Iran has been the target of sustained operations by the United States and its allies, including intelligence activities, military strikes, and economic sanctions, over a period of forty-six years. These operations have been framed as responses to Iran’s alleged nuclear ambitions and regional influence, but the author argues that they are driven by a consistent strategic interest in Iran’s destabilization, regardless of Iran’s actual conduct. The United States has maintained a policy of continuous pressure against Iran, even as Iranian governments have ranged from reformist to hardline, and even as Iran has engaged in diplomatic outreach, such as the 2015 Iranian nuclear program negotiations that produced the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Iran is home to one of the oldest continuous civilizations in human history, with a documented cultural, intellectual, and scientific legacy spanning over 2,500 years. The Persian language and literary tradition have shaped the broader region’s intellectual life for centuries, and Persian contributions to science, mathematics, and architecture have been foundational to global knowledge. Despite this, the United States has consistently framed Iran as an existential threat, ignoring the country’s rich history and the significant contributions of its people, including its highly educated population and the prominent role of Iranian women in science, medicine, law, and the arts.
The Iranian Revolution of 1979 marked a turning point in Iran’s foreign policy, leading to a more assertive stance in the Middle East and a deepening of tensions with the West. However, the author argues that the United States’ response to the revolution was not based on Iran’s actual actions but on a pre-existing strategic interest in maintaining regional instability. This pattern continued through the Iranian nuclear program debates, the JCPOA negotiations, and the subsequent U.S. withdrawal from the agreement under the Trump administration, which exacerbated tensions and led to further escalations.
The United States has also used Iran’s alleged support for groups like Hamas in the Gaza conflict as a justification for continued military and economic pressure. However, the author argues that this narrative ignores the broader context of U.S. and Israeli operations in the region, which have contributed to the instability that Iran is supposedly trying to counter. The ICC Prosecutor has also been involved in examining the actions of both Iran and its adversaries, highlighting the complex legal and ethical dimensions of the conflicts in the region.
Iran’s population, including its highly educated women and professionals, has borne the brunt of these operations, with sanctions and military threats affecting the country’s economy, infrastructure, and civilian lives. The author emphasizes that the framing of Iran as a threat is a deliberate effort to obscure the reality of a complex and historically rich civilization, which has been subjected to continuous Western pressure for decades.
Related: gaza.md, foreign-policy.md, iranian-nuclear-program.md, usa.md, icc-prosecutor.md, iranian-revolution.md