Quick takes on the US-Israeli regime-change war on Iran

Mehdi Hasan and Trita Parsi gives their quick take on the US bombing raids against Iran. Which in international law is a criminal war of aggression. (1)

Iranian Foreign Minister Sewyed Abbas Areaghchi posted on X/Twitter: “The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences.” (2)

Local Call’s Orly Noy wrote on June 20: “after initially declaring that it aimed to thwart the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, Israel is already openly professing its ambition to topple the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.” (3)

Dan Steinbock:

Dan Steinbock:

Only days ago, President Trump reiterated that Iran will never have nuclear weapons. Yet, according to US intelligence assessments, Iran was up to three years away from being able to produce and deliver a nuclear weapon. While Israel built its case for war, the US didn’t buy it. The problem is that Trump did.

The Israel/US Iran offensive is not about nuclear weapons. It is about still another unwarranted proxy war. It aims at the restoration of the pre-1979 Iran.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA):

“Pres. Trump came into office promising to ‘end the endless foreign wars,’” Mark Warner, ranking Democrat on the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, said in a statement tonight. “Tonight, he took steps that could drag the United States into another one, without consulting Congress, without a clear strategy, without regard to the consistent conclusions of the intelligence community, and without explaining to the American people what’s at stake.” (5)

Notes:

(1) BREAKING: US STRIKES IRAN | Mehdi & Trita Parsi Discuss. Zeteo YouTube channel 06/22/2025. <https://www.youtube.com/live/36TcEFC7Hc8?si=1b7cRDlyUN6NRvsf> (Accessed: 2025-22-06).

(2) X/Twitter: https://x.com/araghchi/status/1936638107169722536 06/22/2025.

(3) Noy, Orly (2025): Why everything Israelis think they know about Iran is wrong. +972 Magazine 06/20/2025. <https://www.972mag.com/why-everything-israelis-think-they-know-about-iran-is-wrong/> (Accessed: 2025-22-06).

(4) Steinbock, Dan (2025): Why Trump Bombed Iran: Preserving US and Israeli Nuclear Supremacy in the Middle East. Informed Comment 06/22/2025. <https://www.juancole.com/2025/06/preserving-nuclear-supremacy.html> (Accessed: 2025-22-06).

(5) Rozen, Laura (2025): Trump urges Iran to ‘make peace’ after US strikes nuclear sites. Diplomatic 06/22/2025. <https://diplomatic.substack.com/p/trump-announcing-us-strikes-on-3> (Accessed: 2025-22-06).