Israel and the USA have each attacked Iran in the middle of negotiations. Iran must not fall for it a third time. Negotiation is dead.
Israel attacked Iran during negotiations between Iran and the US, with the next scheduled meeting just three days away – including assassinating the lead negotiator.
Trump then gave Iran a two-week ultimatum to agree a peace deal. Iran held one foreign-minister-level meeting with the UK, Germany and France and scheduled a second meeting. Trump then attacked Iran with 11 days of the ultimatum still to run.
Plainly the Zionist West not only has zero interest in peace, it is engaging in morally abhorrent levels of dishonesty and deception, attacking under a false flag of truce. The idea that Iran should now return to “negotiation” with such appallingly deceitful interlocutors is risible.
It is also plain that the USA has no intention of stopping the attacks. Trump’s statement said that further attacks will follow unless Iran stops fighting. Plainly the objectives of the USA are not in truth merely the destruction of Iran’s nuclear programme, but total victory for Israel in the war it has started with Iran. Trump’s demand of “unconditional surrender” still stands and the aim remains, as I have stated, regime change to install the “Shah” with a Sunni Prime Minister.
Zionist regimes have been installed in Lebanon and Syria in the last six months. They already existed in the Gulf states and Jordan. The aim to install a Zionist regime in Tehran is overreach by Netanyahu and Trump. You cannot bomb the Iranian people into Zionism.
The extent of bombing, and the extent of death, that would be required for regime change in Iran is astonishing. Contrary to neoliberal expectation but obvious to anyone with a brain, the attacks on Iran have rallied support for its government. I find nothing more nauseating than the Western “feminists” who are campaigning for war against Iran to bring about regime change.
Not only would regime change involve the deaths of hundreds of thousands of women in war, there is no doubt whatsoever that Western destruction of Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and Iraq made the lives of women in those countries much worse, both in terms of infrastructure and conditions of life and also in terms of women’s position in society.
The attempt to gaslight the public with abject lies about Iran’s nuclear weapon capability is so blatant a repeat of the Iraqi WMD scam that I am astonished they dare to try it. The attacks on Iran are completely illegal – and I am quite sure will in fact lead to Iran changing its mind and deciding to possess a nuclear weapon, which will be achieved within five years.
You can have watched or listened to hundreds of hours of BBC broadcasting on the current war on Iran, and never have heard once that Israel possesses nuclear weapons. The levels of propaganda are truly extreme.
The attacks on Iran are illegal. There is no doubt of that. Iran faces a monumental struggle, but has no choice but to fight.
In the meantime not a single day has passed when Israel has not shot and killed Palestinians in Gaza in the queues for food. The Genocide goes on, and the US and Israel have succeeded in turning the world’s attention and bringing their Western satraps back into line, just when the Gaza Genocide was alarming politicians internationally by its blatancy.
I see much futile discussion as to whether Israel is controlling the US or the US controlling Israel. Plainly the answer is both; there is a deep symbiotic relationship of the political classes in both places. The key point is that the Israel settler colony carries an insupportable weight in the policy decisions of Western politicians. Like all colonialism – and as outlined by Lenin and Hobson – this is because colonialism benefits the personal interests of the wealthy and military classes but is a burden on working people.
I find Hobson offers an invaluable perspective to look at the Israel settler colony. Long-term readers will know that I have stated that J A Hobson’s Imperialism: A Study had more effect on my understanding of the world than any other book. I strongly recommend it (there is a new edition with a foreword by Jeremy Corbyn).
I am a thinker and writer who tries to use my experience to explain and analyse what is happening. I am also a campaigner and activist. What I am not is a political organiser. Those who put together the March to Gaza or the Freedom Flotilla have my admiration, and have skills which I do not possess.
I therefore put forward this idea with no apology that I am not the man to organise it. The British sovereign base at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus is fundamental to the logistics of the attacks on Iran for the UK, USA and Israel. A gathering of thousands of activists in Cyprus to close down the base appears to me the most viable and useful option to cause real problems for the neoliberal genociders.
The Akrotiri base has a very large perimeter and far too few RAF Regiment troops to guard it against thousands of determined activists. The government of Cyprus is unlikely to defend the British sovereign base from peaceful activists. Cyprus is a very easy place to reach.
As our panicked rulers seek to ban Palestine Action as a “terrorist group” – despite the fact they have never injured anybody – it seems to me essential we continue and indeed increase the resistance. The very notion of “terrorism” has been debased to include journalism and peaceful protest. We must not be terrified into allowing fascism to prevail.
———————————
My reporting and advocacy work has no source of finance at all other than your contributions to keep us going. We get nothing from any state nor any billionaire.
Anybody is welcome to republish and reuse, including in translation.
Because some people wish an alternative to PayPal, I have set up new methods of payment including a Patreon account and a Substack account if you wish to subscribe that way. The content will be the same as you get on this blog. Substack has the advantage of overcoming social media suppression by emailing you direct every time I post. You can if you wish subscribe free to Substack and use the email notifications as a trigger to come for this blog and read the articles for free. I am determined to maintain free access for those who cannot afford a subscription.
Click HERE TO DONATE if you do not see the Donate button above
Subscriptions to keep this blog going are gratefully received.
Choose subscription amount from dropdown box:
PayPal address for one-off donations: [email protected]
Alternatively by bank transfer or standing order:
Account name
MURRAY CJ
Account number 3 2 1 5 0 9 6 2
Sort code 6 0 – 4 0 – 0 5
IBAN GB98NWBK60400532150962
BIC NWBKGB2L
Bank address NatWest, PO Box 414, 38 Strand, London, WC2H 5JB
Bitcoin: bc1q3sdm60rshynxtvfnkhhqjn83vk3e3nyw78cjx9
Ethereum/ERC-20: 0x764a6054783e86C321Cb8208442477d24834861a
(1) Quite some years ago, I forget the exact circumstances, I remember saying that the only reason for believing that Iran had nuclear weapons was that they would be nuts if they didn’t
(2) I’ve often wondered about foreign military bases – such as Akrotiri in Cyprus: if the local government is unenthusiastic about defending the base against protestors, or whomever, what happens then? As you say about Akrotiri the foreign military mostly wouldn’t have the resources to defend it, and (as you don’t discuss) presumably the foreign military would have some compunction about shooting protestors, a compunction they may not feel at home
Without giving away any confidences:
recognising your user name (or alias?) quoted: do you have a relative (me), currently in the Southern Atlantic…?
Yes/No?
