Muhammad Murtaza, Pakistani researcher and International Relations and Project Manager at the Pak Institute for Peace Studies, believes the Israeli regime is pursuing a dual strategy against Iran. And the second is to instill a wider sense of uncertainty among the public.
He said over the years, the Israeli regime established a complex network of spies and operatives in Iran, carrying out sabotage in parallel with its obvious military attacks.
In an interview with the Tehran Times, Murtaza analyzed the motivations behind Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, the role of US support in enabling these attacks, and the broader impact on stability in West Asia. He noted two Israeli extension strategies: sabotage with the brute force, he accused the distortions of Western media coverage and called for multilateral action to stand up to rising violence.
Below is the full interview:
Recently, the world has witnessed fierce attacks by the Israeli regime against Iran and its people. In your view, why is this administration committed such crimes against unprotected civilians in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran? What promotes it to continue these attacks, including targeted assassinations?
The Israeli regime is targeting Iran and its people for their clear support for the oppressed Palestinians who have faced genocide since the birth of the Israeli regime. Iran supports the oppressed people with all the means available at their disposal.
It’s no surprise that Israel will attack Iran. Over the past year, we have witnessed major changes in Iranian allies and Western Asia’s calculus, stressed by the United States-backed Israeli invasion. The perseverance of the people of Gaza and Lebanese portrays the continued resistance to Israel’s imperial ambitions in the region.
The Israeli regime believes it is ripe for making change in Iran, and its allies are weakened like the domino effect. This involves two strategies. To create uncertainty within Iran, to make politically uncertain and create an environment of uncertainty within Iran. To achieve this, for years he established a complex network of spies and facilitators within Iran, carrying out various sabotages alongside Israel’s blatant offensive acts of attack on June 13th. Assassination gives the impression by weakening the Iranian system and knocking out the top tier of the political and scientific community reaching the arrival of political and scientific communities. Second, the use of brute force is for Iran to surrender and stop supporting the Palestinians, and Iran has been committed since the start of the Islamic Revolution.
The Israeli regime claims it is targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, which have clearly struck hospitals, infrastructure and media agencies, with many of the victims being women and children. How can you explain this contradiction? What is the real purpose behind these actions?
The ethnocentric notion of being a good race that overwhelms the Israeli regime is evident from the strikes against non-military targets and non-combatants, and is a serious violation of international law. Attacks on hospitals, infrastructure and media agencies aim to hide the failure to achieve success by targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. The Israeli regime’s claims to target Iran’s nuclear and missile programs exceed its strike capabilities. This is clear from the United States, which is leading strikes at the nuclear sites of Natanz, Fordau and Esfahan just days after the Israeli regime’s attack on Iran.
The true purpose of determining the provocative actions of the Israeli regime against Iran can be assessed through two scenarios. Working closely with the United States, it was a military operation against Iran, and ultimately the United States took part in the movement’s actions against Iran despite smoking in nuclear talks.
Second, economic pressures and secret operations to undermine the Islamic revolution. Now we are witnessing both scenarios unfolding right in front of us at the same time. To minimize the threat from Iran, the Israeli regime is trying to change the Iranian political system that adopted these two aspects.
The United Nations and many human rights groups document the Israeli regime’s war crimes, but the Western government continues to support it military and politically. Why do you think the West will remain silent in the face of these crimes?
The silence of Western countries among all the war crimes of Israeli invasions depicts a large depiction of the accomplices of these countries, depicting ideas that overwhelm the western capital.
Western media often portrays the Israeli regime as acting in self-defense, ignoring the civilian massacres in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. How do you interpret this media bias and what can you do to counter it?
The biases of existing media date back to their origins as they meet the needs of the capitalist system, as their true value lies within yellow journalism. One element of war involves “a war of stories that helps to conceal the war crimes committed by invaders. This relies primarily on misinformation and misinformation. In most cases, cases reported by Western media are lacking facts, sometimes intentionally misleading viewers.
By ignoring the Israeli regime’s offensive actions and portraying the massacre of innocent civilians as self-defense, Western media clearly establishes double standards. As digital spaces have reduced global spaces, the best strategy is to effectively use these digital spaces to counter the narrative of mainstream media. This also involves responsible reporting of events taking place, resolving the heinous crimes of Israeli aggression in an organized way so that the natural man prefers truth over lies.
What do you think is the long-term goal of the Zionist regime’s aggressive and expandist policies? What threats do these ambitions pose to our West Asian neighbors?
The long-term goal of the Zionist regime is to form the “great Israel” that is envisaged by establishing a father, a vision that transcends all boundaries. Extra territorial manipulation certifies the thinking patterns of Zionist regimes. Historical precedents create most of its Zionist regimes using kinematic and diplomatic tools whenever an opportunity arises to wallet an expansionist policy. It could be the Arab-Israel War, Camp David, or the Oslo Accord.
In modern times, we can observe similar patterns, with normalising our relationship with our Arab neighbors under Abrahamic cooperation, and at the same time, resonating with resistance to challenge our illegitimate existence. These offensive and expandist policies pose serious threats to our neighbors and to our entire West Asia.
The United States routinely rejects UN resolutions condemning the crimes of the Israeli regime. In your opinion, does US policy allow and maintain these attacks? Can either system be held accountable?
The United States is a pioneer of international orders based on established rule after World War II. Since then, the United States itself has never stuck to the value of the systems it has created.
Despite the condemnation of the UN war crimes committed by the Israeli regime. The United States supports the administration not only in diplomacy, but also in economic and military terms. Before the Israeli regime struck Iran, the US was eager to negotiate with Iran on the nuclear issue, but all efforts were upside down by the Israeli regime acting as a satellite state of the US in West Asia.
Furthermore, the US’s latest strike at Iran’s nuclear site shows ties between both regimes to destabilise the region. To be accountable, the international community should take action at a multilateral level. The decision makers of these regimes should be brought to trial in the International Criminal Court, and the administration should be brought to trial in the International Court of Justice.
Second, the comprehensive sanctions mechanisms imposed on these regimes. This can be achieved with the great Eastern countries, strengthening cooperation within the Global South. Finally, we collectively invest in research and development to develop alternative technologies comparable to these regimes.
What is your personal reaction to this administration’s recent attack on Iran and civilian killings? What message would you like to share?
These are difficult times, and the collective response of the Iranian state will defeat these acts of aggression. We support the side of Iranian brothers and sisters in these times and support them on the average possible.