There is now no doubt that regarding the conflict with Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump is losing his patience. Not only is he using absurd and offensive language against Iran, but he is also threatening to eliminate it in a single night. One reason for this is believed to be that the major military operation Trump mentioned to rescue a U.S. Air Force officer trapped in Iran was, according to Iran, actually aimed at bringing enriched uranium from the nuclear facility located in the Isfahan province. This prompted the U.S. to send 155 fighter jets into Iran. Trump glorified this military rescue operation at his press conference, calling it the most astonishing feat so far. Several advanced U.S. fighter planes were destroyed in this operation, but more dangerously, Trump threatened at the same press conference that if Iran did not agree to a ceasefire under U.S. conditions within 24 hours, a devastating attack would be launched, destroying not only Iran’s military infrastructure but also civilian structures, essentially returning the country to the Stone Age.
The deadline for this ultimatum ends tonight, so by the time readers hold this newspaper, they may read reports of destructive attacks on Iran. Meanwhile, the war between Iran, Israel, and the U.S. has reached a stage where both sides are targeting commercial and civilian establishments in each other’s spheres of influence. On one hand, Israel has threatened to target Iran’s railway network, while Iran is causing damage to U.S. military installations in Israel and Gulf countries, along with their commercial institutions. Clearly, this war is no longer being fought under any international rules of warfare; its nature has become anti-human. As a result, most countries are confused about which stance to take.
Trump openly says that if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz for navigation as before, within 24 hours he will blow up all major Iranian bridges and destroy every power plant. On the other hand, Iran has secretly mapped Israel’s power plants with the intention of destroying them. This indicates that the war is now affecting civilians rather than just the armies, which is extremely dangerous for the 21st century. Surprisingly, it is the United States, a powerful nation that claims to uphold human rights, that has chosen this path. If the world follows this route, how can global chaos be prevented? On examining the matter, Gandhian philosophy offers a solution. Mahatma Gandhi firmly believed that if the principle of “an eye for an eye” were considered correct, one day the whole world would go blind. This idea stems from Indian philosophy, which teaches non-violence as the highest duty. Therefore, India has never needed to prove that it is a world leader; its spiritual knowledge and philosophical wisdom have sufficed. What we see in West Asia today is the law of “an eye for an eye,” hiding total destruction.
Indeed, this war is being imposed on Iran by the U.S., as Trump openly calls the Iranian leadership animals and describes their regime as terrorist. Meanwhile, he strengthens friendship with countries like Pakistan, which integrates terrorism into its foreign policy. At one moment, Trump says the affected countries should themselves ensure the Strait of Hormuz is open, and at another, he threatens to destroy Iran in a single night if it does not comply. On February 28, he began this war, claiming his goal was to change Iran’s regime and even assassinate its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Later, he claimed that he wanted to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, so Iran should accept his terms and reach an agreement.
It should be noted that until 1953, Iran had an open democracy like India, led by Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. Mossadegh’s only “mistake” was nationalizing Iran’s oil companies, as British and American companies had long dominated Iranian oil, paying only minimal royalties. Mossadegh’s move to prevent foreign exploitation was unacceptable to the U.S., which overthrew him and reinstated the Shah. Later, in 1979, the Islamic Revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini brought a religious governance system to Iran, again influenced by Western powers, as the U.S. was promoting religious fundamentalist groups in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. Today, Trump’s focus is again on Iranian oil, much like it was on Venezuelan oil.
Thus, we are witnessing a directionless and destructive war that threatens to change the entire global order. Gulf countries are also suffering in this conflict, affecting millions of Indians who work there to earn their livelihood.
