By: Dr. Asghar Masoudi
After 76 years of occupation and other crimes by the Zionist regime, Hamas and other Palestinian Resistance groups in Gaza launched the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation on October 7th, 2023 to terminate occupation and crimes against humanity.
This decision was made by the leaders of the resistance front and the people of Palestine and Gaza. However, based on the principled policies, Iran supported the Palestinian nation and resistance groups to help terminate the occupation.
The Zionist regime, enjoying the full support of the US and some Western countries, amid silence and inaction of the international community, has committed an unprecedented genocide in Palestine and massacred more than 42 thousand innocent people, including children and women.
The regime destroyed all the infrastructures of Gaza, the West Bank of the Jordan River and recently Lebanon by attacking hospitals, schools, ambulances and journalists violating all recognized international rules and regulations and humanitarian rights.
The world is witnessing genocide, infanticide, crimes against humanity, violation of human rights, breach of sovereignty and territorial integrity, use of weapons of mass destruction, recourse to cyber and technological terrorism, assassination, violation of diplomatic rights and invasion of diplomatic places, destruction of the cultural sites and the common heritages of humanity. Still American and Western officials nod to these crimes as the implementation of justice by the regime.
On the day of the Oath-taking ceremony of the President-elect of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Zionist regime assassinated the former Prime Minister of Palestine and Hemas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in violation of all international regulations and in egregious violation of Iranian sovereignty. According to international law, Iran has the right to resort to countermeasures as an inherent, legal and enforceable right.
However, due to the on-going negotiations for a ceasefire and in response to the requests of many countries and in order to reduce part of the suffering of the defenceless people of Gaza, the Islamic Republic of Iran restrained to exercise its right to self-defence until the end of the negotiations.
Meanwhile, it was proved that these requests were a conspiracy to gain more time and to complete the operational plan of the regime in Gaza and to get prepared for the invasion of the West Bank and Lebanon.
After Gaza, the Zionist regime extended its aggression to Lebanon, and on September 27, 2024, in an inhumane act, the regime attacked Lebanon with 85 one-ton American bunker buster bombs leading to the martyrdom of Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. In this terrorist operation, in addition to Hezbollah members and civilians, General Abbas Nilforoushan, Iranian senior military adviser in Beirut, were also martyred.
Within the framework of the international rules and regulations, the provisions of the Article 51 of the UN Charter and after two months of restraint, in response to the aggressive actions of the Zionist regime, including the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran in the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, massacre of the Palestinian and Lebanese people and wounding Iranian ambassador in Lebanon during the Pagers explosion, the defensive missile operation of the Islamic Republic of Iran was launched on Tuesday, October 10th, 2024.
Unlike the Zionist regime, targeting the civilians and civil infrastructures, according to the principles of morality and Islamic principles and in full compliance with the principle of distinction in international humanitarian law, Iran targeted military and security bases that are responsible for the genocide in Gaza and Lebanon. Based on the objectives of the operation, more than 90% of the designated targets were successfully hit.
The Islamic Republic of Iran never intends to invade another country and seeks for the regional and global peace and stability, still remains serious in implementing the inherent right of legitimate defence against any aggression.
Iran’s operation is now ended, unless the Israeli regime continues its aggression in violation of Iran’s sovereignty or any other dangerous adventurism. In this case, Iran’s response will prove even stronger.
The Islamic Republic of Iran will give a decisive and strong response to any breach of its territory and interests by any aggressor and from any point.
Instead of rhetoric, the US and western supporters of the Zionist regime should stop weaponizing and financially supporting the Israeli regime to prove their claim in preventing a large-scale regional war.
The Zionist regime considers the only way out of the current state of affairs in an all-out regional and international war with the participation of the US. Therefore, the supporters of the regime, especially the US, are now more responsible for preventing a war.
The international community, especially the Islamic countries, while expressly condemning the illegal acts of the Zionist regime, need to fulfil their much delayed duties to end the aggression and genocide by the Israeli regime.
(The writer is a Director General of Iran Culture Center-Lahore)
