July 19 2026
Editorial Team
There is only one point on which we find common ground with Donald Trump in the Iranian affair and it's not his folly in the Strait of Hormuz: it's the urgent need to eradicate any of Iran's nuclear ambitions. A theocratic fundamentalist regime should never possess the capability to harness nuclear power for any purpose. Iran has repeatedly demonstrated that it cannot be trusted and remains a persistent source of instability in Middle Eastern affairs. If the United States has indeed intensified its military campaign against Iran—especially targeting critical nuclear facilities like the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant, as suggested by reports from Turkish media—then so be it. Such actions may ultimately benefit the broader international community and salvage a war that should never have started in the first place.
As expected, the recent wave of airstrikes, carried out overnight, has prompted strong condemnation from officials in Tehran, who characterize these actions as flagrant violations of international law. However, if they were truly concerned about international law, the mullahs might want to reflect on their own behavior towards all the dissenters whom they have silenced or the military takeover of Lebanon or the troubling treatment of women within their society, etc. To hide behind cultural barriers in order to exterminate your people is not acceptable under international law. But they do it nonetheless.
Tehran also seems to overlook the fact that the U.S. initiated its offensive with the goal of dismantling Iran's potential to develop nuclear capabilities, a strategy that wasn't even included in the previous Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Therefore, if Trump has shifted his stance from the days of the ineffective MOU regarding Iran's nuclear program, that's a positive development. It left me astonished when he previously suggested that Iran should be allowed to develop nuclear facilities for peaceful purposes.
The fixation with Trump
Simultaneously, the Iranian regime's rhetoric has taken a menacing turn, with a new billboard in Tehran ominously hinting at President Trump's potential targeting.
Following the death of regime critic Lindsey Graham, this billboard, strategically placed in the central Valiasr Square, poses the question: "Who is D nexT one?" underscoring the anger and motivation within Iran to retaliate against those they perceive as threats. Graham's outspoken criticism of the Iranian regime made him a significant villain in Iran, and his death has only fueled Iran's fixation with targeting more U.S. officials, with a particular focus on Trump.
This fixation stems partly from the aftermath of the assassination of their religious leader, which has left the Iranian government in a state of urgent desire for retribution against those they hold responsible.
The political and military tensions have intensified in the region since the onset of this conflict, especially after the proposed peace agreement brokered by Pakistan fell through. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has continued its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, warning vessels against attempting to pass through without adhering to their directives.
Iran claims that the death toll from U.S. airstrikes has surged, with reports indicating that 50 people were killed and over 500 wounded in just the past three weeks. The ongoing violence has claimed the lives of 16 American service members since the war began in February, highlighting the increasing costs of this confrontation.
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