Gangster empire: what the bombing of Iran reveals about the West

We have now entered a new phase of Western-led global savagery — prefigured by the genocide in Gaza — in which all pretences have been dropped and only the logic of raw, unrestrained violence remains

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Here are some reflections of mine on the recent US attack on Iran. To begin with, I believe that the reckless, illegal and unprovoked bombing of a sovereign nation — especially its civilian nuclear facilities — must be unequivocally condemned and opposed, regardless of its consequences. Even if the attack were to somehow leave no fallout, it would still constitute a grave international crime. But of course, this will not be consequence-free. Quite the opposite.

A new world disorder

The first major consequence, in broader terms, is that this strike dealt a final, irreparable blow to what little remained of the post-war international legal and institutional framework. That order was already in tatters — shredded by a year and a half of Western-backed genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza. But this latest attack makes it official: Western powers no longer feel the need to cloak their actions in legality, morality or even the façade of diplomatic legitimacy.

By bombing Iran, the US has openly declared that the only operative logic in foreign policy is that of raw, unrestrained violence. And while this logic is nothing new for the West — just look at the long list of nations invaded, bombed, regime-changed and destroyed over the past two decades alone, at the cost of millions of lives — at least in the past there was some attempt to manufacture consent or feign respect for international law. That minimal restraint, however hypocritical, forced some degree of accountability, however flimsy.

Today, even that pretence is gone. In Gaza, and now with the strikes on Iran, the gloves are fully off. What we’re witnessing is a regression to a kind of global lawlessness — a “might makes right” free-for-all where nothing is off limits: not the mass slaughter of civilians, not the bombing of nuclear sites, not even the complete sidelining of international institutions. And all of this is happening in the nuclear age — a reality that brings us to the next point.

A new age of nuclear proliferation

This attack will inevitably accelerate nuclear proliferation. The lesson that every non-nuclear state has now learned is this: if you do not possess nuclear weapons, you are a target. Iran was not bombed because it was close to acquiring a nuclear weapon — it wasn’t (see below) — but precisely because it didn’t have one. Just like Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and others, which were all attacked only after being disarmed or never having nuclear deterrents. North Korea, on the other hand, has never been attacked. Why? Because it has a credible nuclear deterrent. The message is clear: the only real insurance against Western aggression is a nuclear arsenal. This will trigger a dangerous new arms race as more countries scramble to acquire nuclear weapons, with catastrophic implications for global security.

The fantasy of regime change

Trump is now openly talking about regime change in Iran — an idea that is as dangerous as it is delusional. On principle, it is highly disturbing that in 2025 Western leaders still believe they have the right to forcibly overthrow governments whose political, economic or civilisational models they dislike. This is imperialism, pure and simple.

But even on a practical level, the idea is sheer fantasy. Iran is a country of 90 million people, ten times the population of Israel, with a large, well-trained military and deeply entrenched national institutions. The notion that it could be “liberated” by foreign powers — and that its people would welcome US or Israeli bombs with gratitude — is the stuff of neocolonial hallucinations. Yes, many Iranians undoubtedly despise the regime, just as many of us despise our own regimes here in the West. But this doesn’t mean that we would welcome China or Iran as liberators if they decided to “regime-change” our country. And yet this is precisely the kind of madness being normalised in mainstream Western discourse.

A multi-front global war

This conflict is not isolated. It is one front in a wider, slowly unfolding world war between the US-led West and a growing bloc of non-Western powers — chiefly Russia, China and Iran. From Ukraine to Gaza, from the Red Sea to the Taiwan Strait, a geopolitical confrontation is now playing out across multiple theatres. Iran is a strategic partner for both Russia and China, and they’re not just going to stand by. In the wake of the attack, Moscow has already pledged military support and Beijing is indirectly assisting Iran through Pakistan. If escalation continues, the risk of a direct confrontation between major powers — all of them nuclear-armed — increases dramatically.

