Trump’s horrifying hypocrisy becomes all the more apparent
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD — opinion@theaggie.org
On the morning of Feb. 28, United States and Israeli forces launched a joint missile attack on Tehran, effectively killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and various other high-ranking officials.
This operation, called “Rising Lion” by Israel and “Epic Fury” by the U.S., was formulated shortly after Israel’s 12-day war on Iran in June 2025, which resulted in the deaths of at least 610 Iranians — though Israel decided they would attempt to assassinate Khamenei soon after Oct. 7, 2023, according to USA Today.
Outside of the direct strike on Khamenei’s compound, Israel and the U.S. have continued a violent assault on Iranian civilians over the past week, directly contradicting claims that they are solely attempting to dismantle the country’s alleged nuclear developments.
On March 1, missiles effectively demolished a girls’ primary school in Southern Iran. Despite denial from Israel and the U.S.’ refusal to comment, it is undeniably apparent that an estimated 180 children between the ages of 7 and 12 were killed as a direct result of their imperial power grab.
As the Iranian death toll climbs above 700, there has been no conversation surrounding de-escalation from either antagonising country — President Donald Trump has stated that the assault is set to continue for four to five weeks and took to Truth Social to comment that “Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully.”
While the conflict continues, it is essential to understand that the current U.S.-Israel-Iran War does not exist in a vacuum; the U.S. has been involved in Iranian affairs since at least 1953 when the CIA partnered with the United Kingdom to overthrow Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq. In order to assert Western power and control over Iran’s oil supply, U.S. support for Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi enabled a 1954 Consortium Agreement, which gave European oil companies 40% ownership of the nationalized Iranian oil company.
1979 marked the beginning of the Iranian Revolution when civil unrest caused the Shah to flee Iran for the U.S. With his departure came the return of exiled Shiite Cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeinei, who took power and began to shift Iran’s goals away from westernization. Following Ruhollah Khomeinei’s death, Ali Khamenei took over rule of the Islamic Republic of Iran — a governing state characterized as a repressive theocracy ridden with economic instability.
Since its inception, the Islamic Republic of Iran has existed in constant tension with the U.S. Fighting for control over Iranian oil and the right to develop nuclear weapons, the conflict we are currently seeing unfold is not simply a product of the large public protests that began in Iran in late December. Rather, the U.S.-Israel-Iran War is an extension of a larger plot to continue expanding Western influence in the Middle East and ensure Israel remains a global power amid the genocide they continue to inflict upon Palestine.
These protests do, however, demonstrate the unrest and frustration the Iranian people have been experiencing for decades. Iranians deserve the power and autonomy to determine the kind of government they would like to see — instead, their livelihoods are once again trampled over in favor of Western economic and military advancement.
While Trump has voiced his support of the Iranian protests, using their struggle as an excuse to wage war on the country and make the executive decision to assassinate Khamenei, the U.S.-Israeli missile attacks across Tehran, Isfahan, Minab and several other cities show their blatant disregard for civilian lives.
Trump’s attempts to defend his attack on Iran, under the guise of protecting protestors from lethal Iranian force, are also contradicted by his indifference over how the country will now move forward following the death of their leader and multiple senior officials. In the Oval Office on March 3, Trump stated that he doesn’t know who will now lead Iran, and that “most of the people [they] had in mind” are now dead as a result of the attacks, according to USA Today.
Time and time again, the U.S. has shown a tendency to create conflict and leave it for others to resolve, all to still benefit in the end through financial and political gains. This has only been further escalated by the Trump administration, observed not only in Iran, but through their capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, direct support of Israel’s abhorrent attack on Palestine and stated desires to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal.
The self-proclaimed “Peace President,” Trump himself stated that he would “stop racing to topple foreign regimes,” during his 2016 election campaign, according to The New York Times. During his 2024 campaign, he furthered this promise by stating he would start “no new wars.”
Now, it’s 2026, and the impact of the U.S.-Israel-Iran War will be felt across the globe — oil prices have already begun to rise; neighboring countries of Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and others are experiencing civilian casualties as they intercept missile attacks; and Iranians all over the world worry for their loved ones as a nationwide internet blackout continues.
As Americans, it is imperative that we condemn Trump’s intensification of U.S. imperialism. Already, individuals across the country are using their constitutional right to protest the U.S.-Israel attacks. Most importantly, we owe the Iranian people space to express their desires and support as they continue to fight for autonomy — their celebration of the end of Khamenei’s regime is more than justified, as is their frustration over an intervention that occurred with the opposite of their best interests in mind.
Written by: The Editorial Board — opinion@theaggie.org
