Trump bombs Iran – the UK must oppose it

Trump has attacked Iran, in a brazen US-Israeli act of aggression that is still ongoing. This time, their open aim is regime change.

Addressing the Iranian people, Trump claimed: “I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand… When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”

But US bombs do not help build popular movements – they suppress them. Trump’s attack only serves his own interests, and those of Israel, whose prime minister is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Gaza. The US-Israel war machine must be stopped.

The bombing comes despite peace talks being “within reach”, according to a negotiator from Oman. These attacks appear a deliberate attempt to sabotage those talks, a tactic regularly employed by Israel. Neither Trump nor Netanyahu want peace – they are engaged in war to subjugate the Middle East.

These latest reckless and illegal actions follow the US-backed genocide in Gaza, now entering its third year. Israel has bombed Lebanon, Yemen, Qatar, and Iran, since it launched its genocide in Gaza, and has done so with total impunity.

This is an incredibly dangerous moment. Trump has unilaterally started what could become a major regional war. His claim to be the ‘peace prize president’, already absurd, is now clearly finished.

The UK has reportedly not allowed the use of its military bases as part of the operation so far, citing ‘concerns’ over international law – which Trump is blatantly violating. But Starmer’s government seems content to watch what is clearly a blatant violation of the UN Charter by its close allies in near silence. Once again, Britain will tolerate the most serious violations of international law if they’re committed by its allies.

We demand our government lives up to its obligations. The UK has a duty to assert all its political and diplomatic leverage on both the US and Israel to stop their attacks, and bring Iran back to international talks to de-escalate this crisis. We call on the UK to ban weapons exports and imports, suspend intelligence cooperation with both the US and Israel, and clearly demand an end to the bombing.

We need to work with countries around the world to constrain Israel, a dangerous rogue state, and urgently break our dependence on the USA by developing a properly independent foreign policy.