(Apologies if well off here, but curiosity got the better of me.)
I’m guessing that many of the attacks on Iran have come from Cyprus based Israeli jets (at least one UK tanker I had on flightradar take off from Cyprus, circle for a bit then head south to the Suez and then to the SW corner of Iraq). All the time that we assumed Israel was being supplied by air from Cyprus – were they actually stockpiling their slingshot missiles there instead. Aircraft take off, fully laden and refuel, head off to launch their missiles from Iraqi territory , refuel and go back “home”. Absolute disgrace, but the UK has been balls deep so to speak since day 1 of Gaza, Iran and Ukraine.
Meanwhile it seems that the entire middle east US air arm is encamped in Riyadh. If they take out the Ayatollah, this region will explode. I can’t see Saudi having enough troops to cross the causeway to support Bahrain this time as they will be dealing with their own issues in the Eastern Province. Iraq will explode. Jordan – how any Muslim leader can allow Iran to be attacked via their airspace and assist in the shooting down if Israel bound missiles is beyond me. But then how can any Muslim country allow the US to exist on their land in the first place.
Surely these leaders realise that they exist solely on the whim of the US and that if they don’t keep in line they are next. Surely they realise that if push ever came to shove every single weapons system they have bought from the US over the last 40 years has a kill switch embedded to disable it.
“Jordan – how any Muslim leader can allow Iran to be attacked via their airspace and assist in the shooting down if Israel bound missiles is beyond me.”
Perusal of a map of the US bases in the region should help to dispel your puzzlement.
It is all well and good to suggest that thousands of activists should descend upon RAF Akrotiri to close down the base – but how do they reach Cyprus in the first place without being blocked or stopped at airports or ports in the Eastern Mediterranean, on suspicion by the relevant authorities that they are going to the base to disrupt its activities.
How far was the Madleen flotilla from Israeli waters when it was seized by the Israeli navy?
On top of that, there has been news that Israelis have been fleeing to Cyprus. Activists might have a hard time reaching RAF Akrotiri without being blocked by Israeli refugees determined to stop them.
How about Cypriot activists close it down? It’s a colonial humiliation to Cyprus as well as being the logistical hub of a genocide and an unjustifiable war. They elected a communist president this century, so why have they become shy about upsetting the psychos?
Why do you think the government of Cyprus would want to stop them at the airport? And how would they distinguish them from the millions of tourists arriving in Cyprus in the summer? Why do you think that Israelis who are not armed and facing the unarmed, would suddenly discover courage? And why are you attempting to pour cold water?
craig
Exactly
The new bunch of Refugees ( from the actions of their own war) patently don’t want to stay and fight
for Israel’s defence.
They only Sing When They are Winning.
People like Givir and Smodrich won’t either.
Netanyahu if cornered will probably go back to his Old Kentucky Home.
To be closer to his US Bank Accounts.
I’m not denigrating the idea of activists blocking RAF Akrotiri – I’m just trying to think through the idea and the potential issues and problems that might be involved. This blockage has to be carefully planned, it may need to be a long-term blockage lasting several months if not one or two years even, and one should think of all possible obstacles that could be put in its way.
The govt of Cyprus might not want to stop floods of activists but pressure from the British, the Americans and the EU might force it to do so.
“How would they distinguish them from the millions of tourists arriving in Cyprus in the summer?”
Because GCHQ, NSA, and Unit 8200 have got computers and stuff. But it’s still a good idea. Even just causing more security work at airports would help publicise the call for the bases to be shut and the colonially occupied land (for what else is it?) to be handed back to Cyprus so that the British regime finds it harder to help another colony nearby commit genocide.
Yes.
Haven’t been to Cyprus for a few years but I recall that the Israelis form part of the UN peacekeeping force in Nicosia and possibly elsewhere. Also, rich Israelis have bought large properties all over the island, some of which are used as IDF recuperation bases. And, again Cyprus is a popular holiday destination for young Israelis, prior to service with the IDF, where they get to drink, party and rape tourists with impunity before returning to Israel to kill men, woman and children with impunity.
So, yes there are a lot of Israelis on the island but I don’t believe the Cypriots have much love for them.
They also go there to get married, because there’s no civil marriage in the Israeli entity. (It’s like Iran in that respect.)
A few decades ago there was a plan to capture hundreds of Iraqi scientists and their wives and children and bring them to a building in Cyprus that up to then had been used as a hotel, for “questioning” – openly reported in the western media as if it were legal.
History repeating itself:
it’s just so shocking in the internet age at how brazen it all is!
Democracy? What democracy… and there never was?
The history you are thinking of is not repeating itself it is just merely following a natural carefully planned progression.
As we all know the attack on Iran is not an isolated event nor has it been conceived and executed suddenly in a few days or weeks. It is part of the plan for the US to continue dominating the world by dual military and economic means. This empire is based on the dollar which is losing its value as the only way of conducting international trade. Michael Hudson in Naked Capitalism explains it very well.
The justification and endless discussions about events in the Middle East, Ukraine, China, trade tariffs and the open flouting of international law is the empire saying I can do what I like, what are you going to do about it?
So Iran is now the soft underbelly of BRICS and a testing of what Russia and China are going to do as they slowly watch their turn will be next if this monster cannot be stopped.
Do not blame the feeble Arabs and European for not standing up to this delinquent behaviour it is done out of fear because as George Bush has said “You are either with us or against us “ and all of these countries know they will be destroyed if they do not obey.
In fact the whole tariffs episode was a demonstration of how to blackmail even supposed allies. Notice how everyone scrambled to bend over backwards to please the now self declared emperor of the universe.
Starmer grovelling at G7:
https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1GRk31.img?w=630&h=420&m=6
While you’re down there homeboy, pucker up …
Your stating that Palestine Action have hurt no-one is irrelevant, they meet the definition of terrorism in the 2000 Act.
An action, with a political motive, intended to change our governments position, and involving serious damage to property. I’d have to suggest the £30 million damage to the plane counts, and is what has tipped the balance. The fact that the action was so embarrassing just ensures that it will be acted upon.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/11/section/1
Interestingly the actions of Israel and US in attacking Iran could easily fall under the rule of this law and so does the genocide of Palestinians. But of course all these actions also fall under other even more serious national or international laws. But laws are only to be applied to the weak.
What is “our government’s position” that these young people are trying desperately to change, in the absence of any parliamentary or media opposition?
