US ATTACKS ON IRAN: Q&A

Self-published blog post, June 23, 2025

With the recent US attacks on Iran, folks probably have questions and concerns. So, I thought I would make some enumerated points and hopefully clarify some of this nonsense. I say nonsense because none of this is necessary.

1. Is the United States at war with Iran?

Technically, yes. We bombed them. That is an act of war. If Iran bombed our nuclear facilities, we sure as hell would interpret it as an act of war. So our chucklehead vice president saying we’re only at war with Iran’s nuclear program (see point 6) is utter drivel.

2. Then is the United States actually at war—or will it be at war—with Iran?

Doubtful. According to the Chatham House think tank in London, this was likely a one-off. Trump telegraphed his intentions, and the Iranians were forewarned. So there is an element of theater here. Just like when Iran and Israel go tit-for-tat. It’s mostly theater. As far as the White House is concerned, the guess is this will be followed by negotiations, then the US president can claim victory.

3. There is much talk of the Strait of Hormuz. What’s the significance?

The Strait of Hormuz is a major chokepoint for the world’s flow of oil. Some 20 percent of the global oil trade goes through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a small waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. The Iranians are tinkering with the notion of closing it; but it remains to be seen if they will. Doing so will have global knock-on effects for inflation of oil prices; China will be hit hardest.

4. Why is this happening?

Since 1979 Iran has been a theocracy that does not cooperate with the United States. It used to, but not since the Islamic Revolution there in 1979. Ever since, Washington has been outraged at Tehran’s lack of obedience. Why it has happened now is a matter of some speculation. President Trump’s own Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said to Congress that US intelligence had not revealed Iran building a bomb, but changed her tune (when the testimony angered her boss) and then said Iran was “within weeks” of building a bomb. The president holds intelligence reports in low esteem, which renders his decision-making murky. It is likely he saw an opportunity given Iran’s weakness.

5. Iran sponsors Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis (in Yemen)—the “Axis of Resistance.” These are violent groups, no?

They are all resistance movements that also do not cooperate with US strategic designs on the region. Hamas and Hezbollah resist Israeli conduct, and the Houthis emerged in Yemen’s civil war. They all have poor human rights records, but to focus on their records and neglect the human-rights records of the United States and Israel is sort of comical. Short answer: If you don’t like resistance movements, stop giving them something to resist.

6. Does Iran have nukes?

Probably not—I would say no. Iran enriches uranium at high levels, but that’s it. According to the New York Times: “If Iran is truly pursuing a nuclear weapon—which it officially denies—it is taking more time than any nuclear-armed nation in history.” It takes enriching uranium to 90 percent to develop a bomb. Iran, which yes denies it's headed in this direction, is enriching uranium at 60 percent—which is high, well north of domestic needs (3-5 percent), but it’s not weapons grade. There has been no mention of anything to that effect in the Foreign Affairs journal. And if the intelligence community in this country or Israel were saying something—which they haven’t been—it would be in that journal.

7. Wasn’t there an agreement?

Yes. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was agreed to in July 2015. Signatories included the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States). The Iranians agreed to pursue only civilian research, such as medical and industrial development. Iran was complying with the JCPOA, but President Trump withdrew from it in 2018—because of course he did.

See this article: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-iran-nuclear-deal

8. Is Iran a threat?

Not really. I'll let historian Juan Cole elaborate: "... Iran is weak. It has lost control of its own skies and so is as helpless as Lebanon and Syria before the Israeli Air Force (and the American). Iran still has some drones and hypersonic missiles that can penetrate Israeli defenses, but although it is able to do some damage to Tel Aviv and Haifa, it isn’t anything the Israelis can’t survive." That said, Iran has not initiated an aggressive war in the modern era. So, fears of Iran acting aggressively are unfounded. I’d prefer they not have a nuclear weapon, but the world can survive if they get one—and the United States has indicated they really should.


Yes, this is all nonsense. The United States does not need strategic plans for the Middle East; it chooses to be there and spend trillions of dollars doing so. Does Mexico have strategic ambitions in the Middle East? Does Canada?

The Iranians have bad leadership, but they have few options. We also have bad leadership, and we voted for them. Bad leadership = bad results. So, I hate to say it, but some of this is our fault. We do have an option: stop voting for violent clowns.

This was originally a blog post. It has been edited and expanded.