00:00Let's now go deeper on the analysis of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
00:04For that, we are joined by Arnold August, author and journalist on geopolitics.
00:09Welcome, Arnold, to From the South.
00:11Thank you very much for inviting me.
00:13It's a pleasure to exchange with you once again, Luis Alberto from Montreal.
00:17My greetings to the staff of Telesur in Havana as well as in Caracas.
00:23Thank you for your time as well.
00:25It's always a pleasure to have you with us.
00:27Arnold, moments ago, Iran launched its latest wave of attacks in response to the ongoing Israeli aggressions.
00:33What can you tell us of the current context and ripple effects that the ongoing hostilities will have in the region and beyond?
00:40And was this attack a way to sabotage any attempt at a nuclear or diplomatic agreement between Iran and the West?
00:47Well, I think the first thing – sorry – I would like to point out is that the U.S.-Israeli policy in attacking Iran, it has nothing really to do with the issue of nuclear weapons or the eventual production of nuclear weapons by Iran.
01:09The overall main objective is regime change in Iran.
01:14Their goal is to overthrow the Islamic revolution because of its support for the Palestinian people and its close ties with other – with Arab and Islamic countries in the region.
01:28Today, in my view, a very significant escalation took place.
01:33As a journalist who is a regular contributor to press TV – I must have given about 20 or 30 interviews over the last few years – I was outraged personally, as I know you are as a journalist as well – that the Israeli regime, backed by the United States, bombed the main broadcasting network of Iran in Tehran.
02:00It was quite a moving scene.
02:01It was quite a moving scene.
02:02I saw that on TV.
02:03It was tweeted out by some people.
02:06You know, the United States and – well, U.S.-backed Israel gave a warning to the staff at the broadcasting building to evacuate.
02:16However, they refused to evacuate.
02:19And we can see on television one of the most prominent, well-known news personalities speaking in Farsi, her native language of Iran speaking in Farsi.
02:31She kept on giving the news even though she knew that bombs were about to fall and she only had to leave the scene when the bomb actually fell.
02:42And I got another very interesting observation by Professor Syed Mohamed Marandi.
02:50He is, you know, a professor at the University of Tehran and I think it is unanimous by us – from us in the West – he speaks perfect English, of course – that he is the best journalist, expert, dealing with the current situation.
03:06He deals with – he goes on all TV shows, whether they're right-wing, left-wing, progressive.
03:12And he is so masterful in it that he leaves even the most antagonistic journalist mouthbound.
03:22They can't say anything.
03:23So he was there.
03:24What did he tweet out?
03:25He said he tweeted out that this was taking place, that he himself was in the building.
03:31This, you know, makes me a bit nervous because we need Professor Marandi as many others.
03:37He was in the building when the attack took place.
03:40He was preparing, as he said, for the important TV interview for a right-wing Zionist well-known, Piers Morgan, when the attack hit.
03:50But he stayed there.
03:51He said, I'm staying anyways.
03:52And he noted – he noted that even while this was happening, Piers Morgan, this right-wing Zionist from England, kept on his usual rant against Iran as a cause of the current conflict.
04:05So I think this is an important point with regards for – with regards to journalism, their freedom of expression.
04:11And Iran responded immediately just a few seconds ago, saying as a result of this latest attack on its main broadcasting building, injuring many people, it is also represents a new escalation because they are directly hitting on the right of the Iranian people to inform themselves of what is happening.
04:34And they said very clearly, this is going to lead to an escalation.
04:39So Israel and the United States and their allies, their supporters, their puppets, better get this straight.
04:46Tonight something else is coming from Iran against Israel.
04:51Arnold, we were referring – you were referring to the attacks on the media, of course.
04:55And besides the conflict that is right now happening between Iran and Israel, there is also a conflict in the media, as you were saying, because you see both sides.
05:05And the Western media in particular, what do you think?
05:08That they always, like, justify and defend Israeli violence and aggression.
05:13We have seen that in what is happening right now.
05:15We have also seen it in the past two years in its attacks against Gaza, against the Palestinian people.
05:21And then they are quickly going to demonize Iran's legitimate response.
05:26Why do you think this is happening in that context as well?
05:29Well, the mainstream corporative media, as you know, they pretty much peddle the main line that is submitted by the U.S. State Department, the White House, as well as the Israeli Defense Forces.
05:43Their main keyword, they never refer to the Iranian government as a government.