Here is an answer to your post. The definition of terrorism in the act is broad enough and vague enough to make it applicable to anyone the government wishes to silence. This from the guardian explains it very well
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/22/israel-palestine-action-uk-government-terrorism-sally-rooney
The multiple uses of the word “serious” in that legislation comes across as not entirely serious.
What the rulers are doing with the Act is of course very serious. I mean the way they have written it – the arrogance of tyrannical power.
How absurdly racist the west are, Israel only exists because the west didn’t want jewish refugees – the UK is the main offender in this abuse of Palestine since 1882 when zionist UK facists started stealing land to build phoney kibbutzes and the perfidy has never ended. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/rearvision/irans-nuclear-program/105376834 Listen to this from yesterday in Australia and see how and why Iran even decided to have a form of nuclear power. It’s a real eye opener, next week we hear about Israel’s secret nuclear weapons.
I may be wrong, but I believe it wasn’t so much that the west didn’t want Jewish refugees after WW2, it was more that the Zionists wanted, indeed insisted, that Jewish refugees were sent to Palestine, under the blatent lie of ‘a people without land for a land without people’.
JB
Must be a private Company removing the paint – hence your invented costings?
Now if the stole one of the engines and loaded it into Transit Van you might have a point.
They are only obeying the UN’s prevention of genocide laws.
As are the Yemenis.
Whereas – the UK isn’t despite having many Learned Lawyers in the Cabinet.
Will you join me in a peruse through Cyprus Holiday Catalogues for late Summer?
Could do it online though, but I prefer lovely shiny pictures of Hotels that have not been built yet.
Forgot to add:
Are the Daily Mail Comment busy at the moment?
Pretty good though on Holiday Travel
Not news and facts – just travel.
The population in the west are kept in check by a false promise of prosperity which they do not appreciate is based on exploitation of other weaker countries. The MSM propaganda machine protects by repeating and confirming the lies to justify this supposed exceptionalism and moral superiority of the west. When this is seen to be failing more draconian measures are slowly being introduced and dissent will be suppressed.
Most people in Britain do not believe the future is rosy, and nor is any major political party trying to persuade them it is. This has been so for 20 years or more. Most young people for example don’t think they’ll ever own a house or even be able to get a secure tenancy. Everything nowadays is debt problems, high rents, ratcheted up bills from utility company scum with good contacts in the state, and accommodation problems. Companies providing storage units are doing a roaring trade.
And curiously much of the population spends most of its time staring at little handheld electronic devices. That is very similar to being addicted to hard drugs, with the same effects. Junkies don’t tend to be at the forefront of social resistance.
No model of imperialism is applicable that suggests that the working class in the metropoles will go on forever being allowed a high and stable standard of living, paid for out of the exploitation of the third world. Socially the west is dead. It will sink into the third world, and the top decile of the population will go behind tall walls – and a megacull looks extremely likely within five years.
If only some of the rebel heroes actually tried to understand what was going on during “Covid” and with “Green”, they might acquire a clue.
I don’t disagree but still feel there is a message of jam tomorrow for the masses and is qualified so that it is your own fault if you are left behind and not succeed. This is the basis of the American dream and the trickle down hypothesis, make us rich and we will make your life better.
I understand what was going on during “Covid” and with “Green”. It doesn’t make either of them a hoax warranting scare quotes.
I agree inasmuch as I wish more people understood. Including you, it seems. Capitalism markets every crisis as an opportunity – to those rich enough to take advantage of it.
It would be lovely if the marketing and exploitation meant the crisis didn’t exist, but unfortunately it’s double whammy – get even poorer, and suffer the crisis too, plebs.
Re: ‘Junkies don’t tend to be at the forefront of social resistance.’
They might if you promise them lots of free smack, Brian. There’s still large swathes of Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire etc currently devoted to opium poppy* production so, in keeping with this post’s advocacy of criminal acts, in a couple months’ time, why not have an awayday or two and fill your boots?
* Feel free to get in touch on here if you’d like free advice from a chemistry PhD on extracting the morphine and converting it to heroin. Anything for a good cause.
“There’s still large swathes of Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire etc currently devoted to opium poppy* production”
Is there really enough sunshine for serious opium production in rainy UK?
Thanks for your reply Bayard. Yep, and due to liberal application of fertiliser etc, the yields are usually higher than in Afghanistan. Around 30 tonnes of morphine are produced in the UK per year, I believe. Poppies are even grown commercially as far north as Northumberland:
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6533666
Keep this to yourself, but I might have helped myself to a few free samples from round there on my (well-deserved) summer hols over the years, generally preferring opium to heroin or codeine. That takes me back: lying in a field, enjoying the sumptuous border country in the evening light, with my pipe and Mazzy Star on the mp3 player. Tonight Matthew, I’m going to be Hope Sandoval*…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrgtUUG_rp8
* If I was about 10 times prettier and could ****ing sing. RIP David Roback.
“Keep this to yourself, but I might have helped myself to a few free samples from round there on my (well-deserved) summer hols over the years, ”
Well you had more luck than a friend of mine who harvested some opium from poppies he found growing wild. The results, he said were hardly worth the effort. Perhaps commercial poppies are genetically modified.
Thanks for your reply Bayard. Commercial poppies have been selectively bred to increase the opium yield, but there should still be a fair amount of opium in the wild plants, so I’m not sure why your friend didn’t get much effect – unless his tolerance was through the roof.
I think it virtually impossible that Palestine Action are not heavily police infiltrated by now. They openly organise direct action via a really slick website with regular training events etc etc, take action in bright red uniforms and film themselves doing it, posting the footage online. Then there is some relatively minor damage mostly involving spray paint while they wait for the police to come and arrest and imprison them. It almost reeks of activist entrapment. I admire the young people doing it but I fear they are being taken for a ride. I wonder how far up police and intelligence are in it.
Nick B
Many Moons ago ( early 1980’s) I knew lots of Anarchists and the way you could spot The Agent Provocateurs was that they were the one’s who were most enthusiastic about taking on the Police and even better their ‘ Cockney Accents ‘ were worse than the Middle Class and Upper Class Actors in Eastenders.
Posh Boys playing games.
Paid Posh Boys too.
I hear it is the same over here in Paris.
Not sure which accent is ‘ Cockney ‘ in French but the ordinary Punters could spot it a mile off.
I have just signed up to PA, Nick B.
You are lost for credible alternatives you could suggest to the young generation that is disgusted with our zionist infused lawlessness and ignorance of the laws as established by these cretins.
Come and nick me Nick.
Excellent summary Craig.
