Fereydoun Majlessi: Israel's retaliation against Hezbollah was not primarily directed against Iran. Iran should not enter in wars it cannot win

Fereydoun Majlessi: Israel’s retaliation against Hezbollah was not primarily directed against Iran. Iran should not enter in wars it cannot win

The blows we receive from Israel are costing us, and striking back against the blows we see will cost more, says the former Iranian diplomat

Faiza Sadr, Setareh Sobh newspaper, 30 September 2024

The Persian Bridge of Friendship, 1 October 2024

Cross-border Talks: Fereydoun Majlessi gave this interview just a short time before the Iranian strikes against Israel on 1 October 2024. Cross-border Talks republishes this interview after the Iranian strikes, because it believes that Majlessi’s viewpoint is important for understanding the Iranian dilemmas regarding the Israeli wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

Morning Star (Setareh Sobh): Lebanon’s Hezbollah has suffered heavy losses in two weeks. Israel has martyred or injured a large number of Hezbollah members in unprecedented attacks. The group’s leader and senior commanders have been assassinated, ammunition destroyed and communications systems damaged. Meanwhile, while all eyes were on Tehran’s reaction, Iran, despite its political support, did not enter into a military conflict in favour of this group. Most international figures and leaders advised Iran to exercise restraint during this period. The president also struck a conciliatory tone during his trip to New York. The question is how far the West will allow Israel to go, and what will be Iran’s threshold of tolerance?

In an interview with Fereydoun Majlessi, a former diplomat and political analyst, Setareh Sobh explores the answer to this question, which you can read below:

What impact will the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah have on the political environment in Iran? After Israel’s recent actions, have its military and operational capabilities been accepted or not?

There is no need to accept that Israel is a power, Israel is a reality before it is a regional power. The blows Iran has received from Israel have not come from nowhere. This undeniable fact has sometimes hit us and caused us damage, which shows that it exists and cannot be hidden or ignored.

In politics you always have to face the facts. I am amazed at how we have tried to escape this reality over the years? Even to fight against Israel, we had to face reality first. I don’t use the verb “to accept”, because in this case some people immediately interpret our words as recognising Israel, and mention historical and legal issues, etc., and turn the matter towards the fruitless militancy they are pushing for.

In my opinion, it is not the extent of Israel’s power that has caused the change of opinion in some levels of government. The issue is how much Iran has suffered from being involved in Israel’s affairs, how much damage it has seen and will see. The damage that Iran has suffered as a result of its enmity with Israel has created doubts and raised the question of how to deal with this matter in a dignified manner and prevent damage as soon as possible.

Will Iran take part in avenging the blood of Hezbollah’s secretary general in Lebanon or not?

The logic that can help Iran is that Israel has not been able to rid the Gaza Strip of Hamas in one year through various operations. Last year, Israel suffered a war of attrition and reduced its facilities. In such a situation, Iran can claim concessions for refusing to take part in the war.

The blows we receive from Israel cost us, and the blows we see will cost us even more. A great deal of national wealth has been spent on the cost of enmity with Israel. Iran’s economic situation and many of the social and cultural problems we face today are the product of this enmity.

Hezbollah is a group of Lebanese Arab origin that fights in defence of its Palestinian brothers. In war, blows are given and received. The political logic of this war says that Iran is in the next strongholds of this war and the revenge of the Arab war with Israel is not primarily aimed at Iran.

90 million Iranians are suffering from various problems. Unemployment, inflation, livelihood problems, injustice and lagging behind the path of development have caused internal crises. In such a situation, new problems cannot be created for this nation. The peace and security of the majority should not be sacrificed for the realisation of the ideals of extremist groups.

Iran is angry about Israel’s recent attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, but its best decision is not made in a time of anger. Moreover, if a country decides to fight, it must ensure that it will emerge victorious, otherwise it is not reasonable to enter a battle where it is obvious that we will suffer losses.

The chances of Iran winning the war between Iran and Israel are small because Israel is an American state. Israel is a Western country in the heart of the Middle East with a strong alliance with international powers. If it were otherwise, Netanyahu would not be so arrogant and he would not have all these weapons and resources at his disposal.The West has a high tolerance for Netanyahu’s violence and tension because Israel is one of them.

I hope the hawks don’t find the opportunity to disrupt our society by showing off. They should know that they do not have the social support they had in the first decade of the revolution. From now on, society is stuck with the role of the pigeons.

Is Israel planning to repeat the Gaza project in Lebanon? Is the fate of scorched earth awaiting southern Lebanon? What does the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah mean for the future of Lebanon and Hezbollah?

Lebanon’s Hezbollah had faced them with the knowledge of Israel’s power, ferocity and intentions. Israel had repeatedly ignored the integrity of Lebanon’s land and violated its territory. While Hezbollah supports its Palestinian brothers, it defends its country.

In my opinion, Lebanon’s Hezbollah stood in the right place and played its role. But Iran’s relationship with the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians cannot be justified. The continuation of a 70-year war will only lead to bloodshed and waste of resources.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not disappear with slogans. It will only be solved through international cooperation. The cost of any plan for the Palestinian people must come out of the pockets of the Arabs. For years, Iran’s national wealth has been spent on far-reaching goals, and today we see that the attractiveness of the city of Beirut and its economic conditions are being sacrificed for this war.

Photo: An Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut (source: YouTube)