The US and Israel are likely to launch another major attack on Iran and Canada has helped set the stage for a conflict that could engulf the region.
All evidence points to an Israel/US plan to instigate a new round of violence against Iran. On Monday dozens of Israeli fighter jets reportedly crossed Syrian and Iraqi airspace to the edge of Iranian territory in what was likely a bid to provoke an Iranian response. On Wednesday the Financial Times reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had the IOF set to restart strikes on October 10, but Donald Trump chose to postpone the attacks until after the November 3 US midterm elections. Wednesday Netanyahu announced publicly he mandated the IOF and the country’s intelligence agencies to overthrow Iran’s government. “My directive to the IDF, the Mossad, and the defense establishment… [is] to overthrow the regime in Iran,” Netanyahu told graduating military officers.
In endorsing Netanyahu as Israeli Prime Minister, Trump said the two would “finish the job” against Iran and two days ago US war secretary Pete Hegseth travelled to Israel to discuss Iran with Netanyahu. Additionally, the US has removed its non-essential diplomats from across the region, which they also did before attacking Iran in February. Reportedly, Washington has more troops and warships in the region than before launching their bombing campaign in February.
If Israel and the US attack again, Iran’s reaction is expected to be more intense than at the start of the year. On Wednesday Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman Hossein Mohebi said, “Our defence doctrine was previously defensive; we used to say that if a country attacks us, we will respond. Now we say that if a country attacks us, we will both respond and launch an offensive.”
Iran will continue to hit US bases and energy infrastructure across the region and may seek to overthrow one or more of the US-backed Gulf monarchies. Tehran may also decide to hit the Bezmer Air Base in Bulgaria or another facility in a NATO country used by US forces to strike Iran.
Open conflict with NATO has become more likely with the UK and France deploying forces to Saudi Arabia and Ukraine seeking to enter the fray. At the end of July Ukrainian strikes hit an Iranian and Russian boat, which Kyiv said were carrying military cargo to Russia through the Caspian Sea. A day ago, the IRGC reportedly claimed, “Ukraine has deployed thousands of micro-drones in the Iraqi Kurdistan region and dispatched drone personnel to several countries in the region.”
More directly tied to the US/Israeli aggression against Iran, war is raging in Yemen. While that conflict is principally a Yemen vs Saudi Arabia fight, it’s also a proxy battle between Iran and the US/House of Saud. It could escalate and become more intertwined with conflicts in nearby Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia.
Canada has fanned the flames of what could become an interrelated conflict from Somalia to Russia. At the UN last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney justified the US president’s threats to “annihilate” and “wipe Iran out” while two days ago Global Affairs again condemned Ansar Allah (Houthis). But Ottawa hasn’t said a word about a couple thousand Saudi strikes on Yemen, which have killed far more civilians than Ansar Allah. Ottawa has also released a slew of statements defending UAE and other Gulf monarchies from Iranian strikes while ignoring/supporting US/Israeli/UAE aggression on Iran. Over the past seven months the Canadian government has released dozens of statements criticizing Iran for responding to the aggression against it by striking neighbours hosting US military facilities.
During that period Ottawa has devoted significant diplomatic energy to bolstering the UAE and other Gulf monarchies that have been hurt by the US/Israel instigated conflict. In her fifth trip to the Gulf this year, foreign affairs minister Anita Anand visited UAE last week. This week two of Carney’s top advisor are in UAE and Qatar to attend two different security forums and meet local officials.
On Iran Carney has been in constant contact with the US president despite trade and other tensions. Wednesday Carney said he had just spoken with Trump about Iran and the broader Middle East. As Iran has been bombed mercilessly Ottawa has further isolated that country. Canada has adopted new rounds of sanctions against Iran and ramped up deportations there.
Ottawa already severed diplomatic relations with Tehran, labeled Iran a state sponsor of terrorism and listed its IRGC as a terrorist organization.
As I’ve detailed previously, Canada’s current bid to isolate Iran is in stark contrast with its backing for the brutal Shah. After passively supporting the US/UK coup that returned the Shah to power in 1953, Canadian officials and corporations were heavily invested in Iran until the 1979 revolution. Adding to the historic record, Gulf-focused researcher Anthony Fenton recently published a memo about Ottawa seeking to sell the Shah nuclear reactors. The 1974 memo based on a ministerial visit to Iran notes: “REGARDING CANADIAN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE CANDU NUCLEAR REACTOR IN MIDDLE EAST, MACDONALD SAID THERE IS GOOD CHANCE TO PROMOTE REACTOR FOR IRANIAN USE TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY AND TO REMOVE SALT FROM CASPIAN SEA WATER. HOWEVER, SHAH APPARENTLY MADE CLEAR THAT U.S. AND FRANCE ARE IN RUNNING FOR THESE PROJECTS AND ARTICLE INDICATES STRONGER COMPETITION FROM U.S. FIRMS WHICH ALREADY INVEST HEAVILY IN IRAN.”
While Ottawa pushed to sell nuclear reactors there in the 1970s, today Ottawa justifies US/Israeli aggression against Iran by citing its nuclear program.
Canadian hostility to Iran is all about enabling Zionism and a US empire led by a president who wants to make Canada its 51st state. The more Canadians who understand this truth the better chance we have to make change.
Support Yves’ work. Donate Now.