I don’t claim to have credible alternatives up my sleeve, it just seems like it is infiltrated to me. It’s not as if the fuzz have changed their ways since all the scandals broke about undercover policing is it? Of course you are welcome to come to your own conclusions and I wish you luck if you get involved. I think direct action is the way, but also, “let a thousand flowers bloom”.
“I think it virtually impossible that Palestine Action are not heavily police infiltrated by now. ”
It’s entirely possible that they are all agents of the police or special services, as in “The Man Who Was Thursday”. After all, what the downside for TPTB?
“I see much futile discussion as to whether Israel is controlling the US or the US controlling Israel. Plainly the answer is both; ”
Plainly the answer is both are controlled by the same people, the same people who control the other “Western” governments.
“Both” is not a great answer to the question.
But as you suggest, it’s the wrong question.
Maybe it’s not really controlled by people at all. After all, the policy has persisted much longer than a human lifetime, let alone a government term. So I think it has to be systemically driven. Maybe it’s hubris to think that people really control things at all at a large scale.
The current rulers of the world have no allegiance to a country or its population just to the possibility of how to make money. The convergence is what creates the alliances and all the rest is used for propaganda and sugarcoating.
“After all, the policy has persisted much longer than a human lifetime, let alone a government term.
There are companies around that are over a thousand years old. Same company, same product, different people running it than when it started. The oligarchy I refer to in my post of 08:48 presumably operates in the same way.
Hello Craig. I agree.
Excellent article Craig, and I agree that Iran must fight – to whatever end that might be – the West has shown in its support for the Zionists genocide its true colours – and with Iran in mind, an attempt at a regime change will take place – even if Iran decides to try the peaceful route out of this conflict, I’m not a fan of the theocratic led Iranian regime – however that doesn’t give Israel and the West the right to bomb it – and attack at will under the guise of stopping the production of nukes.
Netanyahu invoked a genocidal tribal god a day or so before the colony started bombing Iran. He referred to a biblical exhortation that his people would “drink the blood” of the slain. That is no exaggeration.
Yesterday he went back to the “Temple wall”, wearing religious clothing and hailing “miracles”. Never mind that there’s no good reason to think the “empire of David and Solomon” ever existed in the physical world.
Most campaigns of mass murder by the colony are still given religious codenames, and this has been true since the 1940s.
The Iranian regime is “theocratic”?
Regime change IS the goal.
“Exiled Crown Prince of Iran, HRM Reza Pahlavi to Fox News:
As soon as the current regime is gone, we will rebuild Iran and we will Make Iran Great Again.
Like i said,they are setting the stage for a large scale War, it was never about nuclear weapons – they wanted regime change”
https://nitter.poast.org/MonitorX99800/status/1936940582242254926#m
Yes.
What happens if Iran falls ?
– Asset stripping, IMF, World Bank, BP, Dollarisation, exit BRICS;
– Destruction of religious cohesion, Sunni vs Shia vs Christians, Mandatory Gay/Trans rights;
– NATO/USA/Israeli bases, Caspian Sea access, end of Iran-Russian-Chinese trade routes.
The USA/Israel wont stop with the fall of Iran. The bigger picture always is Russia, China and maybe India, ie. the competition.
The Tehran Times today shows how money speaks to silence Arab states’ opposition to USA imperialism because they are funding its wars and if they wanted to oppose them they could stop funding them.
“Here are some key entities and individuals who should take immediate action:
– Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) – One of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, ADIA has been a consistent buyer of U.S. Treasuries. Its continued exposure makes it a high-value target in any escalation.
– Mubadala Investment Company – As a key player in UAE state finance, Mubadala’s involvement in U.S. debt means it is complicit in the current war effort.
– Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) – Deeply embedded in U.S. defence contracts and geopolitical strategy, PIF must reassess its reliance on American bonds before it becomes a liability.
– Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) – Despite its diplomatic neutrality, QIA’s U.S. Treasury holdings tie it to the war machine.
– Realize (Abu Dhabi Fintech) – As a pioneer in tokenized U.S. debt, Realize is helping democratise access to a war-finance system that could backfire in the event of conflict.
– BlackRock & State Street – These Western financial giants are enabling Persian Gulf investors to access U.S. Treasuries more easily than ever before—effectively turning them into co-financiers of war”.
The assumption is that they can stop funding them but the whole point is that they can’t because they will end up bombed or regime changed. The so called allies of US are not free to act. Unless everyone gets this we are whistling in the wind. The only way is to counteract force is with force and only China and Russia can
do this either directly or covertly. All else is just so much hot air.
SA
Definitely.
If Peace Through Strength means anything, the handy hint is in order to enjoy relative ‘Peace ‘ is you need nukes.
And in my opinion Iran now has no choice except to get them.
Possibly others too.
Cue a few false flag attacks in the States, and maybe Europe – to be blamed on Iran – to win hearts and minds and allow the destruction of Iran, along with a regime change.
“The fearmongering in U.S. media about ‘Iranian sleeper cells’ and ‘Iranian cyber attacks on American soil’ has already begun.”
https://nitter.poast.org/MonitorX99800/status/1936939384655290802#m
Do you remember the anthrax hoax at the time of the Iraq war?
SA.
I had forgotten that – but looked it up again.
“On February 5, 2003, as the United States was preparing to invade Iraq, Secretary of State Colin Powell made a pivotal presentation to the United Nations Security Council claiming Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
The biological weapon anthrax could be delivered against Iraq’s neighbours or the US by unmanned aerial vehicles, Powell claimed, dramatically holding up a small glass vial as proof.”
And all the false information was provided by Israel through Curveball.
The colonialist-mentality shines through in the propaganda being used by the west: Iran is framed as uncivlized savages that that do not respect HBTQ and womens rights, we hear that they are “mooosleem” fanatics etc and therefore they must be invaded and their people freed.
I am incredibly dissapointed in the muted response by Russia and China too, Russia even hinted that they have some understanding why Trump attacked Iran!? The naivety by Russia is striking, remember already in 2012 they effectively voted to boot out Khadaffi in the UNSC and a year ago they lost Assad and now they throw Iran under the bus.
Instead Russia should do everything call out western hypocrisy regarding Israel/Iran/Gaza and the western support on the one hand vs the fake condemnations they level at Russia regarding Ukraine. Iran should do the same, they should set off a campaign by painting the US as a puppet to Israel and specifically frame Trump as a lapdog to Netanyahu to drive in a wedge between Israel/US.
