No War on Iran

Socialists unequivocally oppose Israel and the United States’s war of imperialist aggression against Iran.

Israel’s Lie.

Israel’s claim that their attacks on Iran are an act of ‘self defence’ is a lie. The same lie that has been used to justify genocide in Gaza, repression and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and war in Lebanon. Since October 7 Israel has unilaterally bombed Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran as well as carrying out air raids in the West Bank. This is all while Israel has committed one of the most grotesque crimes against humanity in the 21st century.

Committing genocide against the unarmed Palestinian population of Gaza relentlessly for over 620 days. A genocide carried out by bombing Gaza into oblivion, with experts saying Israel has used the equivalent of six atomic bombs worth of munitions on the defenceless enclave. A genocide carried out by systematically starving an entire population to the point experts warn 100% of the population faces imminent famine. Now, starving Palestinians are massacred by Israeli forces at “aid distribution points,” gunned down in their dozens, forced to choose between starvation and gunfire. A genocide carried out by massacres of defenceless healthcare workers, hospital bombings, systematic targetting and murder of over 230 civilian journalists, the cold blooded killing of paramedics, the bombing of Palestinian children in tents, the crimes do not stop. The official death toll in Gaza exceeds 55,000, yet it is likely to be much much higher. You don’t have to be an expert to see that what Israel is committing is an atrocity beyond denunciation.

Hypocrisy of the West

Yet, it is Israel who our Western leaders stand with. It is Israel who our Western leaders arm. It is Israel who our leaders refuse to “judge from afar.” It is Israel who our Western leaders give diplomatic and political support for. And when you stand up to these Western leaders, in solidarity with the Palestinians, you are detained, your protests repressed, you’re dragged through the courts, you lose your job, you are expelled, you are labelled an anti-semite. Now as Israel spearheads a war against Iran, we are told that it is Iran that is the biggest purveyor of instability and terror in the region, and that Israel has the right to self defence. Orwell could never.

It is clear that the U.S is centrally involved in the attack, with prior knowledge of Israel’s intent to start bombing Iran on June 13th. Having decimated Gaza, as a continuation of Israel domestic project of expansion and expulsion against Palestinians, having defeated Iranian ally Hezbollah decisively in 2024, and with the direct military assistance of the U.S, crushed the Houthis in Yemen — all operations incurring an unbearable toll on the civilian populations — Israel and the United States are now set to turn their attention to their biggest rival in the region, Iran.

U.S and Israel’s War Aims

Israel and the U.S are seeking to turn the balance of power in the region decisively in their favour for decades to come.

Since Israel started the war, more than 220 Iranians have been killed, 90% of which are civilians. The death toll is only set to increase, with Israeli ministers calling for Tehran “to burn” and claiming Tehran will be turned into Beirut, referencing Israel's murderous bombing campaign of the Lebanese capital in 2024 which killed more than 3000 people. Iranian doctors in Tehran are describing hospitals as being bloodbaths. With many on the ground reporting civilian casualties are higher than the 224 reported so far. Israel has attacked civilian infrastructure such as energy production sites, residential buildings, factories and television stations. Israel appears to be emulating its strategy that decimated Hezbollah. Assassinate military leaders with no recourse for civilian life. With Israeli officials now promising attacks that’ll make the pager operation in Lebanon look “simple.”

And now U.S is positioning to enter the war. With Donald Trump threatening the population of Iran with death and destruction on an unprecedented scale. Ordering the 9.8million inhabitants of Iran’s capital to evacuate. Trump has left the G7 summit early, ordered the U.S aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to leave the South China Sea to join the USS Carl Vinson strike group in the Arabian sea while an “unprecedented deployment” of U.S Air Force warplanes are headed from the U.S across the Atlantic towards the Middle East. Earlier at the G7 Trump refused to sign a statement calling for deescalation and now in a rebuke of French President, Emmanuel Macron’s claim that Trump was leaving the G7 the broker a “ceasefire” Trump has clarified that his return “certainly has nothing to do with a ceasefire” and that his return is about something “much bigger than that.” Trump has now stated he’s aiming not for a ceasefire but a “real end.” Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has established a situation room in Washington D.C. which is exactly where Trump is headed. This follows days of Trump indicating he had prior knowledge of the attack and is impressed by the attack, which follows weeks of Trump threatening Iran if the nuclear deal falls through, which follows months of Pete Hegseth and co talk of building a military of “warfighters.” Following a North Korea style military parade on Trump’s birthday, it all reeks of a death cult march into catastrophe. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the United States is threatening to intervene militarily against Iran — and the threat appears imminent. This is despite Iran signalling that it will return to the negotiating table around a nuclear deal as long as the U.S doesn’t join the attack.

Australia’s Complicity

In Australia The Albanese government has failed to condemn Israel’s war of aggression. Instead the Albanese government has continued to repeat Israel’s lie of “self defence” a lie that is being used to wage war and genocide. Australian media continues to report exclusively from Israel, and politicians in Australia continue to refuse to condemn the crimes of the Israeli regime. Australia has continued to demonstrate that its independent foreign policy is one that supports the United States and Israel, no matter the crime. Albanese flew all the way to Canada to grovel at the feet of Trump to ensure the AUKUS deal stays intact. A deal that is used for preparation for war with China. With Richard Marles today confirming that if war broke out between the U.S and China, the Australian Labor Party would send working class Australians to fight and die in it.

Australia must end all military and diplomatic support for Israel, impose sanctions, break the U.S alliance and abandon AUKUS

Hope in Fighting Back

The wars of today, and the march to the wars of tomorrow must be opposed. It is in the millions who defied Trump on No Kings day, the tens of thousands that are bravely fighting ICE, the millions of people around the world from Melbourne to Buenos Aries who have continued to march and demonstrate for Palestine, and in all the struggles of the working class and oppressed, from Iran to South Africa, that our side draws its strength and find its hope. And that force is a force no army or empire can defeat.

Australia must end all military and diplomatic support for Israel, impose sanctions, break the U.S alliance and abandon AUKUS

Everyone in Melbourne is encouraged to attend this Sunday’s protest at the State Library at 12pm 22nd June demanding no war on Iran.

Find Victorian Socialists’ statement on the war on Iran here.