Relentless questions
Could the 30-year-old Israeli narrative about Iran — a narrative that convinced US President Donald Trump to launch a criminal and destructive war of aggression — have been a fiction from the start, a device manufactured in Tel Aviv? Perhaps, instead of Tehran being an existential threat to Israel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed for decades, Israel's real fear is that a stronger Iran would undermine its unique influence over Washington, threatening its status as the region's sole — and unchecked — nuclear power? Could large parts of the planet be at risk of economic collapse simply to keep Israel the dominant state in the Middle East — an unchecked state committing genocide against the Palestinian people and ethnic cleansing in southern Lebanon? An answer was given last week by ... the New York Times. The answer is an unequivocal "yes" to all these questions. The newspaper reported that Netanyahu not only misled Trump by presenting him with the idea of rapid regime change in Iran after a short, "shock and awe" style bombing campaign, but also suggested to the White House who would replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme religious leader.
The shock proposal
Extremely striking is the fact that, according to the Times, Netanyahu proposed former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the position of Supreme Leader of Iran. The goal at the start of the air campaign was for Israel to kill Khamenei and then liberate Ahmadinejad from house arrest, striking the guards keeping him under surveillance. It was assumed that Ahmadinejad would then seize power. But only the assassination of Khamenei went according to plan. Ahmadinejad, who allegedly had been informed in advance of the plan, is believed to have been wounded in an Israeli strike near his residence. He reportedly hesitated, perhaps suspecting he was being set up to be assassinated himself, and went underground. His current location and state of health remain unknown.
A non-existent... plan
Neither American nor Israeli officials commented to the Times on the alleged regime change plan, which the newspaper described as "bold." If this information is true, then it is a massive underestimation of reality. The idea that Ahmadinejad possessed the popular support, let alone the religious legitimacy and military power, to confront the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is unrealistic. That someone in the White House took this plan seriously — and even acted upon it — is truly shocking. However, the idea that Ahmadinejad could return to power is perhaps the least absurd element of the plan.
Huge threat
Twenty years later, Netanyahu reportedly believes that Ahmadinejad is the most suitable person to lead Iran— the man for whom it was worth killing Khamenei. Younger people may not know the name Ahmadinejad. However, everyone else should remember it. He dominated the headlines almost every week for most of his eight-year presidency, which began in 2005. Why? Because Israel turned him into the ultimate "boogeyman." After the overthrow and execution of Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2006, following the illegal invasion by the US and Britain, Ahmadinejad was presented as the new immovable threat to regional peace.
Psychopathic fanatic
The claims surrounding Ahmadinejad gave substance to Israel's narrative that a supposedly fanatical and insane Iranwould do anything to destroy Israel. They constantly said that Ahmadinejad sought to acquire a nuclear weapon — even after Khamenei’s 2003 religious decree that strictly prohibited its development. In 2006, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that Ahmadinejad was a "psychopath of the worst kind," adding: "He speaks as Hitler spoke about the extermination of the entire Jewish nation."
Preparing a new Holocaust
Olmert repeated the panic campaign of Netanyahu, then the opposition leader, that Iran had to be attacked immediately to save Israel and the world. "It is 1938 and Iran is Germany," Netanyahu declared at a meeting of American Jewish leaders. "And Iran is racing to arm itself with atomic bombs." Regarding Ahmadinejad, he said: "Believe him and stop him... He is preparing a new Holocaust for the Jewish state." Under Ahmadinejad, Iran was presented as being determined to destroy Israel and turn it into a massive Auschwitz. Netanyahu also declared that "Israel would certainly be the first stop on Iran's path of destruction."
The irony...
A little later, Israel's fear-mongering campaign culminated in London. Netanyahu told members of the British Parliament that Ahmadinejad needed to be urgently taken to the International Criminal Court for his "messianic apocalyptic conception of the world." The irony is that Netanyahu himself, twenty years later, is wanted by the same court on charges of crimes against humanity due to the starvation of the population of Gaza. Netanyahu emphasized the supposed genocidal intent of Ahmadinejad towards Israel, comparing him to Hitler. Michael Gove, then a top Conservative official who presided over the event, agreed enthusiastically, ignoring the fact that thousands of Jews have lived in Iranfor centuries. Gove argued that Ahmadinejad's rhetoric "amounts to incitement to genocide."
The message
Twenty years ago, Netanyahu's message was clear: Ahmadinejad was such an extreme antisemite that he deserved to be compared to Hitler. He was, supposedly, so determined to obtain nuclear weapons that he would defy the country's supreme religious leader. He was so mentally unstable that he would use those weapons to exterminate Israel, even though that would lead to the nuclear destruction of Iran itself. And yet, twenty years later, Netanyahu reportedly considers that Ahmadinejad is the best person to rule Iran — the man for whom it was worth killing Khamenei, the most important opponent of nuclear weapons in the country. The New York Times reports that in recent years there were strong suspicions in Iran that Israel, Britain, and the US were cultivating relationships with Ahmadinejad and his circle — suspicions that now seem to be confirmed.
