US attacks Iranian nuclear sites: what comes next?
The US airforce has dropped 'bunker buster' bombs on Iranian nuclear sites. The extent of the damage inflicted is not yet clear, particularly with regard to the Fordo facility, which is surrounded by mountains. The aim of operation, which was ordered by President Donald Trump, was to incapacitate the Iranian nuclear weapons programme, whose existence Iran denies. Europe's press assesses the situation.
There was no other option
Visão welcomes the US intervention:
“Iran had to learn this lesson. For decades it has encouraged financed and supplied terrorist groups with impunity. Sanctions have proven ridiculously ineffective in almost every case (just look at Russia). Now it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty: halting one of the most important sources supplying military equipment to various groups in the region, and above all, forcing Iran to give up its nuclear dreams. None of this is good or reassuring, but there was no other option.”
EU must uphold international law
NRC warns:
“No matter how reprehensible a regime may be, no matter how threatening another country may seem, you need legal proof before attacking it. That is the other lesson from the 2003 attack on Iraq. ... Since Trump is so dismissive of international law in Iran, it is all the more vital that the EU stands firm. The only way forward is through diplomacy and respect for human rights and international agreements. The EU has already failed miserably on Gaza. If it does the same with Iran now it will effectively be helping to open the door to a world in which only the law of the jungle applies.”
Violence begets violence
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung calls for a political solution in the Middle East:
“The Mullahs will have a field day waging a propaganda war against the 'great Satan'. Religious fanatics are primed for Armageddon. Furthermore, they can rest assured that the US airforce won't be able to bomb its way to regime change. Only ground troops can topple the state leadership. In the meantime the US has learned from Iraq that it can win every battle and still lose in the end. America is in a similar position to Israel. Without political solutions, military power achieves little. Whether in Iran or Gaza, in the labyrinth of the Middle East violence only begets more violence.”
Risk of retaliation across the globe
La Libre Belgique is deeply concerned:
“Perhaps the US will confine itself to doing the work that Israel lacks the funds to complete, in particular destroying the best protected nuclear sites with its 'bunker buster' bombs. Yet the risk of being dragged and locked into a prolonged conflict is very real. ... And this could have other uncertain and dangerous consequences. There is reason to fear that Iran will retaliate with the weapons it has to hand - and that means terrorism, which will likely come at the expense of innocent victims across the globe.”
Concerned neighbours
Only recently Trump was promising the Arab world prosperity and peace, and now he is fuelling uncertainty in the region, La Stampa observes:
“Suddenly he's espousing the Israeli thesis: first eliminate the Iranian problem, and once Iran has been castigated and cut down to size then you can get back to the topic of regional cooperation. The Arab countries in the Gulf welcomed Trump with open arms and open wallets. Now they are weighing up their solidarity with Iran, worrying about the impact on shipping, oil and gas and hoping that Trump's 'peace through strength' equation works out quickly. They didn't want a nuclear-armed Iran, but they know that neither the US nor Israel has a plan for what comes next.”
Talking peace and waging war
Sydsvenskan looks at the U-turn in Trump's foreign policy:
“In his inaugural speech in January, he promised to throw the warmongers out of the White House and restore world peace. The decision to intervene in the war has been sharply criticised by influential individuals within his own ranks, for example former Chief of Staff Steve Bannon and TV star Tucker Carlson. And probably by many of his fans as well. ... [Trump] wanted to bring peace to the Middle East but instead tensions are increasing and retaliatory strikes are to be expected, both from Iran and from its proxies in the region.”