Leftists should challenge Canada’s role in Zionists bid to crush, even balkanize, Iran. They shouldn’t echo Israel, Tommy Robinson and others seeking war.
NDP leadership candidates Heather McPherson and Avi Lewis, as well as many prominent leftists, have celebrated the protests in Iran. Anyone who believes in internationalism should tread carefully in boosting a movement promoted aggressively by Israeli officials and leading Zionist influencers. In an odd move for a supposed British nationalist, right wing Zionist activist Tommy Robinson has tweeted non-stop about the protests over the past two weeks. For his part, Donald Trump has repeatedly posted about the protests, threatening to bomb Iran if the government suppresses protesters. It appears the Israel/US are aiming to use the protests and repression to justify the continuation of Israel’s summer war on Iran.
On December 20 NBC reported that Benjamin Netanyahu would visit Mar-a-Lago before the new year to convince Trump to support a new Israeli attack on Iran. Sunday The Telegraph reported that “Donald Trump has been warned that the US military needs more time to prepare for strikes against Iran.”
Israeli media have reported on Mossad’s direct role in the protests. A December 29 Jerusalem Post headline noted “Mossad spurs Iran protests, says agents with demonstrators in Farsi message.” Former US Secretary of State and Director of the CIA Mike Pompeo posted about Mossad’s role. He noted, “happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also to every Mossad agent walking beside them.”
Protesters have been quite violent. There are numerous videos of security forces being attacked and burned to death. Government authorities claim protesters have killed over 100 security forces, which if correct would give credence to the notion that Israel/US, working with the MEK, is using the protests to create the conditions for a foreign attack.
It’s not a new tactic to hire criminals to instigate violence to overthrow the government. In his book on the 1953 CIA orchestrated coup against elected prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh Stephen Kinzer describes how “thugs would be paid to launch staged attacks on religious leaders and make it appear that they were ordered by Mossadegh or his supporters.”
Amidst this confusing, geopolitically fraught, context some leftists have berated those skeptical of the protests. But they ignore the far larger government-backed demonstrations.
Rather than focusing on an abstract notion of solidarity with protesters in a country that recently faced a Canadian-backed war, internationalists should push to end Ottawa’s bid to isolate Iran. Here are seven measures to re-found relations:
- Restart diplomatic relations with Tehran. Before winning office, the Liberals promised to reverse Stephen Harper’s policy but when Trudeau’s initial foreign minister, Stephane Dion, sought to renew relations, his plan was scuttled by the Israel lobby working through its allies in the Liberal caucus (Anthony Housefather and Michael Levitt).
- Remove Iran from Canada’s state sponsors of terror list, which Harper created in 2012 to hamstring future governments’ efforts to restart relations. If the US and Israel aren’t on the terror list, why is Iran?
- Remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from Canada’s terrorist list. This eighteen-month-old decision was a direct sop to Israel and should never have been made. If the Israeli military isn’t listed, why is part of Iran’s?
- Repeal a host of sanctions imposed on Iranian individuals and entities.
- Return Iranian assets that have been seized or commandeered in violation of international norms.
- Stop politicizing the flight PS752 tragedy. The Iranians erred gravely in shooting down the flight from Tehran to Kyiv with many Canadians aboard, but it was the US assassination of general Qasem Soleimani that spurred the tragedy.
- Apologize for contributing to the overthrow of Iran’s nascent democracy and initiate a full accounting of Ottawa’s role in the 1953 coup against Prime Minster Mohammad Mossadegh.
In response to Avi Lewis’ post about Iran I noted, “Anything to say about Canada imposing sanctions, breaking off diplomatic relations and listing Iran’s military a terrorist organization while maintaining extensive ties to Israel and US’ murderous militaries?”
The focus of genuine internationalists should be to ensure our government/corporations/political culture is not participating in imperialism.
Support Yves’ work. Donate Now.
You must be logged in to post a comment.