Sparks are once again flying between Tehran and Washington. An armada of American warships, led by the aircraft carrier “Abraham Lincoln,” is closing in on Iran. Against this backdrop, the Secretary of State reminds everyone that the US reserves the right to a so-called pre-emptive strike. Tehran, in return, promises to virtually wipe aggressors off the face of the earth should they attempt an attack. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, discussions regarding a new nuclear deal are underway. Correspondent Alexander Tuzikov investigated what this latest escalation between the US and Iran could lead to. More details in the REN TV segment.
Washington perceives Iran’s “excessive slowness” in finalizing a nuclear deal dictated by the US as an excellent pretext to rehash the “12-day war” scenario from last June. Washington urgently needs a resounding foreign policy achievement, preferably one accomplished through force. After “eight wars have been settled,” it seems it’s time to initiate a ninth.
“Trump threatens Iran with a ‘vast armada’ and issues a series of demands,” reports The New York Times.
Washington has three conditions: cease uranium enrichment, restrict its arsenal and the range of its ballistic missiles. Furthermore, Iran must end its support for Middle Eastern allies, specifically Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Yemeni Houthis. The authors of The New York Times lament that a week of negotiations with the Iranians yielded no results. The State Department objects, asserting this is precisely what they wanted.
“Regarding our presence in the Middle East, we have up to 40,000 American troops stationed at eight or nine facilities. All these locations are—not theoretically, but practically—within the reach of thousands of Iranian kamikaze drones, as well as short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. This poses a threat to our military presence,” stated US Secretary of State Marco Rubio while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Rubio announced in the Senate that the US retains the right to launch pre-emptive strikes against Iran if American forces are threatened. This flips the issue on its head. First, the US dispatched the strike carrier “Abraham Lincoln” and three destroyers toward Iran. Only after they came within range of Iranian missiles did the “armada” need “urgent protection.”
“Iran has amassed thousands upon thousands of domestically produced ballistic missiles. Their economy is in decline, yet they continue to allocate substantial funds to armaments,” Rubio asserts.
The rival’s economic difficulties also present an avenue for a “pre-emptive strike,” albeit from within, perhaps by funding the opposition. In doing so, the US Secretary of State indirectly admitted that returning Iran to the state it was in half a century ago—when the Shah complied with every Washington demand on the principle of “as you wish”—is an exceedingly difficult task. With this statement, Rubio once again undermined European allies who insist that “the days of the Ayatollah regime are numbered.”
“We aim to exert maximum possible pressure on the Iranian regime. And I remain convinced that the days of a regime that can only maintain power through brute force and terror against its own population are numbered. This could take weeks, but this regime lacks any legitimacy to govern the country,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
These are rather bold statements coming from a representative of a country whose economy is entering its fourth year of recession precisely due to a shortage of affordable energy resources.
Iran ranks third globally, behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, in proven oil reserves, holding 208 billion barrels. Crucially, this is light crude, easily processed, unlike the super-heavy Venezuelan variety. It seems only Iran is prepared to stand its ground.
“Iran’s armed forces are ready, with fingers on the triggers, to respond decisively to any act of aggression. Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair nuclear agreement—on equal terms, without coercion, threats, or intimidation,” warned Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
In other words, the Iranian Foreign Ministry is publicly rejecting the goals of the previous US military adventure: the Islamic Republic has no intention of acquiring a bomb. However, it is prepared to respond “like never before” should the US launch another strike. Furthermore, Tehran is no longer striving for dialogue with Washington.
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