By Qamar Bashir
In a shocking revelation that sent ripples across global diplomatic circles, U.S. President Donald Trump recently vetoed a covert Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The plan, reportedly hatched by Israeli intelligence and pushed forward by Prime Minister Netanyahu, was seen by many as a desperate move to provoke a full-scale regional war under the pretext of nuclear containment—a narrative Israel has been nurturing for over thirty years. Iran, notably, does not possess nuclear weapons, a fact verified time and again by international watchdogs.
Israel’s obsession with Iran has little to do with nuclear fears and more to do with Tehran’s refusal to bow to Israeli supremacy. Since its inception, Israel has either dismantled or neutralized regimes that dared challenge its military and political dominance. Iran remains the last ideological adversary. Netanyahu’s dream of bringing down the Iranian regime was merely an extension of this hegemonic vision. The “nuclear threat” was a convenient excuse—much like the WMD hoax used to obliterate Iraq.
As a Muslim bearing the wounds of a broken Ummah, one cannot help but feel a deep, bitter sense of despair, humiliation, and abandonment. Wherever Muslims have been oppressed—be it Kashmir, Burma, Bosnia, Palestine, or Sub-Saharan Africa—they have been silenced, murdered, and exiled with brutal impunity. And tragically, no Muslim nation has risen to their aid—not militarily, not diplomatically, and not morally.
Kashmir remains under siege by India’s military. The region is a shadow of its former self, where people are deprived of political rights, economic liberty, and even the basic right to movement or speech. India has converted it into a prison, and the world, especially the Muslim world, has turned a blind eye.
The same holds true for the Rohingya Muslims in Burma, driven from their homes, raped, and murdered in droves. Stateless and impoverished, they continue to suffer in camps. In Bosnia, the genocide carried out by Serbians left millions of Muslims dead or displaced. Gaza has become a permanent warzone where generations have grown up knowing only fear, hunger, and death. The death toll in Gaza alone has surpassed 75,000 civilians, yet the Muslim world’s silence is deafening.
Meanwhile, Israel flourishes with impunity. Encircled by silent Arab nations rich in oil and influence, it bombs Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon without pause or consequence. The October 7 attack by Hamas, widely condemned, was immediately used as a moral blank check by Israel to raze entire neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, and refugee camps. Its justification? That Hamas hides among civilians. But no civilized legal or moral system would condone the mass killing of civilians as retribution.
Israel brands itself as the “most moral army in the world,” a claim that collapses under the weight of its actions. When it bombed civilian targets in Gaza, it declared them legitimate; now, when Iranian missiles strike military targets in Israel, it cries foul. The hypocrisy is stunning.
But for the first time, that myth of Israeli invincibility has been shattered. Despite being crippled by over three decades of Western sanctions, Iran mustered the will, technological capability, and national unity to retaliate forcefully. Its missiles evaded Israel’s prized defense systems—Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Patriot batteries—hitting strategic sites and exposing the hollowness of Israeli arrogance. Iran’s defiance was not just military; it was moral and symbolic.
What startled observers was the response—or lack thereof—from the international community. When Israel called for help, no nation rushed to its side. Even President Trump held back, declaring that America would not intervene unless U.S. interests were directly threatened. This marks a tectonic shift in America’s blind allegiance to Israel.
And now, Trump’s strategy is becoming clear.
In hindsight, Trump’s game was brilliantly Machiavellian. First, he encouraged both Israel and Iran to pursue nuclear negotiations. When Israel sabotaged that process with its reckless airstrikes, Trump remained publicly aloof. He let Israel bear the brunt of Iranian retaliation while quietly calculating the diplomatic fallout. Israel, intoxicated by power and assured of international backing, assumed Iran would not respond. But it did—and with deadly precision.
The result? Israel is isolated. Its defense narrative is crumbling. Its allies are retreating. And now, with its arrogance bruised and its invincibility myth destroyed, Israel is finally talking about returning to negotiations. Trump is again hinting that a diplomatic resolution is not only possible but likely. And this time, it might work.
Why? Because Iran never left the negotiation table. It was Israel that walked away and triggered the escalation. Iran, despite the provocations, held its ground diplomatically while defending itself militarily. Now, with leverage restored and deterrence firmly established, Iran is negotiating from a position of strength. This shift could offer the most fertile ground for a lasting resolution in years.
However, settling the issue won’t be easy. The U.S. and Israel’s demands extend far beyond nuclear non-proliferation. They want Iran to cut ties with Hezbollah, the Houthis, the Syrian regime, and most importantly, Hamas. These demands are aimed at dismantling Iran’s ideological and strategic support for resistance groups that defend oppressed Muslim populations. But Iran is the only Muslim country that refuses to yield. It supports the oppressed not just rhetorically, but financially, diplomatically, and militarily.
This is Iran’s real “crime” in the eyes of the West—not its nuclear ambitions, but its unwavering support for Palestine and other subjugated Muslim communities. That is the red line for Israel and the U.S., and it is why they have waged an endless campaign to contain or destroy Iran.
Iran’s resilience should now serve as a beacon for the Muslim world. For decades, Muslims have watched their brethren suffer while their governments remained spineless. Iran, despite its economic isolation, stood firm. It not only survived but demonstrated that it could hurt those who believed themselves untouchable.
What terrifies Israel now is not Iran’s missiles—it is Iran’s example. If one sanctioned, isolated, Muslim-majority country can rise and challenge the status quo, what happens if others follow? What if other Muslim nations find the courage to defy oppression and injustice with action rather than silence?
This fear is precisely why Israel is ramping up its propaganda campaign, trying to portray Iran as the global threat. But the narrative is failing. Even former allies are growing wary of Israel’s endless wars. The old equation—Israel attacks, the world supports—no longer holds.
Let this moment be remembered not just as a military confrontation, but as a moral awakening. Iran has reminded the world that the oppressed are not voiceless. That dignity, when paired with courage, can upend even the strongest empires. The centers of power are shifting—China is rising, Europe is reasserting its independence, Russia remains potent, and now, Iran has emerged as a formidable power of resistance.
Let this also be a lesson to Muslims everywhere: silence is complicity. Action is the only antidote to oppression. The world may not hand over justice—but it respects those who demand it. And for once, a nation did. Iran did.
About Writer is
Press Secretary to the President (Rtd)
Former Press Minister at the Embassy of Pakistan to France
Former MD, SRBC
Macomb, Michigan, USA
