The Intimate Enmity: Iran and the West - An examination of the causes and consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran

Summary

The 2026 US-Israeli war on Iran is presented as the result of decades of tension shaped by imperialism, political intervention, sanctions, regional rivalry, and the ongoing conflict surrounding Palestine. The paper traces the roots of hostility between Iran, the US, and Israel through events such as the 1953 coup against Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, the 1979 Iranian Revolution, US sanctions, and Israel’s regional expansionist policies. It also examines how Israel’s alliance with the US and its military actions in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran have intensified instability in the Middle East.

The conflict is also linked to major global economic consequences, particularly through disruptions to oil, gas, and fertiliser supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The paper discusses how war, sanctions, and military escalation have affected global supply chains, increased economic uncertainty, and raised fears of prolonged instability. It further explores themes of settler colonialism, anti-imperialism, nuclear tensions, and the humanitarian impact of war, while questioning the role of Western powers and the credibility of the international rules-based order.