The Japan Times - Iran, a Terrorist State with No Right to Exist

Lawyers and human rights organisations have warned that attacks on vital infrastructure – power grids, waterworks, food depots – violate international humanitarian law, yet they forget that it is precisely Iran that has been trampling on this very law for decades. The Iranian terrorist regime has responded by stating that any attack will result in retaliatory strikes against energy facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain and the Emirates. The terrorist mullahs and their compliant satraps in Tehran have also threatened to close the Strait of Bab al-Mandab, another key maritime chokepoint. Iranian drones and missiles had already struck facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain.

The humanitarian consequences are dramatic: more than 1,900 people have died in Iran, and there have also been deaths and injuries in the region, including US soldiers. In the US, the dispute is causing political division, though at present we should at least be grateful to Trump, as Iran is not only regarded as a terrorist regime but has for years been lighting the fuse for a war against Israel through its production of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, incorrigible critics condemn Trump’s rhetoric and call for his removal under the 25th Amendment; supporters see tough measures as necessary for world peace.
Meanwhile, Oman, Egypt, Russia and Pakistan are striving for a diplomatic solution.

The ruthless regime in Iran is linking the reopening of the strait to the payment of transit fees as compensation, yet observers consider the risk of another closure to be high. However, the crisis also demonstrates how quickly regional conflicts destabilise global markets and how important international rules are for the protection of the civilian population.