The East, the Cradle of Civilizations

The Eastern world has been the cradle of civilizations that have made undeniable contributions to modern civilization. It is also the birthplace of monotheistic religions that have long called humanity to equality, brotherhood, peace, and friendship. Unfortunately, today the West, through the hollow show of power by the United States and Israel—two entities with relatively recent and unimpressive histories of statehood—has, intentionally or otherwise, positioned itself against this ancient and enduring East. Some governments, betraying their own peoples, have stood alongside the U.S. and Israel in this confrontation, sacrificing their national independence to the policies of two reckless actors whose actions threaten to ignite a regional, if not global, war.

More than a year has passed since the brutal, unjust, and inhumane assaults on Gaza—assaults that shocked the world and outraged global public opinion. While perhaps not entirely unprecedented in history, these attacks are certainly among the most egregious. Today, under baseless pretexts and unilateral decisions by the U.S. and Israel—both accused of war crimes—we are witnessing violations of international law and the principles of global peace. These actions disregard the recognized rights of nations and their territorial integrity, as affirmed in the Charter of the United Nations, and now extend to aggression against Iran.

This is occurring in a so-called modern world that claims to uphold values inherited from Greek and Roman civilizations and the Enlightenment. Yet, we are witnessing a regression from civility and civilized order back to a state of nature, led by the U.S. and carried out by Israel. Even more regrettable is the complicity of some European states—nations with proud histories of serving humanity—now surrendering to American posturing.

In a world where human rights are considered a cornerstone of international order, it is essential and inevitable to scrutinize the roles and actions of countries such as France, which claim to champion these values—especially in the face of severe humanitarian crises, such as the catastrophe in Gaza, the current U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and the looming threat of a widespread regional and possibly global war.

We strongly condemn these aggressions—particularly the U.S. assault, hastily orchestrated by its narcissistic president in coordination with Netanyahu as a joint operation carried out in blatant disregard for international law and human rights. We call upon the intellectual and academic communities in France, other European countries, and their governments to take a firm stance. We also urge international institutions—especially members of the United Nations Security Council—to play an active and decisive role in condemning and countering these unlawful and dangerous actions.

School of Governance, University of Tehran
Paris Academy of Geopolitics