Die Rote Fahne Austria on the Ceasefire in Iran
We hereby share an unofficial translation of an article on the ceasefire in Iran written by Die Rote Fahne on the 10th of April.
Ceasefire in Iran: The US tactical retreat as part of a turning point in the decomposition of US imperialism
After 40 days of war and aggression by the US and Zionist Israel against Iran, a two-week ceasefire was declared on the night of Wednesday, April 8. US imperialism has so far failed to achieve any of its key war objectives—yet the Iranian national resistance has successfully held its ground and forced this ceasefire upon US imperialism. A defeat for the US—a victory for the national war of defense in Iran! Meanwhile, Zionist aggression in Lebanon is intensifying and expanding in scope—one of the signs of the fragility of the ceasefire.
The Decline of US Imperialism and a Victory for the Peoples.
While US President Donald Trump declared just before announcing the two-week ceasefire that he would “bomb Iran back to the Stone Age,” “where they belong” (1), the US’s recent tactical withdrawal is, after all, an admission of its own defeat. The US has failed to achieve “regime change,” significant concessions, the complete elimination of Iran’s military defense capabilities, or control over the Strait of Hormuz in this war. On the contrary, the initial conditions have in some respects even deteriorated for the US. The fact that US imperialism is apparently incapable of achieving even a partial success in such a war of aggression is part of a turning point in the decompostition of US imperialism.
Iran’s national resistance has so far held its ground successfully, and despite all attempts at foreign intervention, national unity in Iran appears to have been strengthened in the face of US-Israeli aggression. This ceasefire, imposed by the US, is an important victory for the peoples of the region and a victory that also comes with a humiliation of those rulers in the region who have subordinated themselves to imperialism. They have been openly exposed as servants and lackeys of US imperialism, selling out the interests of the peoples of the Middle East for petrodollars.
Israel is escalating its aggression against Lebanon
Zionism continues to play its role as the primary military aggressor in the region and is unlikely to step back from this role anytime soon. Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, Israel has actually expanded its aggression in Lebanon, carrying out 100 airstrikes in just ten minutes on Wednesday. According to reports, at least 89 people were killed and more than 700 injured. Apparently, the US enforced the ceasefire against the interests of the Israeli Zionists, and Israel is attempting to drag the US back into the war by intensifying its attacks and escalating the conflict in Lebanon. However, the US’s tactical withdrawal is also a defeat for Zionism, which is attempting to slow down its crisis through further aggression and escalation. The fact that Zionist Israel continues its aggression despite the ceasefire suggests that the US withdrawal is not yet a strategic one, and that the Zionists are still trying to persuade the US to resume the war.
The Breakdown of Imperialist Alliances
The tactical retreat of the US and the course of the war over the past 40 days also reveal a certain progressive disintegration of imperialist alliances, particularly NATO and the transatlantic US-EU alliance. While it was Trump himself who called NATO a “paper tiger,” the imperialists of the EU showed relatively great reluctance to support the aggression against Iran. The more disadvantageously the war unfolded for the US, the louder the criticism of the aggression became, even from individual US allies. Overflight rights were revoked, the use of military bases was prohibited, and the “joint protection” of the Strait of Hormuz has yet to take on any clear form.
The defense of Iran’s sovereignty, the just national war of defense, and opposition to the aggression of US imperialism and Zionist Israel remain of great importance to the peoples of the world. In Austria, too, it is necessary to further strengthen solidarity and unite even more firmly on the basis of anti-imperialism!
(1) tt.com, “Trump Announces Final Phase of the War with Iran”