Speaking on BBC I assume everyone saw that they blocked their own documentary on the medics of Gaza.
“BBC drops film about Gaza doctors after delaying its broadcast for months”
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/bbc-drops-film-about-gaza-doctors-after-delaying-its-broadcast-months
And on top of that a new study show that BBC give x33 more coverage for israeli victims vs palestinian victims.
“BBC gave Israeli deaths 33 times more coverage than Palestinian ones – report”
https://www.newarab.com/news/bbc-gave-israeli-deaths-33-times-more-coverage-palestinian
This is the type of censorship, omission that cause “regular” people, that are not news junkies like us, not to understand what Israel is really up to.
“Instead Russia should do everything call out western hypocrisy regarding Israel/Iran/Gaza and the western support on the one hand vs the fake condemnations they level at Russia regarding Ukraine.”
Presumably you mean they should do this in the Western MSM, as their efforts so far in this direction in the UN and using their own and the few independent media are not getting through. Would you be so good as to provide a means of doing this?
Concerning regime change and feminism, there is a difference with Syria and Iraq in that these were not theocracies like Iran. In Afghanistan women had more freedom for a while when the Americans drove the theocratic Taleban out, but once they stopped their support and the Taleban returned, women were slaves once more. In Iran regime change could mean a quantum leap upwards for the quality of life for women, just in the freeedom to wear clothes they prefer.
Trump and Netanyahu started this war for unworthy motives (distraction from their domestic political problems and possible criminal prosecution), and the means they are using are dangerous, and might well make matters worse (the prospective of the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz is one example). However, if it does lead to regime change in Iran, that could be a good thing, especially if it leads to regime change in Afghanistan.
You tell fairy tales – the education rate for women in IRan is one of the highest in the world, they are doctors, nurses, scientists – truly intelligent people. None of you clowns parotting this babble seem to have noticed that the presenter on the first TV station blown up by Israel WAS A WOMAN.
add ‘covered as women have to be, and liable to punishment if they chose not to.’ Under the Shah such oppression did not exist. Maybe bringing HIM back would be a good thing.
If the Shah were brought back, you have to remember that traditionally in Iran, women could not succeed to the throne.
Incidentally Reza Pahlavi, who would become Shah if the current Iranian govt were overthrown, has only three daughters. None of them would be heirs to the throne if he became Shah. He is the only surviving son of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, his younger brother having committed suicide many years ago, leaving behind one daughter. So a future ruling Pahlavi dynasty will be very short-lived indeed, given that Reza Pahlavi is already in his 60s.
Anyway, why is the West even considering bringing back the monarchy? Why not allow Iran to have a secular government with leaders chosen by the people?
The only reason to bring back the monarchy must surely be to prevent Iranians from being able to govern themselves and to control their land and resources, especially oil and gas resources. I’m sure this idea goes down well with the British political elites (who can’t even abide the idea of democracy in Britain itself) and BP in particular.
“Why not allow Iran to have a secular government with leaders chosen by the people?”
Have you seen the people you think should be “allowing” Iran to have things? What do you think Iranians make of them, after all their historical dealings with them (and particularly at this juncture in history)?
This is the same stunt the USA pulled with Venezuela. It didn’t work there, it wont work in Iran either.
Time the CIA rewrote their playbook, we all know how it ends, every time.
“Why not allow Iran to have a secular government with leaders chosen by the people?”
They tried that in 1953 and the government decided to nationalise the oil companies so had to be regime changed.
“Maybe bringing HIM back would be a good thing.”
You are joking ? Or are you?
OMG!!!!!!! You are serious.
I did say ‘maybe’. Consider the advantages. It could be a democratic Constitutional Monarchy this time, with freedom for women to not cover their heads. A bit like democratic Chile or Argentina after the dictators. This might also help the cause of regime change in Kabul from the West this time.
Do you really think that after 20 years of pretending and failing to have a Democratic Afghanistan (after having helped the mujahideen to oust a progressive government) that the west should be allowed anywhere near Afghanistan ever again?
” It could be a democratic Constitutional Monarchy this time, with freedom for women to not cover their heads.”
It could, but so could a lot of things, including my winning the lottery, but the probability is close to zero that they will happen. Whilst we are on the subject, what do you consider is an acceptable death toll if the result is that women can go out without covering their heads and not have to worry about being hassled by the police?
“… It could be a democratic Constitutional Monarchy this time, with freedom for women to not cover their heads …
Before 1979, the levels of literacy for women in Iran were low: in 1975, the percentage of women who could read and write was about 30%. In 1977 the country had 16 universities with 154,000 undergraduate students.
Beyond stereotypes: Success, failure, and the complexity of women’s education in Iran
Since 1979, after the revolution that brought the Islamic government to power, Iran has built more schools and universities, and by 2015, the percentage of women who could read and write was over 80%. In 2022, Iran had over 2,100 universities, with plans to merge some of them to bring the number down to about 400.
Women’s education in Iran (Wikipedia)
List of universities in Iran (Wikipedia)
In the period that Mohammed Reza Pahlavi reigned as Shah (1953 – 1978), he could have done a great deal to encourage and promote education among women and girls at all levels of society, not just among the upper- and middle-class sections of society living in the larger cities like Tehran.
If Iranian women were offered a trade-off between having a so-called constitutional monarchy with the freedom of walking in public bare-headed, but with education restricted to people living in cities and towns, and living under the current government that over the past 35 years at least has extended education (primary, secondary and tertiary) to people in rural areas as well as in urban areas, I should think they’d go with the devil they know than the devil they don’t know.
When discussion about women’s rights and freedoms in Iran is reduced to details of what they are allowed / not allowed to wear over their heads, we really are missing what is most important for them: education and other things that enable them to make decisions and choices about their lives and families, and to be able to participate in society fully.
Thanks for that, Jen, it is as I suspected, but I think you are wasting your time. For some people, it seems, bareheaded = freedom and covered head = oppression and that is all there is to it, nothing else counts, not even what Iranian women really think about it.
MJ
“Under the Shah such oppression did not exist. Maybe bringing HIM back would be a good thing.”
Oppression by the Savak was worse (the Shah’s especially nasty secret police). Say anything non conform and you were in Evin prison.
Today women in Iran are not grossly oppressed. There are lots of videos on Youtube, showing the streets of Tehran, and virtually no women are wearing headscarves (cf np’s comment below). This is new: it wasn’t like that the last time I was in Tehran in 2019. Things are lightening up a lot, I can only conclude.