05:49The key word regime – by saying regime, regime, regime – this is a very – not very subtle way of saying, seeing as it's a regime, it deserves to be overthrown.
06:01Secondly, you know, after the initial stages when Israel launched that surprise – some people are saying it's the Pearl Harbor of the Middle East, it is to an extent – against Iran.
06:15And their initial reaction, their initial reaction, their initial reaction was mitigated, but soon after, they went into line with the overall position of the U.S. ruling circles and saying Israel has a right to defend itself.
06:29Completely obliterate the fact that Israel is the one that attacked Iran.
06:35They keep on talking about negotiations.
06:37You know, they even say, oh, Iran left the negotiating table on the nuclear arms.
06:44That is false.
06:45It's completely false.
06:47Iran was at the negotiating table a few days ago with the United States when Israel launched that surprise attack against Iran.
06:59So this is some of the basic, you know, talking points.
07:02Once again, going into, as you said, you know, regard to Palestine, Israel has the right to defend itself.
07:07Now, Israel has the right to defend itself against Iran.
07:10But I think more and more people world over are seeing through this.
07:14And there are important international repercussions as well regarding the positions of other nation states.
07:21Going back to geopolitics, how do you see the results coming out of this conflict?
07:26How do you see the geopolitics changes in the region?
07:28And also, do you believe that Iran comes reinforced in terms of political power to the international arena following its legitimate defense against Israel?
07:38Yes, I think that's a very good question.
07:40I'm glad that you asked it so we could exchange on that.
07:43You know, if you look at the media, the corporate media here in the United States or in Canada or Western Europe,
07:51they keep on repeating the same, oh, give the impression or saying so openly that Iran is all alone and Israel has a lot of support.
08:00That's wrong.
08:01Just in the last few days, for example, important countries, China made a very important statement in support of Iran.
08:08And additionally, the SCO, the Shanghai Cooperative Organization, which includes dozens of countries in West Asia, very important West Asia,
08:21they gave out a declaration supporting Iran's right to defend itself against Israel.
08:27Of course, one of those countries in the SCO, the Shanghai Corporation Organization, India, they gave out their own declaration saying they don't agree with it.
08:38Well, India is another problem.
08:39I guess we have to deal with that in another time.
08:42But you have the SCO, you have China.
08:45And this is very important.
08:47And, of course, in Latin America, the ALBA countries, countries in many parts of the world, especially in the global south.
08:54And then, of course, Russia took a very strong stand in support of Iran.
08:59And even the United Arab Emirates and the United Arab Republic, in their own way, they say they don't agree with the Israeli attack against Iran.
09:11But that is pretty superficial, but it's a good indication that not that, you know, contrary to what the Western media is saying, Iran is not isolated.
09:22I mean, you know, it's very ironic, Alberto, that Netanyahu made a speech directly addressing the Iranian people, asking them to rise up against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
09:40And, of course, you know, install a government that would be pro-US.
09:44But what is the reaction of the people in Iran?
09:46I've been following very closely on social media.
09:49And the people in Iran are applauding.
09:52They're sitting on the rooftops, playing music, applauding the missiles that are being fired by Iran against Israel.
09:59The same thing in Palestine.
10:01Is Palestine confused on this issue?
10:03No, they are also applauding the missiles as they see it flying over from Tehran into Israel, into the occupied territories.
10:11So any attempt at regime change that the United States is trying to spark in Iran is backfiring already.
10:21I mean, just as a funny anecdote, if I may, I've been scouring the Internet to find who supports Netanyahu's stand.
10:31What I found is quite hilarious.
10:33I could send you the tweet later if you're interested.
10:35It's from an Australian Zionist in a bomb shelter in Tel Aviv saying that we are suffering now and we need, we want the people of Iran to overthrow the government of the Iranian Islamic Republic.
10:53That's as far as they go, these, you know, Australian, you know, white Zionists hunkered down in a bomb shelter, giving, echoing the call of Netanyahu to support regime change.
11:08This shows how hollow the U.S.-Israeli narrative and how they cannot win the narrative rule this time around, either as they did not win it with regards to Palestine and with regards to Gaza and also with regards to its attacks on southern Lebanon.
11:26Thank you, Arnold. Unfortunately, this is all we have time for now.
11:29We hope to, we can stay in touch so we can continue discussing and debating on the current situation in the Middle East and its impacts, the future impacts in the region.
11:37It's always a pleasure for me. You can count to me anytime. Thank you.
11:41Thank you. It's always a pleasure to have you as well.
