On the tenth day, when its war machine (Israel) unleashed against Iran started faltering, Trump Admn. openly came out in war against Iran. US Air Force dropped bunker buster bombs at three nuclear sites in Iran, namely Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan on the night of 21/22 June. From justifying Israel’s unprovoked and illegitimate aggression against Iran, US has come into the open as the main force of destabilization, subversion, domination and aggression in the Middle East and in the world at large. The real objective of this war had been a very clear from the start i.e., regime change in Iran. It is obvious from Trump’s statement announcing strikes at Iran’s nuclear sites where he referred to over four decades of Iran rulers shouting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” and his reference to US hostage crisis under President Carter. All talk of nuclear threat coming from Iran is mere cacophony to drown the real message of this aggression i.e. bringing to power a pliant regime in Tehran.
Decades of changing US rulers’ rhetoric only signify different approaches to achieve the same objective- to preserve and perpetuate US domination of the world in face of rise of other powers in the world. In a moment of “madness” Trump tore away his peace maker mask to remind the world that Imperialism means war and a superpower having wielded uni-polar domination will not “retire peacefully” from its dominance. Trump has endorsed neo-con agenda of ruling the world by military means. He had supported US occupation of Iraq in 2003. His peace mask was only to dupe the people to focus their attention on domestic issues to win power. All his talk about “deep state” was to distract from his deep ties to military industrial complex and corporate elite like “thief crying thief”. Trump has wedded Heritage Foundation’s domestic agenda (Project 2025) to neo-con’s international agenda. He represents not only a threat to US people but to the whole world- a real danger of fascism- repression at home and aggression abroad.
Neo-con agenda for Middle East is to strengthen Israel, discard two-state solution including Oslo Accords, totally eliminating Palestinians from historic Palestine physically and politically and affect regime change in Middle East bringing to power US puppets. They had targeted seven countries in the Middle East (confirmed by former NATO commander Gen. Wesley Clark) – Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon and Iran. Iran is the last among the targets of regime change. Attack on Iran came after regime change in Syria and marginalization of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Preparatory phase of attack was paved by destruction by Israel of all airfields, air defenses, missile depots; in short all defense sites in Syria even after regime change to prepare a passage for Israeli planes through Syria and Kurd areas of Syria, Iraq and Iran. Trump’s intervention in India Pakistan’s exchange of missiles and drones from May 7 to 10 was to bring Pakistan on board against Iran. Trump’s invitation to Pakistan Army Chief to White House on June 18 was also part of this plan to isolate Iran from the East, thus denying them strategic depth.
This attack has nothing to do with Iran’s nuclear programme. In March 2025, testifying before a Senate Intelligence Committee of USA, the US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard had said that the intelligence community “continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003.” Again on June 10, days before Israeli strikes on Iran, Tulsi Gabbard posted a video in which she asserted that “political elite and warmongers” were “carelessly fomenting fear and tensions that risked the world on the brink of nuclear disaster.” Little did she know that she will have to eat her words only days later for having believed Trump’s words more than he himself, believes in his own words. Much is made of IAEA’s report that Iran was in breach of its Non-proliferation duties, a report approved by 19 of the 35 members of the Board including USA, UK, France and Germany. However IAEA chief Grossi admitted in a CNN interview, the UN agency “did not have … any proof of a systematic effort to move into a nuclear weapon on the part of Iran.” The real issue was growing strength of Iran especially its missile programme, its support to forces of resistance to imperialist domination of Middle East and its growing links with other powers especially Russia and China. Iran is a member of BRICS and SCO. Trump Admn. judged this to be right moment to strike and gave green light to its proxy, Israel, for the attack. It was once again an Iraq moment when US led alliance invaded that country with false excuse of Iraq developing Weapons of Mass Destruction. Now it was a claim by Netanyahu and Trump that Iran was about to develop nuclear weapon without any shred of evidence. Netanyahu has been on this over last 13 years when in 2012 in UN General Assembly he had displayed a poster depicting how close was Iran to developing nuclear weapon.
Trump has also bombed Non-proliferation Treaty, a deeply flawed and discriminatory treaty, which permits all countries to harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Nuclear sites bombed by US have been under IAEA supervision. What US is demanding is that Iran forgo its rights under NPT to pursue nuclear programme for peaceful purposes, which no sovereign country would agree to. Therefore, Trump is demanding total surrender by Iran Govt., a prelude to regime change. With IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, old loyal servant of imperialist powers, providing excuses despite Iran opening all nuclear sites for inspection, US bombing has been a blow at NPT. Western powers have used NPT to target Govts. opposed to them while they themselves aided development of nuclear weapons by Israel. For any big country like Iran to make nuclear weapon needs political decision. Iranian leadership had decided against it holding it Un-Islamic.
Israel had attacked with the advantage of first mover, combining air strikes at missile depots and launch sites, defense establishments and nuclear sites with targeted killings by Mossad assets in Iran killing Army leaders – killing five of the top Army commanders and ten of the top nuclear scientists. However, Iran reorganized its command structures swiftly and replied within fifteen hours. Much famed Iran Dome missile shield and David’s Sling, Arrow and THAAD missile defenses were overwhelmed and Iranian missiles hit their targets within Israel causing damage to its military headquarters and other sites. Israeli war-mongerers accustomed to watch war on TV, had to rush to shelters. War had come home. Israel has had to face an almost equal adversary in conventional weapons with Iran possessing world’s finest technology in missile – precision and deployment.