The Savak was replaced by the Ministry of Intelligence. Maybe the new oppressors put in some religious practices before going to work. Here they are dealing with women who dare to protest:
https://news.sky.com/story/iran-protests-the-secret-police-carrying-out-daylight-abductions-12726459
“Oppression by the Savak was worse”
Indeed. In the late 70s there were a great many Iranian students in the USA, more than from any other country. I recall walking by such a student protesting in front of the New York Public Library, showing off various torture devices used in Iran against dissidents.
“Under the Shah such oppression did not exist.”
So you would prefer to live in a country with a Stasi-like secret police rather than one where women have to cover their hair? It’s not true anyway, there are plenty of pictures around of Iranian women in public without any head covering. It’s not as if the male presenters are showing much flesh either.
MJ – “In Iran regime change could mean a quantum leap upwards for the quality of life for women, just in the freedom to wear clothes they prefer”
Are you sure about this? Have you ever been to Iran?
Here are some videos of current (middle-class?) street life in Teheran:
https://www.youtube.com/@IranStreet
For more on the BBC propaganda report:
https://cfmm.org.uk/bbc-on-gaza-israel-one-story-double-standards/
I am sure, from the reliable Western media. As for going to Iran, I’m sure that Nazanine Zaghari-Ratcliffe would agree with the FCO that that would be a bad idea. The Israeli raid on Minus 5 star Hotel Evin wasn’t completely successful (but I wish them better luck next time with enabling the occupants to escape),
” As for going to Iran, I’m sure that Nazanine Zaghari-Ratcliffe would agree with the FCO that that would be a bad idea.”
You have no idea what she was doing in Iran, only what the western MSM-who-have-never-lied-to-us choose to tell us.
For once Johnson let slip the truth and had to immediately retract when he said she was “training journalists “ which risked a longer sentence for her as she was supposedly on holidays.
“Here are some videos of current (middle-class?) street life in Teheran:” No they are not. They are fake images.
These don’t help your apparent argument, assuming it’s genuine.
Stevie Boy
No they are not fake images. There are too many like that.
My mistake, I hadn’t opened them because of the obvious photoshopped lead images showing pneumatic western type bimbos. So, I concur the content is genuine but the headline images are faked.
A scenario could be that 1 million people die, mostly women and children, while say 5 million get displaced (and this is by no means the most apocalyptic scenario), and one of the possible results could be that surviving women in Teheran who don’t currently wear the hijab but who carry scarves they can pull over their hair quickly if religious cops get stroppy (so it’s not as if there’s a huge problem) don’t have to carry the scarves any more (because apparently the “king of kings” Pahlavi, friend of Zionist genocidalists and the CIA, is a people’s-ruler or “democrat”). Hardly a case of “every cloud”.
This is such a stupid debate. In every country, what you actually wear is a result of factors including what you like to wear and what there’s social pressure on you to wear.
The head covering in Iran issue is pure propaganda bollox. For clarity, let’s apply those same arguments to Leeds, Bradford, Slough, ie. the UK !!
Bibi and Donny aren’t planning regime change because they give a toss about women’s rights, and commentators pushing that narrative are naïve at best.
Who do you think invented the Taliban??
Fanatic Islamists. Americans tried to use them in the Cold War. He who tries to handle snakes gets bitten. Both Israel and the US have had to learn that the hard way.
Close but no cigar.
Have another go.
Who do you think invented ISIS ??
Same answer. Islamist fanatics trying to bring back the Middle Ages. But they were helped by a bad decision in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq: the US consul Bremer didn’t allow young men to take government jobs who had been members of the Ba’ath party (as if Saddam gave them any choice). Nature abhors a vacuum, and so ISIS could better arise and filled the vacuum. Obama was reluctant to deal with it – why should he clear up the Republicans’ mess?
Therefore the American Republicans led by G eorge W Bush were partly responsible, and I hope the GOP will be destroyed in the next midterms!
M.J
That is called propaganda, do not fall for it.
Pre-Iraq, pre-Afghanistan war western nations used the same tactics to justify their attack:
Liberating the Women of Afghanistan
https://archive.is/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/24/opinion/liberating-the-women-of-afghanistan.html
Iraqi Women Under Saddam’s Regime: A Population Silenced
https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/wi/rls/18877.htm
In the colonisation of India, the same arguments was used:
British women often promoted and perpetuated imperialist propaganda that stated Indian women needed their help and liberation. Such women mobilized resources and networks to raise funds and spread literature about the benefits of expanding their empire. They also gave special lectures on the “oppressed women of India” in England to concerned subjects of the Empire.
https://www.remedialherstory.com/25-1850-1950-imperialism.html#/
Also, just because you see a woman in a veil does not mean they do not want to wear it. Just because you believe it is wrong does not necessarily mean that the woman that actually wear it, have the same position.
https://www.remedialherstory.com/25-1850-1950-imperialism.html#/
The western leaders reject feminism in their own nations why do you believe they are somehow genuine feminists when it comes to their foreign policy? Besides, Israel and US have plenty of allies in the Middle East (sunni gulf states) that are certainly not feminist, how come this feminist topic is not raised with these nations?
“Also, just because you see a woman in a veil does not mean they do not want to wear it.”
Why do people assume that everyone wants everyone else to be able to see their face in public?
“In Iran regime change could mean a quantum leap upwards for the quality of life for women.”
Not only that. Just think – Iran could soon be taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest!
Iran on Eurovision might be interesting. Eurovision has become politicised in the last generation. I wonder who would give them the maximum score – maybe Azerbaijan.
I think that you put that rather well Craig; experience tells us that American Caesar uses diplomacy as a tactic not a means in itself. American imperialism is resorting to ever more ultraviolence as its brinkmanship has less effect. We should think ourselves lucky that the caretaker Kier Sturmer isn’t bombing dissenters at home as he does abroad. I don’t much like the Iranian government yet I dislike the fake one here even more. I wish the Iranians good luck as I do the Palestinians and the Russians. It looks like North Koreans have made their own.
How do you fight a ‘rising lion’ backed by King Kong?
Iran needs to play this smartly. Time is potentially their greatest ally. Trading direct blows with the US could well destroy Trump’s presidency in the US – due to a MAGA vote boycott backlash in the midterms – but that would be of little comfort to a displaced, traumatised Iranian population; with those remaining in the country living among the ruins of a battered hellscape; its infrastructure essential to civilised life, gone, its precious cultural heritage, wrecked.
