On October 25, 2024, at five o’clock in the morning local time, the Zionist government of Israel launched a large missile attack against the Iranian military facilities in the capital, Tehran, and two other facilities in center and south of the country. It targeted missile and drone facilities and was a limited attack, similar to the Iranian missile attack to Israel on last September. Although the Iranian regime calls these attacks insignificant, Israel may well have other attacks in mind after these.

The cold war between Iran and Israel, which has been going on for decades, took on a more obvious form after October 7, 2023 and the Israeli genocide against the Palestinians that followed. In fact, Iran is not ready for such a war, given Israel’s more advanced military capability and support of U.S.

While the missile attacks were of course initiated by the Zionist government of Israel, given the fact that the Iranian government is not yet ready to start a full-scale war for various reasons, I still fear that it could lead to a descent into a new world DISorder of unprecedented proportions. We are seeing important geopolitical changes in the region, in which US/European imperialism are engaged in an economic battle against some of the members of the BRICS group (initially Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). These forces are looking carefully at what is happening in the Middle East region. Russia’s invasion and occupation in Ukraine and Israel’s continued occupation and attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and now Iran are just part of this larger picture. I am talking about the fact that the world imperialist states have new military and economic agendas, and it seems their open conflict may start in the Middle East region.

In Iran, the economic sanctions by Western imperialists, which have intensified the terrible economic conditions facing the masses, have deepened the overwhelming majority of the Iranian people’s opposition to the Islamic Republic. Other important issues fueling their deep opposition include the lack of political and social freedoms, as well as hostility to the regime’s policies against women and oppressed minorities and if favor of sexual and religious apartheid.

The Woman, Life, Freedom movement of two years ago has completely cut off the theocratic government of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the people, the overwhelming majority of whom want to overthrow or at least fundamentally change the system. The selection earlier this year as president of Masoud Pezeshkian, who was not part of the most fundamentalist and extremist wing of the regime, was part of the Islamic Republic’s effort to reconcile the government with the people. Of course, the majority of Iranian people are still against this regime, which has been able to seize and hold power through repression and dictatorship.

While the regime was able to suppress the 2022 uprising of women and of oppressed minorities like the Kurds and the Baluchis, the movement for freedom and the class struggle have continued. Civil society movements and opposition to the Iranian regime’s policies have always been there, and labor unions have grown and made the Iranian regime desperate.

Here is where, in my opinion, Israel’s attacks have dealt a terrible blow to the trade union, political, and freedom-loving struggles in Iran. Israel’s reckless actions have allowed the regime to take advantage of the legitimate need to defend the country against imperialist attacks. Under the pretext of wartime conditions, the regime of the Islamic Republic is launching a massive attack on the population. The execution of members of the popular resistance has increased, and the leaders of trade unions, labor and political organizations are under pressure or are imprisoned under various pretexts.

Today, prisoners, especially female prisoners, have been able to create new models for the freedom movement in Iran with their mass strikes inside prison. They have actively commented on social issues and have exposed the policies of the Iranian regime. These activities have connections with those struggling outside of the prisons. It is here that America and Israel, in addition to the Iranian regime, are hurting the freedom movement of Iran and participating in its suppression.

The ONE thing that can stop Israel from extending its slaughter to every land it chooses to attack, is cutting off all US military and economic aid to Israel. The latter cannot continue committing these crimes without it. It is a sad commentary on our times that polls show 70% of the US public favors cutting off arms to Israel but neither of the two parties contending against each other will say a word about this, or even engage in serious pressure for a ceasefire. Therefore, we have to push for a broad-based movement in the US that stays the hand of Israel: we have the power to do that here that others overseas do not.

No to war!

No to Israeli genocide and militarism!

No to the Islamic Republic of Iran!

From Ukraine to Palestine, Occupation Is a Crime!

End all military and economic aid to Israel!