CHINA RUSSIA IRAN

SABBY SABS—The discussion with Professor Marandi provides a detailed critique of the current Middle East conflict from an Iranian perspective. It underscores the centrality of US military presence in escalating regional tensions, the unity and determination of the Iranian people, and the severe global risks posed by continued warfare, including nuclear escalation and economic collapse. It also highlights the role of media manipulation and political deceit in shaping public narratives about the war.

EI—Jon Elmer, contributing editor, covers the third week of the war across the region, including developments in the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon. This is a segment from The Electronic Intifada’s livestream on day 895 of the Gaza genocide. Ali Abunimah, Nora Barrows-Friedman and Jon Elmer were joined by Iranian scholar Setareh Sadeqi.

GER—A top advisor to Donald Trump, billionaire venture capitalist David Sacks, warned that, if the war on Iran continues, “Israel could just be destroyed”, or it could even use a nuclear weapon. Ben Norton explains how Washington sabotaged multiple peace deals and negotiations with Tehran, putting the world on the path toward catastrophe.

INDRAJIT—Now let me offer my own opinion, which is that I support Iran. I do not try to map Western views onto them, and I try to understand them on their own terms. I approach them with respect and try to learn from them, especially if I don’t immediately understand what they’re doing. The first point is that Iran obviously takes their faith seriously and I agree with Khamenei that nuclear weapons are bad, I think everybody does. This is both a Quranic imperative and a Kantian categorical imperative. I don’t know when everybody got so cynical, but Iran is showing in many ways that taking a moral stand is possible and I support this wholeheartedly.

OLIVER BOYD-BARRETT—The damage to the global economy caused by the closure of Hormuz is hardly limited to oil and gas, but also extends to fertilizer (manufactured from natural gas), shortages of which will decrease food production in coming months and increase food prices and, therefore, hunger, something of concern to Iran too, given that it has faced food and water shortages for quite some time in advance of this war, which is why it is allowing some grain ships through the Strait. Just as the shortage of oil is benefiting Russia, so also is the shortage of fertilizer, as Russia is a preeminent supplier worldwide.