Ruling politicians of western imperialist countries and their media have been trying to portray Israel as acting in self-defense. This is most perverse use of the term “self-defense”. They are one-sidedly portraying Israel inflicting damage to military sites while Iran is hitting civilian targets. Nothing is farther from truth. Israel has hit civilian areas of Tehran killing number of civilians- women and children. Western media highlighted damage to an Israeli hospital in Beershaba but did not mention that it was situated near a military establishment. The same media had dug deep into grounds beneath hospitals in Gaza to find out Hamas centres and weapons. Western media has covered itself in infamy and is increasingly distrusted by the people even in their own countries. That this is a proxy war for domination of Middle East is clear from the comment of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Israel is doing their “dirty work” in this region like they used Ukraine to do their dirty work in Eastern Europe.
US President Trump has claimed that bombings ordered by him have obliterated the three nuclear sites. Pentagon spokespersons were more circumspect claiming only “severe damage” to the sites. Iranian Atomic Agency as well as IAEA have been categorical of having not detected any increase in radiation which means that enriched Uranium has not been hit. It may mean either to bombs not having penetrated deep enough or the material having been removed. The bombing has been a singular failure lest it is part of another “forever war” initiated by US imperialism under Trump for another regime change. While there is considerable disaffection among Iranians against the present regime but Iranians will not support a regime change orchestrated by USA and Israel. This is not 1953 and the present regime has been in power for over 46 years. In fact there are reports of mass demonstrations across Iran against attacks by Zionist regime of Israel and its US patrons showing growing unity of the people against aggression.
Iran has every right to act in self-defense. But as a country representing a rich and developed civilization, Iran is acting keeping in mind the needs of forging greatest unity against Zionist aggressors and their US led western patrons. Even the US allies in the region have condemned attack by Israel and bombing by USA. Attitude of Iran’s allies especially Russia and China will also be important. Russia and China though guided by their own imperialist interests, must realize the importance of this moment. If US led West succeeds here it is bound to have repercussions in different parts of the world. This is truly a test of multi-polarity which has strengthened considerably. Russia must bear in mind how withholding of military support to Arab countries by then Soviet Union during crucial phase of Yom Kippur War (1973) had a lasting influence over developments in the Middle East.
While Iran will decide its response, Israel will have to pay a heavy price for its aggression against Iran, having come on top of its continuing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, attacks of Palestinians in West Bank and attacks against Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The impunity to which Israel has been used to, will not go unpunished. Resistance forces will also target US and Israel in the Middle East. Houthis led Yemen has already declared that they will target US and Israel in Red Sea in response to US attack on Iran.
While the whole world except the Govts. of western countries has condemned this attack and Israel’s aggression, Indian Govt. has put India in opposition to the world public opinion and especially Global South. RSS-BJP Govt. led by Modi is increasingly drawing close to Israel and USA and is going against the foreign policy since long been followed by Indian Govt. Modi or Foreign Minister have not yet responded to the claim of US President Trump of having negotiated ceasefire between India and Pakistan announced on May 10, leaving this work to bureaucrats. On June 12, Modi Govt. abstained in UN General Assembly on a motion demanding immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, release of hostages and providing access to humanitarian aid. This resolution was supported by an overwhelming majority of the members of United Nations representing overwhelming majority of the world people including some West European countries. This has been reversal from Dec. 13, 2024 vote when India had supported a similar resolution. When Israel attacked Iran on June 13, Indian Govt. dissociated from SCO statement issued on June 14 condemning the attack despite historically good relations between India and Iran and Iran being victim of unprovoked and illegitimate aggression.
With Modi Govt. moving closer to US and its allies in an increasingly multi-polar world, India finds itself isolated in the world. US imperialism is a hegemonic power. It is overstretched, having interests all over the world. After US withdrawal from Afghanistan in defeat, importance of Pakistan has increased for US imperialism as a window to Central Asia and in the immediate context of military attack against Iran, to deny Iran the support from Pakistan. Pakistan is witnessing sharpening contradiction between China and USA and is temporarily in an enviable position, being courted by both USA and China. Modi Govt. dovetailing behind US and allies especially Israel goes against even the ruling class consensus on foreign policy.
With US imperialism growing increasingly aggressive both at home and abroad, closer alliance with USA may signify intensifying fascist drive of RSS-BJP Govt. But this also signifies growing isolation of RSS-BJP and increasing gulf between ruling class parties. With US intent on forcing open Indian markets especially agriculture it has vast implications for the people of India. It will also influence growing struggles of the people of India. India had been a colony of Western (British) colonialism and people of India remember loot and plunder of the country under colonial rule.
CPI (ML)-New Democracy strongly condemns US bombing Iran’s nuclear sites joining Israel’s war. We demand that Indian Govt. condemn the US aggression against a sovereign and friendly country. We also demand Indian Govt. to support world people against Israel’s genocide of Palestinians.
CPI (ML)- New Democracy calls upon the people of the country to oppose US-Israel aggression against Iran. We call upon all peace loving people to protest against this illegitimate, predatory war being imposed on Iran and wider Middle East.
CPI (ML) -New Democracy
June 22, 2025