Iran has its own reasons for hostilities to continue
12 June 2025 - 05:00
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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Picture: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA/handout via REUTERS
The continuing attacks on Israel are absurd, effectively surrendering to either or both of a “woke” viewpoint and the extremists on the far end of the Muslim community (led by Iran for its own purposes). I suspect it is in the interests of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to keep the pot boiling so as to garner support for its religious conflict with Saudi Arabia and to keep himself in power in an increasingly disenchanted country. Iraq’s status is unclear.
The facts are that on the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 by the UN, five neighbouring Islamic countries immediately attacked the new nation. They lost the war they started and have continued to do so in all subsequent engagements. Recently, Iran began a policy of covert and indirect employment of proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis of Yemen are all expendable tools of Khamenei.
The UK has an interesting problem. Over the years, it has allowed a substantial Muslim population to develop. Now, Muslims are becoming a powerful pressure group on the Labour Party.
Robert Stone By e-mail
The FM welcomes concise letters from readers. They can be sent to fmmail@fm.co.za
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Two sides to Israel conflict
Iran has its own reasons for hostilities to continue
The continuing attacks on Israel are absurd, effectively surrendering to either or both of a “woke” viewpoint and the extremists on the far end of the Muslim community (led by Iran for its own purposes). I suspect it is in the interests of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to keep the pot boiling so as to garner support for its religious conflict with Saudi Arabia and to keep himself in power in an increasingly disenchanted country. Iraq’s status is unclear.
The facts are that on the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 by the UN, five neighbouring Islamic countries immediately attacked the new nation. They lost the war they started and have continued to do so in all subsequent engagements. Recently, Iran began a policy of covert and indirect employment of proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis of Yemen are all expendable tools of Khamenei.
The UK has an interesting problem. Over the years, it has allowed a substantial Muslim population to develop. Now, Muslims are becoming a powerful pressure group on the Labour Party.
Robert Stone
By e-mail
The FM welcomes concise letters from readers. They can be sent to fmmail@fm.co.za
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