The United States-Israel illegal bombing campaign of Iran’s nuclear facilities and targeted assassinations in civilian areas risk fuelling a wider catastrophic war. It echoes the US’ illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, 22 years after false allegations of the Saddam Hussein regime having weapons of mass destruction.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on June 22 that the US bombing Iran’s nuclear sites was a “perilous turn”, warning that the region cannot endure yet another “cycle of destruction”.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned that violence could reach “unthinkable levels” and the global non-proliferation regime, the Non-Proliferation Treaty (to which Iran is a signatory since 1970 and Israel is not) “could crumble and fall”.
Asked about the legality of the Israel-US strikes, foreign minister Penny Wong told ABC News on June 23 that “the world has agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon and we support action to prevent that, and that is what this is”.
She said the [US] “strikes are on facilities which are designed for the purpose of a nuclear program. We know that the UN nuclear watchdog has said that Iran has enough heavily enriched uranium to enable it to, enough for several nuclear weapons … so we, like others in the international community, do not want Iran to get a nuclear weapon.”
However, the IAEA said as recently as May 31 that while it is concerned with Iran’s lack of reporting on aspects of its nuclear program, it “has no credible indications of an ongoing, undeclared structured nuclear programme … in Iran and notes the statements of the highest officials in Iran that the use of nuclear weapons is incompatible with Islamic Law”.
It also said a direct hit on Iran’s operating nuclear power station “could result in a very high release of radioactivity”.
Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues, with US political and military support. Israel has shot more than 400 starving Palestinians and wounded nearly 2000 since the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing minuscule amounts of aid in May.
Since Israel broke the two-month long ceasefire, launching a massive assault on Gaza on March 18, at least 5647 Palestinians have been killed and 19,201 wounded. Hospitals are running out of fuel and supplies, and there is no longer enough fuel for ambulances.
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Protests across Australia over June 21–22 demanded the Australian government come out strongly against the Israel-US attacks on Iran, and reiterated the need for sanctions on Israel for its war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank.
Thousands marched through the streets of Gadigal Country/Sydney on June 22, after US President Donald Trump announced that the US had joined Israel’s illegal and unprovoked bombing of Iran.
Peter Boyle reports that Amal Naser from the Palestine Action Group Sydney, which organised the protest, said that Israel was the only country in the Middle East that had nuclear weapons and refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
NSW Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi told protesters that the Australian and other Western governments had shown “extreme moral cowardice” by refusing to stand up to this brutal aggression. The protest called on Labor to break its military alliance with the US and to sanction Israel.
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A snap protest was at Sydney Town Hall on June 20 opposed Israel’s bombing of Iran. The rally was organised by left-wing Iranian community activists and joined by various groups.
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Palestine Action Group took NSW Labor to the Supreme Court to challenge the draconian anti-protest laws it introduced in February, reports Isaac Nellist.
A rally and press conference were held outside the court, before proceedings began on June 19.
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Thousands protested Israel and the US’ recent deadly strikes on Iran at the weekly Free Palestine protest. They called for an end to the illegal bombing of Iran, and to lift the siege on Gaza, and cut all economic ties to Israel.
Palestinian student Adam said the attacks on Iran are Israel’s “final steps” in taking control of the Middle East. “This is the greater Israel’s plan being set in motion”, he said adding that Israel is the “real terrorists” that have been feeding everyone lies about Palestine.
Adam said Zionist settlers are being allowed to carry guns and weapons in the West Bank, and some target and kill innocent Palestinians with the support of the Israeli Defense Forces. “Their goal is for the world to forget about Palestine; to wipe it off the map and pretend it never existed. This is why we should never stop talking about Palestine.”
Protesters marched five kilometres from the State Library of Victoria to the US Consulate, while beating drums and chanting “Shame on USA; Shame on Israel! Hands off Iran!”
A speaker from the Iranian community told the crowd gathered outside the US Consulate, spoke about the “falsehood” of war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu repeating that Iran is just a couple of weeks away from building nuclear weapons.
“We’ve heard these same lies for over two decades,” he said, adding that the IAEA and even US intelligence have said Iran has not close to making nuclear weapons.
“When the US invaded Afghanistan under the pretext of fighting terrorism [in 2001] that war destroyed entire countries. Between 50,000 to 200,000 people died ... it forced millions of Afghanis to leave their beloved country and, after 20 years, the US military left the country in ruins and handed it back to the Taliban.”
Other speakers included Iranian socialist Bella Beiraghi, Abbas Koram from Students for Palestine and Palestinian activist Basil El Ghattis.
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An emergency protest was held outside the Egyptian Consulate in the Naarm CBD on June 19 in response to Egypt blocking the Sumud Convoy and arresting and detaining activists participating in the Global March to Gaza, reports Jordan AK.
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Palestine solidarity activists in Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide marched along the beach from Glenelg to Brighton in solidarity with the Sumud Convoy and the Global March to Gaza, reports Jordan Ellis.
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