"Wiped off the map"
Nothing that Israel said about its regional opponent should have been accepted uncritically — especially the claim that Ahmadinejad was a "new Hitler." Many of the claims about genocidal intent were based on a mistranslation of a speech by Ahmadinejad, in which he quoted the words of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. According to Western politicians and media, Ahmadinejad had called for "Israel to be wiped off the map." In reality, he was repeating Khomeini's view that Israel could not survive indefinitely as an illegal state of Jewish supremacy that oppresses another people. He argued that its days as a racist state were numbered, just as had happened with apartheid in South Africa.
Terror performance
The disinformation surrounding Iran should have been obvious as early as 2006, had it been presented correctly by the media — as it should be today. The lies serve the same goal: to justify the crushing of Iran — initially through sanctionsand later through illegal bombings — so as to protect Israel's right to trample on the lives of the peoples of the region without consequences. Iran, now refusing to relax its control over the Strait of Hormuz and the global flow of oil, demands that the price include the end of American support for the Israeli-led "theater of terror" in the Middle East. Like a spoiled toddler, Trump reacts spasmodically — while simultaneously profiting from volatility in the oil markets — trying to impose the old rules, even though the terms of the conflict are no longer exclusively under his control.
The Abraham Accords
His latest demand — designed in both Tel Aviv and Washington — is to force most Arab states, including Iran'sneighbors in the Gulf, to sign the so-called Abraham Accords with Israel. This is presented as a framework for a regional "peace agreement" that will also include Iran. In reality, the exact opposite is happening. These agreements aim to consolidate Israel as the dominant power in the Middle East, subordinating the interests of the Arab states to its own, isolating Iran, and leaving the Palestinian people and Lebanon at the mercy of a genocidal Israel.
Megalomaniacs do not rule in Tehran
This is another scam, like Trump's "Board of Peace," which presents American-Israeli criminal aggression and genocideas peacekeeping action. What the false narratives and deceptions of the last twenty years have sought to hide is a simple fact: it is not Tehran that is ruled by insane, genocidal megalomaniacs who threaten the security of the region and the world. It is Tel Aviv and Washington. Since the two countries launched the criminal war of aggression against Iranthree months ago, Tehran has shown restraint, has acted with caution, and has shown a willingness to negotiate in good faith. Unfortunately, on the other side, there are no responsible adults with whom an agreement can be reached.
Hormuz, Iran's "strong card"
Iran's ability to close the Strait of Hormuz constitutes a more practical and powerful deterrent than a nuclear weapon, argues Colin Clarke, executive director of the Soufan Center. "The Iranians know that this is their strong card," Colin Clarke told Al Jazeera. "They can paralyze the global economy by attacking the Gulf states and closing the Strait with minefields and shoulder-fired missiles." Colin Clarke stated that this scenario has been the subject of extensive strategic simulation exercises and that its consequences are well understood in US national security circles. "There are probably entire warehouses full of studies and reports on this exact scenario, which analyze its impacts, the secondary and tertiary consequences, as well as ways to avoid them," he said. He added that the Straits offer Tehran a means of pressure that does not entail the risks that accompany the acquisition or use of nuclear weapons. "If you use a nuclear weapon, you enter a completely different field. But closing the Strait? That they can do indefinitely," concluded Colin Clarke.
"Terms are constantly changing" in US-Iran talks
Agreements that have been violated and military attacks in the midst of negotiations have left Iran with no trust in the United States as a negotiating partner, estimates Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy based in Washington. "I was talking to Iranian sources and they were telling me: 'We go into these talks every time with our finger on the trigger, waiting for bombs to fall from the sky'," stated Negar Mortazavi, noting that the erosion of trust came from a series of US actions that, in her view, amounted to declarations of war, including the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani in 2020, the attacks during last year's nuclear negotiations, and the current conflict. "Two wars later, with massive destruction in the region, there is no achievement and the terms are constantly changing," said Negar Mortazavi. She also added that Donald Trump's decision to publish a map of Iran covered with the American flag did not help the climate of the talks at all. "Imagine you are an Iranian negotiator or the Supreme Leader and you see this cartoonish depiction of the Islamic Republic of Iran in red, white, and blue colors. Does this help the negotiations right now? Not at all." "In Tehran, the feeling prevails: Let's see what the next post or comment will be. This says a lot about the prestige of official American rhetoric, not only towards Iran but towards the entire world," concluded Negar Mortazavi.
Memorandum of understanding at the center of US-Iran negotiations
Regarding the ongoing negotiations, Iran maintains that what is being published is ... speculation and that public opinion should wait for official announcements to draw its conclusions. It is noted that at the core of the ongoing talks to end hostilities is a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, which would end the conflict and create the basis for further negotiations on significant outstanding issues. The latest changes proposed by Donald Trump, after a meeting with his advisors last Friday, extended the negotiations for another week. "Iran really wants to reach a deal and this will be good for the US and for those on our side," wrote Donald Trump on the Truth Social platform, after the confirmation of the latest military strikes by CENTCOM. The exact changes requested by the American president were not immediately made known.
