War Is Still Going On in Iran

The Iran War has not stopped yet despite ceasefire accord. It is hardly a question now whether the war will end. Rather, the right question is whether it will end at all! Everyone suffers in war. The Russia-Ukraine war is still ongoing. It was thought that the war between Russia and Ukraine made no sense other than ruining both. Yet, that meaningless war continues unabated. So is the case for the Iran War. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the United States and Iran on a ceasefire. That agreement gave a sixty-day deadline for the two countries to negotiate and permanently end the war. The deadline has not passed yet. In the meantime, the United States has attacked again. So, what was the point of giving a sixty-day deadline? Could not the United States have waited at least sixty days? When it launched the attack in February, it was at a negotiating table with Iran. There was no announcement that the talks had broken down. In such circumstances, what was the need for the United States to go to war?

Many people point to many different situations in response to the question. Some say that the arms industries are inciting the US government to war. Some say that China is being indirectly incited through such a war. Some say that Donald Trump, vis-a-vis the Republicans, is trying to recover their popularity through the war. The November midterm elections are precisely in their head. Some say that Israel is pursuing its own interests, but has dragged the US into it by a sort of blackmail. Some say that Iran has been pulled into the war as a strategy to put pressure on the Arab countries of the Middle East. Maybe all of these reasons are more or less active behind the war. Maybe these are true in the case of the United States? Why did Iran then get involved in the war? I agree, war has been imposed on Iran. The current war is, therefore, a war of resistance for Iran. But has not Iran also created the background for this war through its long-standing hostility against the West? Has not Iran created panic in the region by supporting armed groups, especially Shiite armed groups, all over the Middle East? Did not the Arab countries lean towards the Abraham Accord with Israel due to fear of Iranian aggression? Has not Iran created panic by initiating its nuclear weapon program?

In this Iran War, the United States and Israel carried out sudden attacks on Iran. What did Iran do in response? Initially, it attacked Israel a little, but gradually it has withdrawn from it. Now, all of Iran’s attacks are on Arab countries. Admittedly, there are US military installations in these Arab countries. It is alleged that attacks against Iran were launched from those installations. As a result, those are logical targets of Iran’s counterattack. But, in the war that Iran claims victory, could Iran completely destroy any of these military installations? Kuwait repeatedly claims that no military attack was launched from Kuwaiti installations, but Iran is repeatedly attacking there. Compared to the Iranian enthusiasm in attacking the Arab countries, its appetite to launch attacks on Israeli targets is relatively low. The supercarrier USS Gerald R Ford has joined other floating US military installations in the Mediterranean Sea, off the Israeli coast. Has Iran carried out any attacks there? Missile attacks on Iran are being launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George HW Bush too. Iran has not launched any effective attacks there either. Although Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard once reported that the supercarrier Abraham Lincoln was attacked, details about the damage are not known. Admittedly, attacking a supercarrier is not an easy task. But if Iran is to defeat the United States, or to push it back, an attack there would have been effective.

The direct loss to the United States due to Iran’s unilateral closure of the Strait of Hormuz is not significant. In comparison, countries like China, European countries, and even Bangladesh are suffering economic losses. Is not it unfair that a developing country like Bangladesh has to suffer such losses without being involved in the war in any way?

The Iranian resistance war has the moral support of the oppressed people worldwide. Many see the shadow of the anti-imperialist war in this resistance war. The Iranian government deserves praise for maintaining the courage and determination to give a befitting reply to the United States. But, if we look at the Islamic Revolution of Iran and its subsequent history, even if we do not want to criticise the government indiscriminately, there are still some flaws that can be pointed out. Iranian Revolution does not accommodate much space for political dissent. The scope for expressing opinion is also thin. Unfortunately, in the forty-seven years of the revolution, Iran’s economy has regressed more than it has advanced.

We must protest against injustice. If we cannot do it ourselves, we must at least applaud those who are able to protest, and we must maintain moral support. But at the same time, it is also true that it cannot be the function of any state to push its people to the brink of war. Where there is hostility, it is wise to avoid it by being strategic rather than belligerent. Sacrificing one’s life may be an act of heroism, but investing that energy in saving lives and advancing civilisation will definitely bring more fruit. Donald Trump hinted at the destruction of a civilisation. We criticised him. But perhaps we are all destroying that civilisation together?

We are seeing constant violence and hostilities around the world. In many cases, it becomes difficult to avoid violence. Many a time, the state has to rise up against unjust violence for the sake of its own existence. Still, I hope to see that states become more humane. I hope to see that states ensure the safety of the lives of their people, and engage with others to ensure a greater good. John Lennon dreamed of such a world-- Imagine all the people sharing all the world.

_____________________________________

The writer is a former Bangladeshi Ambassador