Iran would be perfectly justified announcing an intention to leave the NPT. The IAEA’s Grossi, is today demanding access to Fordo to do a damage assessment; no doubt to report directly back to his western masters. The IAEA appears to be compromised like every other international organisation predominantly funded by the US. The US, through the outsized influence its financial contribution brings, has politicitised : the UN, OPCW ; IAEA, NATO, WTO, EU Commission, even the IOC!
I lived on RAF Akrotiri base as a child. The perimeter is huge.
An excellent and well-written summary as usual. Thank you Craig.
I am of the opinion that Iran should continue with its attrition tactics against vital Israeli targets like ports, power stations, gas and oil facilities because the Iranians have many more precision missiles than the Israelis have interceptors, the relative sizes of population, manufacturing base and geographic size are important, Israel is merely a postage sized state with Metropolitan Tel Aviv and Haifa the two areas containing the bulk of its manufacturing and population density.
In my opinion it would be a mistake to attack the US bases without a more concerted attack from the US, and here I include the sovereign UK base in Cyprus, which is also used by the US. If or when Iran decides to defend itself from US attack by closing down US bases, the UK base in Cyprus would be an obvious candidate. The GCC satraps are very afraid of Iran, they are also afraid of the US, both can ensure the family owned dictatorships are overthrown, the US can threaten them by confiscating their assets tied up in US financial institutions, treasuries, bonds and real estate etc, after all they confiscated Russian foreign assets [300 billion] whereas they are very afraid of hosting US bases being used against Iran knowing this could not only precipitate the loss of those bases, but a potential loss of their own oil infrastructure and loss of the means to transfer it through the strait of Hormuz. What a predicament, what is a satrap tp do?
Absolutely. Attrition is the ultimate answer to most problems.
And you’re also very discerning to raise the issue of the SOVEREIGN uk bases. Who else has such a privilege? Certainly not the Germans or the French! But this privilege comes with a liability. Defending them against barbarian invasion.
In Cyprus, it’s common knowledge that thousands of revengeful Israelis, totally impotent when it comes to stopping Iran’s legitimate retaliatory attacks, flee and try to find safe haven there.
So satraps or unsatraps, despite the various straits of Hormuz, don’t you think we should urgently ask the Freedom Flotilla, with Craig’s approval, to take these unhappy settlers back where they belong? Presumably, no one would stop such shipment.
And all of this very peacefully of course…
Well said.
Obscene, horrible, deeply regrettable, fundamentally tragic, but here we are.
I agree Iran now has little choice but to fight, but I note sympathetic observers caution they will fight their own way, in their own time. Perhaps the jury is still out, but it’s far from clear the US strikes were the resounding success they publicly claim.
As for the risible suggestion on here by the usual suspects that the US is bombing Iran in the name of feminism, well that’s just beneath contempt.
I hope people take up your suggestion, Craig.
They are almost forcing us to it.
Well Said Craig..I think you Do have The Skills… Hearbreaking watching the Live Streamed Genocide…Give them Hell Iran
BBC reporting this as if we are ‘all-in’ on Israel’s side, absolutely no attempt at balance. No mention of the legal aspects of what the US and Israeli are doing. Why are we being subjected to a nonstop flow of Israeli propaganda by clearly Zionist ultra producers and editors.
Two days ago we got this from Danny Cohen : I am proud to be a Zionist and you should be one too
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/21/i-am-proud-to-be-a-zionist-and-you-should-be-one-too/
Cohen was Director of BBC Television (2013-2015) and Controller of BBC One.
Raising the question : have we been infiltrated by a foreign country, with the full blessing of UK security services? Imagine what the pres would be saying if a former Director came out as pro-Putin, pro-China or pro-Iran – the tabloid headlines would be screaming about infiltration of institutions, as would Times, Telegraph columnists in their ‘opinion’ pieces. Look at the flack Gary Lineker took recently, for being sympathetic to Gazans’ plight.
The push to scrap the anachronistic TV licence fee, needs to go into overdrive.
The night of the attack BBC North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher posted a picture of John McCain laughing up in heaven (!?) and tagged it Bomb Bomb Iran.
He has since deleted the tweet. But his BBC article on the attack is still up, in which you would search in vain for the words illegal or unprovoked.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg86pd63j8o
The Anglosphere doesn’t realise how inconsistent and hypocritical we appear.
If Trump doesn’t pull the plug, under the AUKUS trilateral plans , Australia is set to construct new nuclear-powered submarines: SSN-AUKUS. They are supposedly going to be conventionally armed, but that seems strange; going to all that expense of having nuclear-powered subs, only to have them conventionally armed? Especially when the stated purpose of them, is to deter China, right?
Imagine if China were to act like Israel and the US, to ‘remove a potential future threat’ by destroying these subs while under construction in Australia. There’d be an international outcry, would there not? Ripping up the international rules is dangerous and may come back to haunt the Anglosphere.
And again, and again, and again!
You guys never stop complaining about the obviously biased propaganda broadcast by the BBC. And rightly so!
So why don’t you stop watching it? I don’t. And I don’t care how much bullshit they’re spreading.
You should try to treat your addiction, you’d feel better afterwards…
I would reiterate that until Iran follows the North Korean example and get nuclear weapons, she would always be the subject of a military attack by USA and Israel based on trumped-up allegations. That fact is lost on the Reformist political faction elected to run the national government of Iran. Reformist Iranian officials— such as President Masoud Pezeshkian and Former Vice President Javad Zarif— kept putting off strengthening their alliance with Russia and China in the delusional hope that they could reach a reasonable agreement with USA and its Euro vassal states.
“based on trumped-up allegations” You’re a crack up! Even though someone else has probably used this pun before.
Regarding Iran’s alliances with its supposedly partners, I don’t know if you’re right by putting the blame on certain Iranese officials. If they couldn’t ‘strengthen’ such links, it’s probably because of the other side. Iran doesn’t have much to offer, besides oil and drones. Too little too late…
@Chima – Neither Russia nor China will give Iran nuclear weapons. See the history of nukes in international relations, notably Germany and the Sino-Soviet split.
I agree though that Iran would be much safer if they had some, and also that they should ally with China or Russia, although Putin seems either unwilling or unable to help, and Xi may be finding his navel fluff to be of greater interest at the moment.
Brian red
Used to think this many years ago.
You don’t actually have to have Nuclear Weapons you just have to pretend you have them.
Israel has played a similar game for years and everyone except Kier Starmer knew it.
Peace Through Lying.