What Trump is asking for
However, officials stated that he insists on stricter language regarding Iran's nuclear commitments and its obligation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. US allies in the Gulf have already been informed of the discussions. According to a foreign official familiar with the negotiations, the changes are not substantial and mainly concern American guarantees on specific issues. Donald Trump has also expressed concerns about the prospect of economic relief to Iran as part of a deal, avoiding comparisons to the financial arrangements of the Obama-era nuclear deal, which he considers weak. Before the latest American strikes were announced, a US official told CNN that new military operations are considered unlikely, as the deal is close to completion and regional allies do not wish for a resumption of conflicts.
Uncertainty despite progress
Just one week earlier, Donald Trump had described the deal as "largely complete" and had hinted that the end of the war was near. Since then, American officials have been speaking of progress towards an agreement that will end hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and initiate more detailed talks on the Iranian nuclear program. However, even after Donald Trump's announcement that he would take a "final decision" at the Friday meeting, the two-hour session concluded without a final outcome. Trump also argued that the US would seize and destroy Iran's stocks of highly enriched uranium, while Tehran insists that its nuclear program is not the subject of the current negotiations. At the same time, the American president stated that no financial compensation is being discussed, while Iran considers the issue a necessary part of any deal.
"No trust" in the US
The speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated that no agreement with the United Stateswill be approved unless Tehran's "rights" are secured. "The soldiers of the diplomatic battlefield have no trust in the enemy's words and promises. What counts for us are the tangible results, which we must obtain and in return we will keep our commitments," he stated, according to the Tasnim agency.
Iran's message: We have set our terms in Hormuz - We will not tolerate foreign interference in the Strait
A senior Iranian diplomat stated that the new regulations established by the Islamic Republic govern navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, underlining that the country will not tolerate foreign interference in this specific issue. These statements were made by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi. "In war conditions, Iran has established new regulations for the control of maritime traffic and will not allow any country to intervene," stated the Iranian official. Iran created the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a new institutional mechanism for the regulation and supervision of ship traffic through the strategic maritime passage. At the same time, Iran and Oman, the other coastal state of the Strait of Hormuz, are negotiating a new framework for maritime passage through the waterway. "The Strait of Hormuz has two coastal states: Iran and Oman. These two countries have the right to exercise sovereignty in their territorial waters," added Gharibabadi. "Any regulation must be coordinated with Oman. Our consultations have made positive progress and Oman also recognizes its sovereign rights in relation to the specific maritime route," noted the Iranian official, who also referred to recent American threats of military action and sanctions against Oman if the country participated in regulating navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. "By threatening Oman, the United States violated international law. We have called on Oman not to succumb to such threats and to exercise its sovereign rights in peacetime," concluded Gharibabadi.
Baghaei (Iranian FM spokesperson): No nuclear talks are currently being held with the US
Although US President Donald Trump claimed that the agreement with Iran states clearly that Tehran will never obtain a nuclear weapon, the spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baghaei, underlined that currently, there are no nuclear talks being held with the US. Baghaei stated that Iran is not currently in talks with the United States regarding the details of its nuclear program. "We know when it is necessary to act on issues concerning the nuclear program. No negotiations have taken place regarding the details of the nuclear file. At this stage, our priority is ending the war," said the spokesperson for the Iranian FM, who also accused the United States of violating the ceasefire, "even this morning." "Iran will take whatever measures it deems necessary for the defense of its national security," added Baghaei.
The fire... from Trump
It is noted that earlier Trump had denied reports by CNN and other media outlets that claimed the agreement with Iran, which is under negotiation, does not include issues concerning Tehran's nuclear program. "The fake CNN reported today, as it is accustomed to, that my nuclear deal for Iran does not refer to nuclear issues, while in reality, it clearly states that Iran will not obtain a nuclear weapon," wrote Trump on the Truth Social platform. "Then, the agreement analyzes extensively and in very clear terms various other aspects related to nuclear issues. In reality, this constitutes the largest part of the agreement. CNN, like many other fake news media, is a disaster with low viewership," added Trump.
Baghaei (Iranian FM spokesperson): Lebanon is a red line, no deal unless Israel stops operations
The spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmael Baghaei, stated that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any final agreement to end the war, as the Israeli regime escalates its attacks against Lebanon, violating a previous ceasefire. "Our region is facing the continuous warmongering policy of the Zionist regime. This does not concern only today or yesterday. For the last 80 years, the Zionist regime, with the support of the United States, has been conducting a continuous and endless war against the countries of the region," declared the spokesperson for the Iranian FM, emphasizing that the developments of the last months constitute a "clear and blatant violation" of the ceasefire of April 8. "We have emphasized and continue to emphasize that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any ceasefire and any final agreement to end the war," underlined Baghaei.
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