and Israel. Visiting Washington, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Salman said that the delay in the invasion would strengthen Iran.

This is not surprising, given that recently the kingdom has become one of the main US military allies outside NATO, having received privileged access to weapons and technology. In February alone, the Pentagon approved contracts worth more than $10 billion, including 730 PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles, kits for upgrading the F-15 fighter fleet, etc. From January 18 to February 7, large-scale joint Spears of the Victory Spear exercised in Dahr-borne Dahrun, less than 200 kilometers from the Iranian coast.

Finally, the United States turned to the manipulation of mass consciousness in the spirit of the “junction of Colin Powell”. As Whitcokf said, Iran, “probably (!), there was a week left before the production of industrial material for the manufacture of atomic bombs.” The invasion, Trump said, is aimed at protecting the American people “from imminent threats.” “The hour of your freedom is near,” he proclaimed, “When we are finished, take control in your hands.” And this, we recall that according to the results of American and Israeli raids last summer, Trump claimed the complete destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities! “It would take years to get them back to operation,” he boasted.

The nuclear and missile program is only a reason to punish the “slampost” of the Islamic Republic. Indicative speech by the permanent representative of the United States to the UN Mike Waltz. “This is a 47-year-old endless war that started under Jimmy Carter, and President Trump is taking active steps to end it,” he said. To clarify, “completion” implies complete obedience to Iran. Therefore, strikes such as the destruction of the elementary school in Minaba, where 170 students died, not an “abandonful miss”, but a targeted terror.

“Coalition of Epstein”

Why did the U.S. dragged almost half a century, deciding on a full-scale intervention only now? The reasons can be divided into “long-term” and “operational”. The first is related to the systemic crisis of capitalism. British economist of leftist views Michael Roberts analyzed the trend of profit yielded by Marx to decline in modern conditions. According to him, the rate of profit of the non-financial sector of the United States decreased from 22.8 percent in 1965 to 12.7 percent in 1982. Neoliberal “reaganomics” measures that strengthened the exploitation of workers and inflated the financial bubble helped raise the figure to 17.2 percent. However, by the beginning of this decade, it fell again to 14 percent. And this is against the backdrop of China’s rapid rise, whose share in world GDP has grown over the past 40 years from 1.5 to 17 percent.

The Trump Phenomenon is linked to the desire to reverse the trend. Hence the new round of neoliberalism within the United States and the provocation of conflicts in the rest of the world. Wars should cheer up the decrepit capitalist economy, and at the same time neutralize the PRC and other opponents of the West.

The aggressors also had more urgent motives. A few days before the attacks, it became known that Tehran was close to concluding a major defense contract with Beijing. The shipments were to include CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles, called “carrier killers”, as well as the latest YLC-8B and JY-27A radars capable of detecting military aircraft with stealth technologies like the F-35 and B-2. The parties were negotiating Iran’s transition to the Chinese BeiDou satellite navigation system, an alternative to GPS, which would reduce the enemy’s reconnaissance and sabotage capabilities.

Second, the war is designed to save Trump’s political careers and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The last February 23 for the 79th time appeared before the district court of Tel Aviv in one of the corruption cases. The politician continues to testify, as the request sent to President Yitzhak Herzog for a pardon hung in the air. According to the law, pardon is possible only after admitting guilt, which Netanyahu categorically refuses. Unfavorable for the ruling coalition are polls in the run-up to the parliamentary elections. Likud and its allies may lose power, which will deprive Netanyahu of immunity before imprisonment.

The position of Trump is no better. February polls revealed a drop in its popularity to 36%. Even among the Republican electorate, the approval of the administration’s work fell from 90 to 82 percent in the year, and full solidarity decreased from 63 percent to 48 percent. The national debt is growing at an accelerated pace, the reduction of social spending did not save the budget from an increase in deficits. The number of employees in industry fell over the year by 65 thousand people.

