AIC Statement on Escalating Violence in the Middle East
/The American Iranian Council (AIC), like many in the region and around the world, is deeply concerned about the escalating conflict in the Middle East and the growing likelihood of a regional war. We urge all parties to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and military initiatives, and to resolve conflicts through renewed diplomatic efforts.
It is undeniable that Israel has been subjected to unacceptable violence. Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and other regional actors must recognize that the destruction of the State of Israel is an unrealistic ambition. Attacks on Israeli civilians are as strategically senseless as they are morally abominable. Hostile actions must cease, Israel's existence must be accepted, and differences should be resolved through diplomacy.
Equally, Israel cannot continue to rely solely on military force for its security. Reports indicate that Prime Minister Netanyahu has resisted a deal with Hamas to end the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages. Additionally, Israeli airstrikes in Syria, including its attack in April on Iran’s Damascus consulate, and recent operations in Lebanon now see Israel and Iran coming into direct conflict—a devastating prospect for both nations and the entire region.
Unfortunately momentum towards war is building and the rhetoric on both sides has escalated in tandem. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent address to the United Nations General Assembly, whereby he appeared to call for a shift in the balance of power in the Middle East, followed by his remarks on September 30 that regime change in Iran will “come a lot sooner than people think” are troubling. Recent history has shown that regime change, even if successful, only leads to greater instability and violence.
Meanwhile, Iranian government and military officials have ramped up rhetoric against Israel. Following Iran’s October 1 missile launch against Israel, several lawmakers issued calls for Iran to “raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground," and the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces issued a statement threatening Israel with the “destruction of its infrastructure in the occupied Palestinian territories.” Iran often refers to the entirety of Israel as the “occupied Palestinian territories.”
AIC urges all parties to step down from the disastrous escalatory ladder and abandon unrealistic goals, such as the destruction of Israel and regime change in Iran. They must recognize the catastrophe that a wider war would bring and the limitations of their military power, embracing instead diplomacy and compromise.
Now is a vitally important time for all parties, including - perhaps especially - other regional powers who have thus far been notably absent from such efforts, to engage in maximum diplomacy and actively pursue reduced tensions in the Middle East. Only through cooperation and mutual respect can lasting peace be achieved.