The coming blowback

To think that the West will suffer no retaliation for this attack is pure fantasy. Imagine if Iran had bombed a civilian nuclear facility in the US or UK and then said: “Now it’s time for peace. Let’s negotiate”. There would be hysterical calls for nuking Iran out of existence. So it would be delusional to think that there will no reprisal against Western countries. Blowback is not just likely — it’s inevitable. It could come in the form of terrorism, sabotage, cyberattacks or proxy retaliation. As an Italian, I’m especially concerned: US bases in Italy are vital to American operations in the Middle East, and that makes Italy a potential target.

Economic shockwaves

Iran has now threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply flows. If that happens, the global economy could be thrown into chaos. Energy prices would soar, supply chains would rupture and ordinary people — especially in Europe, already suffering from the fallout of the energy war with Russia — would bear the brunt of the damage. Once again, geopolitical recklessness will be paid for by the working classes of the West.

On the media narrative

I want to briefly address a talking point being circulated in the Western press: “Iran was weeks away from building a nuclear weapon”. This is demonstrably false. In March 2025, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified that US intelligence agencies had found no evidence of an active nuclear weapons program in Iran since 2003. Iran, unlike Israel, is a signatory to the NPT and subject to international inspections. In fact, negotiations were ongoing when Israel struck on June 13 — a clear attempt to sabotage diplomacy.

But even if Iran were pursuing nuclear weapons, on what legal or ethical grounds can Israel — a nuclear-armed state that has never signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty — or the US deny other regional actors the same capability? The argument that Israel alone is entitled to nuclear weapons in the region is both hypocritical and destabilising.

As John Mearsheimer has long argued, nuclear weapons are instruments of deterrence. If Iran had them, the current crisis likely wouldn’t exist. Indeed, the notion that Iran is somehow hell-bent on destroying Israel at all costs and that the first thing it would do if it acquired nuclear weapons would be to nuke Israel is ludicrous. Even the 2014 Pentagon report on Iran’s military capabilities stated: “Iran’s military doctrine is defensive. It is designed to deter an attack, survive an initial strike, retaliate against an aggressor, and force a diplomatic solution to hostilities while avoiding any concessions that challenge its core interests”.

The so-called “Axis of Resistance” led by Iran — often cited as proof of Iran’s aggressive intentions — is, in fact, a reaction to the 2003 US aggression against Iraq and the subsequent expansion of American military presence across the region. After all, it is Iran — not the US — that is encircled by foreign military bases.

Domestic consequences

This isn’t only a threat to international security. It’s also a profound threat to what little freedoms we still have left within the West itself. Make no mistake: the Western ruling classes’ open embrace of Mafia-style gangsterism abroad also means that they will have no qualms about brushing aside whatever ethical, legal, constitutional and democratic constrains that still stand in the way of their desperate, hallucinatory bid to preserve the crumbling order. Even Trump’s own base is showing signs of fracture. Many were drawn to him precisely because of his anti-war rhetoric, particularly on Iran. Now, they are watching that promise betrayed in real time.

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This attack may well be remembered as a turning point — when the last illusions of “rules-based order” dissolved, when the final guardrails of restraint were removed and when the world stumbled into a particularly dangerous, chaotic and ungoverned phase of global conflict. The fallout will not be limited to the Middle East. It will spread — politically, economically and militarily — into every corner of the world. And unless there is a radical shift in Western political thinking, it may soon be too late to pull back from the abyss.

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Putting out high-quality journalism requires constant research, most of which goes unpaid, so if you appreciate my writing please consider upgrading to a paid subscription if you haven’t already. Aside from a fuzzy feeling inside of you, you’ll get access to exclusive articles and commentary.

Thomas Fazi

Website: thomasfazi.net

Twitter: @battleforeurope

Latest book: The Covid Consensus: The Global Assault on Democracy and the Poor—A Critique from the Left (co-authored with Toby Green)