Between recent military exercises across the United States beginning, border tensions between India and China, land disputes between China and Taiwan, exchanges between Israel and Palestine, tensions between the United States and Russia, and the vast plethora of smaller power struggles upon the world stage happening at the moment, Israel has just ramped up rhetoric on potential disputes with Iran. Never before in my lifetime has there been this much pressure across the entire planet between world governments, and worries that potential wars could be unleashed continue to rise.
In the new news between Israel and Iran, the Israeli Prime Minister of Defense Benny Gantz told Ynet News that, “Israel is ready to attack Iran, yes. We are at a point where we need to take military action against Iran. The world needs to take action against Iran now.”
“Now” doesn’t sound very promising for potential peace, if that is either possible or necessary right now. His comments today come after earlier this week, the US, UK and Israel have all blamed Iran for a drone strike on an Israeli operated tanker that resulted in the deaths of two people. Iran has denied involvement in the attack, but ally forces seem to be in agreement that they are the ones who initiated the attack.
On Wednesday, Benny Gantz told diplomats of the UN Security Council that, “Iran has violated all of the guidelines set in the JCPOA (nuclear agreement) and is only around 10 weeks away from acquiring weapons grade materials necessary for a nuclear weapon. Therefore, it is time to act. The world must apply economic sanctions and take operative action against the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
Talks of the JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, on nuclear agreements with Iran have been stalled since June. While Biden wants to continue this discussion in a hope for further agreement, top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Gantz have spoken their concerns that Iran is taking advantage of the stalled talks to dramatically advance its nuclear potential.
After multiple attacks on Israeli companies with the Mercer Street ship and the Asphalt Princess incidents in recent weeks, Israel has said that it is committed to its own freedom to act against Iran by its own will, regardless of support from the UN or any other ally nations.
To ensure security and navigational freedom, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reportedly been working with Britain, Romania and other allies to discuss the next steps that should be taken.
In a letter to the UN Council on Tuesday, Ambassador to the US and UN Gilad Erdan wrote, “The Security Council must take all necessary measures to hold the Iranian regime fully accountable for its repeated and unrestrained gross violations of international law.”
Britain, Romania and Liberia also wrote letters to the UN Security Council stating the likeliness of Iran using drones to attack the ship off the coast of Oman. The letters said, “This attack disrupted and posed a risk to the safety and security of international shipping and was a clear violation of international law. This act must be condemned by the international community.”
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also showed support for a future peace deal and concern about recent actions from Iran, saying that, “Iran is extremely active in the region with its negative activity, whether it’s continuing to supply the Houthis with weapons or endangering shipping in the Arabian Gulf… We certainly support a deal with Iran as long as that deal ensures that Iran will not now or ever gain access to nuclear weapons technology. But that would require engaging in the region as a state actor in a normal way… not supporting militias, not sending weapons to armed groups, and most importantly, giving up a nuclear program which might be used… to develop nuclear weapons.”
With all of this unanimous agreement by nations against the recent actions made by Iran, time will only tell what decisions will be made by nations in response. Will Israel go to war with Iran, or will an attempt at peace talks between nations resume? It looks as if, regardless of the outcome, support for taking action against Iran sooner rather than later has global support.