New adventurism by Israel & the US against Iran

2026-01-27 - 23:31

The United States is fully aware that Iran is not a weak or pliable state like Venezuela. Yet the world has witnessed repeated attempts by American and Zionist agents to orchestrate unrest in Tehran, fueling protests to manufacture pretexts for foreign intervention under the guise of public dissent. Iran continues to loom large over US strategic calculations, as Washington clearly understands the scale of Iran’s military strength. Reports indicate that the US military has already presented President Donald Trump with a blueprint for a potential attack on Iran. In response, Tehran has issued an unambiguous warning: any aggression by Israel or the United States will be met with strikes on Israeli and American military bases across the region. The US recognizes that this is not an empty threat. During the 2025 Israel–Palestine conflict, Iran sent a clear signal of its defensive and deterrent capabilities by targeting Tel Aviv and other cities. Equipped with hypersonic, ballistic and cruise missiles, Iran possesses the capacity to inflict serious damage on Israel. Plans for regime change in Iran have long existed, often framed with malicious intent, including threats directed at Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Alongside this, exiled figures such as Reza Pahlavi have repeatedly attempted to incite the Iranian population, urging intensified protests and the occupation of key urban centers while appealing directly to President Trump for intervention—an intervention that would almost certainly take a military form. Against this backdrop, the United States has further expanded its military footprint in the Middle East. US Central Command declared a high-level alert for one month, while the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, along with its escort ships, was dispatched to the region. More than eleven F-15 fighter jets were also deployed to reinforce aerial defences. American aircraft carriers, warships and advanced submarines are already stationed across the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Red Sea. Military analysts widely agree that these deployments are not merely defensive but constitute a calculated show of force designed to intensify pressure on Iran and compel it to reconsider its regional posture. On the one hand, Washington speaks of dialogue and lasting peace in the Middle East; on the other, it continues to encircle Iran militarily. This contradiction exposes clear American hypocrisy. Any country seeking to test its military capabilities in real combat conditions—including China—would inevitably view Iran as a strategic partner. Consequently, a military decision against Iran is far from straightforward for the United States. Historically, hostility toward Iran has remained a consistent feature of both US and Israeli policy. Multiple schemes have been devised to weaken Tehran under various pretexts, frequently employing exiled figures and internal destabilization tactics. Such conspiracies pose grave risks not only to Iran but to the entire Middle East and Gulf region, as escalation against Tehran could easily engulf neighboring states. It is therefore the responsibility of the international community to restrain the US and Israel from pursuing aggressive and destabilizing agendas. Just as Gaza was devastated to serve geopolitical objectives, Washington continues to pursue similar ambitions elsewhere, including Venezuela, with the aim of seizing control over strategic resources. Regime change through coercion has become a familiar pattern in US foreign policy and Iran remains a primary target within this framework. Undeniably, the Iranian population faces serious economic challenges. Inflation has reached unprecedented levels, largely as a consequence of relentless US sanctions imposed for more than four decades. These sanctions have severely restricted trade, hindered oil exports and crippled large segments of the Iranian economy. Behind these economic pressures lie continuous efforts to provoke public unrest against the State. However, economic hardship does not automatically translate into regime collapse. Iran continues to have a functioning government that has taken tangible steps to address public grievances. It has now become evident that external pressure, covert agitation and economic warfare have failed to fracture Iranian society. On the contrary, such tactics appear to have strengthened national cohesion and reinforced public support for the state. The resilience of the Iranian people has diminished prospects of internal destabilization, increasing anxiety in Washington and Tel Aviv. Iran remains the principal obstacle to Israeli and Western ambitions in the region, prompting renewed efforts to weaken it through political, economic and military means. Yet history must not be ignored: Iranian civilization predates Islam itself, reflecting a deeply rooted national identity resistant to external domination. In the final phase of his presidency, Donald Trump also sought to escalate pressure on Tehran, reportedly considering strikes on civilian nuclear facilities and other strategic targets. These aggressive policies align with broader US objectives in the Middle East, pursued in coordination with allied states. While some regional countries purchase billions of dollars’ worth of American weapons, Israel continues to receive substantial military aid annually. Despite this, ground realities suggest that Iran’s geostrategic position, military capabilities and network of allied militias make any decisive military defeat highly unlikely. US–Iran relations deteriorated sharply following Washington’s withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and further escalated after the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, Commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. Soleimani was a central figure in Iran’s regional strategy and a close associate of Ayatollah Khamenei. Although Trump claimed the killing was intended to prevent war, Iran condemned the act and vowed retaliation, the repercussions of which continue to reverberate. The Muslim world remains deeply sensitive to issues surrounding nuclear technology, even when framed as peaceful energy or defensive programs. It is worth recalling the Carter Doctrine, articulated by President Jimmy Carter in 1980, which declared that the US would use military force to defend its interests in the region. Although priorities shifted after the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq under the evolving New World Order, the underlying logic of dominance persists. Israel seeks to eliminate all perceived threats in the region, with Pakistan increasingly viewed as a strategic concern. Following its successes in ensuring internal stability, Pakistan’s military leadership and government have consistently pursued regional peace and security. Pakistan stands firmly with Iran—like an unyielding wall. —The writer is Chairman, Tehrik Jawanan Pakistan. (abdullahhamidgul1@gmail.com)