The blow to the president’s reputation was inflicted by a dirty scandal related to the name of Epstein. The US Department of Justice has classified thousands of documents proving Trump’s participation in orgies and rapes, but it is unlikely that he will be able to wash. In these conditions, politics as air needed to divert attention from their dirty person. In addition to Trump, the rapist had close contacts with the Israeli authorities. In general, calling its opponents the “Coalition of Epstein”, Iran is not far from the truth.

Who’s next?

Such a brazen and inhumane encroachment on sovereignty, with hundreds of victims and enormous destruction, has not caused universal condemnation. European countries have accused Iran of absolutely legitimate counterattacks on American bases in the region. The false message was adopted by the leading media. “Iran is going to war with the Arabs!” exclaims the American magazine “Atlantic”.

Cheap manipulative reception was contagious. UN Secretary-General António Guterres put on the same board aggression and defense. “The use of force by the United States and Israel, as well as Iran’s subsequent reaction across the region, undermine international peace and security,” he said.

But, perhaps, an unambiguous position was taken by forces claiming the title of “pillars” of a new multipolar world? The Collective Security Treaty Organization said it “shares the assessment of the situation expressed by the UN Secretary General” and called for a return to political dialogue. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, of which Iran is a member, condemned the attack, but with a few days a few days. BRICS, as explained by the press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov, is an “organization of a different nature”, and membership in it “does not provide for obligations to provide mutual assistance during armed aggression.” Moscow, he added, has no contacts with partners about the conflict.

Given the amorphousness and heterogeneity of these organizations, there is nothing to be surprised about. A member of the BRICS-United Arab Emirates provided its bases to the interventionists. The head of the government of India – the SCO member and BRICS – Narendra Modi on February 25-26 was on a visit to Israel, where he announced “a historic decision to raise the partnership to the level of a special strategic partnership.” The parties reaffirmed their commitment to the creation (together with the United States) of the India-Middle East-Europe and security cooperation. “India firmly and with full confidence supports Israel at this moment and in the future,” Modi said. Following the Western capitals, India ignored attacks on Iran, but condemned the “attacks” on Arab monarchies.

Moscow, expressing concern about the growth of confrontation, through the same way Peskov said on March 2, that it hopes to continue negotiations with Washington. “Of course, we continue to appreciate the mediation efforts that the United States has,” he said.

Do we still need proof that a just world order cannot be built by the forces of bourgeois governments? A corner within the old capitalist system is all they need. The only hope in these conditions is the resilience of Iran itself and the massive anti-war movement. In understanding this, the interventionists and their puppets go to severe repression. In Pakistan, Karachi, the security of the U.S. consulate opened fire, killing ten protesters. The total number of killed participants in the defense of Iran exceeded two dozen. Demonstrations in Baghdad and Indian Kashmir have been brutally dispersed. Thousands of rallies demanding an end to the intervention and withdraw American bases are taking place in Greece, South Korea, Turkey.

There is no full support for governments and aggressor countries. Only one in three U.S. people support the attacks. The country was covered by anti-war speeches organized by the alliance of left-wing movements. The mayor of New York, Zohan d’Azhan Mammadani and a number of congressmen, demanded to stop the aggression. “Trump is guided by the violent fantasies of the American political elite and the Israeli apartheid government,” said House member Rashida Tlaib. But the leadership of the Democratic Party came out with Trump, criticizing him only for ignoring Congress. The absence of serious intra-elite schisms was confirmed.

The same is true for Israel. The bourgeois opposition welcomes the intervention, unlike the left forces. “Israel is a full-fledged partner of American imperialism in the seizure of peace,” the HADAS coalition said. “War has no connection with the interests, security, the well-being of the Iranian, Israeli or any other people,” added Communist MP Officer Cassife. After these words, the Zionists demanded to judge him for “treason to the state”. The world is going to a big war. Another victims are certain. But will the necessary conclusions be drawn?