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Comment by ericmay | Hacker News Reader

If that’s the case, good. Let’s hope it is successful. Iran is solely responsible for a lot, perhaps most, of the geopolitical problems in the Middle East.

The US isn’t trying to restrict Venezuela’s oil sales. It is restricting those sales and part of that work, remember Russia invaded Ukraine and aids Iran in destabilizing the Middle East, is the seizure of ships flying under false flags in violation of international maritime law and in violation of US and European Union sanctions on Russian oil sales.

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This is true if you ignore that the US has destabilized relations with Iran at every turn. There have been various times in modern history when relations could have been normalized and every time the US has instead just decided to keep them as a “Bad Guy” to posture against - well one party at least. Yet when they work against the interests of the US everyone is surprised.

Nah, Iran isn't innocent here. Nobody forces them to try and build nuclear bombs, chant death to Jews, or fund literal terrorist groups who do crazy things.

It's fair to be critical of the United States (which was also largely cleaning up European colonial messes in the Middle East), but it's not fair to take away Iran's agency and blame all of its ills on the United States.

> Nobody forces them to try and build nuclear bombs, chant death to Jews, or fund literal terrorist groups who do crazy things.

Swap “Jews” with “Arabs” and you’d be describing Israel, except they don’t just chant and already have nuclear bombs

Link me a video I want to be informed if this is actually the case.

This guy's story covers both (the crazy illegal actions and the nuclear weapons program.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordechai_Vanunu

Apologies, I meant the chanting, the nuclear thing is well documented but yes thanks for the link to that.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/thousands-of-israeli-nati... (May 2025)

I don't recall Israel threatening Arabs in the context of committing genocide or wiping, say, Iraq and Saudi Arabia off the map. Instead it's about getting Iran specifically to stop funding Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and other groups never mind ISIS/ISIL &c.

Israel isn't innocent either. Their actions in Gaza went beyond what was necessary, in my opinion, but I will never accept or entertain a discussion where all the blame just goes to Israel or just goes to the United States.

Neither Israel or the United States are doing what Iran is doing. Iran actively chooses to be belligerent because their authoritarian leaders, who also like to help Russia invade and bomb Ukraine mind you, need an enemy to try and maintain appearances.

I don't know but I don't doubt that Israel has a nuclear bomb. I also don't have a problem with it, because unlike Iran they don't go around threatening their neighbors with nuclear holocaust and destruction, like Iran does.

Israel is creating starvation conditions in Gaza right now, that's worse than a threat.

What does that have to do with Iran? Well, of course besides funding and equipping Hamas to go do dumb things like attack Israel.

Are the Palestinians Iranian citizens? They weren't the last I checked. So no need for Iran to be involved there.

If you want to argue that Israel is "doing things right now" in this broad context against Arabs well, so did Hamas, Hezbollah, and others against Israelis. Iran threatens nuclear holocaust on Israel, Iran also launched ballistic missiles at Israel, funds ISIS/ISIL, Hezbollah, destabilized Syria and tried to destabilize Iraq. Maybe everyone just deserves what is happening to them?

>Are the Palestinians Iranian citizens? They weren't the last I checked. So no need for Iran to be involved there.

I don't think it should be possible to kill two million people in a well planned and organised fashion without getting everyone involved...

I agree. The United States specifically should get involved and secure Gaza and institute peace, kick out Hamas, and ensure that no weapons from Iran are flowing to the area and causing a humanitarian disaster by encouraging and facilitating continuing bloodshed.

Iran has conflicting values and has never stopped funding groups that violently support their view even when Obama was president so this is a very myopic view to take.

While the US is not guiltless, there is still plenty of blame that Iran needs to take itself.

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