With the IAEA being caught with its hands in the till – who would know?
This discussion has set me thinking about ‘regime change’. I’ve decided that it’s a good thing for the US, the zionist occupation of Palestine, Britain and every other banana republic in the world. ;O)
The correct term for the British regime is a banana monarchy 🙂 There are six more in the Gulf or more if we count each emirate of the UAE separately.
Abbie Hoffman called the USA just another Latin American dictatorship.
Nothing but contempt is deserved for the polling station, politicians on the TV, and inherited wealth model that the shitty local regime in a country like Britain tells its citizens is far better and cleaner than what foreigners have got in Foreignland.
The more detachment fron the ruling scum’s discourse, the better.
“RAF” flights from Palestine? Yeah, right.
But wait – the holy state health service has millions of smartwatches and smart rings at the ready. They love the population. It’s a people’s state after all. I was so wrong and must be punished.
As expected, Russia is officially disapproving the US attacks on Iran:
https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2702085-russia-condemns-us-strikes-offers-iran-support
Meanwhile, they only offer assistance “if requested” specifically. And simultaneously state that the incident will not affect their relationship with America.
With such friends…
And still no update from the Cuckoo Clock?
Nor has big bad Russia regime changed the UK yet. I know no-one has asked them to, but anyone can see that it needs it , Starmer is pretty bloody blatantly working for a foreign power, he doesn’t even deny it. They shouldn’t have to ask, should they?
Remembering that the Iranian revolution against the Shah’s American backed regime, was toppled by a trades unions, communist inspired proletariat uprising, and the Trade Union leaders were duped into agreeing the return of the exiled Khomeini because they understood he would be a religious leader rather than a political leader, and they would have a power sharing government. The oppression and retribution was swift and unforgiving. This is a backwards looking comment, the same as so many other comments here. Modern Iran wanted to join other nations in liberty and trade. This setback has changed the trajectory from negotiation to war.
Persia was a huge empire with great wealth and power. It is a modern country today with modern achievements and a proud history. It is also the country which has been attacked, and the former agreement which kept Iran and Israel safe from attack by the other was with Russia, which offered defensive capabilities which were turned down. They may be offered again and this time they may be accepted.
Respect for our adversaries would be advisable if we are ever going to look back at this episode as a brief aberration. But Israel has committed. Its course is set. And as allies we will struggle to abandon Israel and defend ourselves from its enemies and its infiltration of our vital infrastructure too.
Yes indeed. The Shah was brought down by a genuinely popular and workers’ movement, as you rightly say. The coming to power of the ayatollahs was the counterrevolution some months later.
And the ayatollahs’ regime was friendly with the Zionists for about a decade during the Iran-Iraq war. Not officially, but the “strategic understanding” was widely known about at the time
An Iranian once told me about the revolution and how it developed. Islam was seen as an aid. One night there was a speech in a mosque and everyone was fascinated – someone speaking against the Shah! (gasp). The next night the crowd was even bigger. The following night the crowd spilled into the streets, and the rest, as they say, is history, but one thing needs to be said: the Iranian said to me, ‘we now call it ‘The Big Mistake’. Too late!
Brian Red
The US actually flew Ayatollah Khomeini to Tehran from memory.
A Conservative with whopping great big C.
A perfect fit for things to come.
Mark I am relying on memory but my recollection is that no political organisation was allowed during the Shah’s rule but religious organisations could not be easily suppressed in a muslim country and that is why the ayatollahs were able to take over. Similar event happened in Egypt after Mubarak was overthrown as the Muslim brothers were the best political organisation but in this case, Morsi was ousted and this led to the return of the military dictatorship.
You know these British military (“royal” air force) flights that are supposedly bringing “British nationals” “home” from Occupied Palestine? It wouldn’t surprise me if they’re
1. Bringing Zionists into Britain to continue their war work here, but with their fares paid for by Britain, and
2. Taking weapons and equipment (maybe even soldiers, either British or Zionist or both) to the Occupation on the outward flights.
Posh white man speaks with forked tongue.
Brian Red
Our host wrote this on his X account.
“It is always firm policy of the UK govt that it does not provide consular assistance to dual nationals in their state of other nationality (in line with international law).
So why is the government organising escape flights for “British Israelis””
https://nitter.poast.org/CraigMurrayOrg/status/1936058298387587411#m
The RAF this afternoon evacuated 63 British nationals (including immediate family) from Tel Aviv to Cyprus: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy5wkld3r0xo
Looking at the cool picture of that plane (it could come from a film) made me feel proud to be a British citizen!
M.J
I am the last person to agree with you on anything but in this case I make an exception. One sometimes has to look at the human aspect and have empathy in these highly polarised situations.
“Looking at the cool picture of that plane (it could come from a film) made me feel proud to be a British citizen!”
Sorry to piss on you chips, MJ, but there is no such thing as a “British citizen”. You are a subject of the Crown. I know it says that on your passport now (it used to say “subject” until fairly recently), but that’s just window-dressing. In legal terms, you’re a subject of His Maj’. Nothing to be proud of.
“So why is the government organising escape flights for “British Israelis””
It could be that the 63 were British nationals visiting or living in Israel, rather than dual citizenship Israelis. Possibly they are the same ones as Lammy advised to walk to Egypt.
I am sure these rules are not rigid and that they can be discretionary in some circumstances. My feeling is that the international law was probably made to prevent a confrontational situation with the home country of a dual citizens but may not arise where there is no objection from the country from where evacuation takes place.
I’ve heard no more about it lately, but there was a planning application put forward to have a new shooting range that would be “also be used by American soldiers” near Eskdalemuir.
Perhaps the “rival” one being moaned about in this article, though why the guy from Cumbria needs a rifle range on both sides of the border. That will make three long range shooting ranges near the border. With worldwide invites. Coup coup cou choo
I don’t think any gun club is benign, police marksmen use them …but who else ..and why? Location Location Location
https://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=3371
Answers on a postcard?
Yves at naked capitalism has mentioned an as yet to be confirmed report of an Iranian (or other Iran friendly forces) attack on a covert US base in Syria. A base helping to control Syria’s oil. It’s at the end of this article and from an Indian news channel.
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/06/trump-talks-up-regime-change-brays-about-iran-nuclear-site-success-as-israel-taking-increasing-toll-from-attacks-iran-puts-pieces-in-place-for-strait-of-hormuz-closure.html
Note, it’s unconfirmed.
The yt video referenced
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-94N2qcTgYw