The US-Israel attack on Iran: A call to action against imperialism
Image: Atta Kenare / AFP
On this fateful day of February 28, 2026, as explosions echo through the streets of Tehran and smoke rises over the Iranian capital and other cities, the world witnesses yet another chapter in the long, bloody saga of imperialist aggression.
The joint attacks launched by the genocidal apartheid state of Israel and its collaborator, the United States of America, under the leadership of Donald Trump, represent not self-defence but a provocative, illegal and utterly unjustified act of war. These strikes, targeting top Iranian officials — including areas associated with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian — as well as military sites in a brazen bid to decapitate leadership and undermine sovereignty, constitute a direct escalation that threatens to engulf the Middle East — and potentially the globe — in catastrophic conflict.
As a voice rooted in the anti-imperialist, anti-colonial and socialist struggle that defines South Africa’s liberation history, I stand with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in unequivocally condemning this outrage in the strongest possible terms.
The EFF rightly labels these attacks as provocative and illegal, aimed at eliminating Iran’s government leadership in an attempt to erode the nation’s independence. Reports confirm multiple explosions in Tehran, with strikes hitting near key sites, including areas linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader. Israel claims this was a “pre-emptive” measure, while Trump boasts of “major combat operations” under names such as Operation Epic Fury, vowing to degrade Iran’s military, eliminate its nuclear ambitions, and even incite regime change by urging Iranians to “take over your government.”
This is naked aggression masquerading as prevention. Iran has faced relentless pressure — sanctions, sabotage and assassinations — yet it has not initiated an unprovoked war. These strikes follow a pattern of consistent violence, including the ongoing ethnic cleansing and genocide in Palestine, where the same US-Israel alliance has shown utter disregard for human life in pursuit of regional dominance.
This assault is no isolated incident; it fits into a broader imperialist playbook of regime change and resource plunder. Consider the chilling parallel: just weeks ago, in January 2026, the United States brazenly intervened in Venezuela, abducting President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a nighttime military raid known as Operation Absolute Resolve. Maduro remains in US custody, facing what are described as trumped-up charges of narco-terrorism and related crimes, with no independent confirmation of his well-being.
The world watched in stunned silence as Washington bestowed upon itself the right to kidnap and overthrow elected leaders of sovereign nations. Now, the same axis turns its sights on Iran, attempting to eliminate its leadership through airstrikes and missiles. The message is clear: any government resisting US-Israeli hegemony risks being toppled, whether by abduction or bombardment. The international community’s muted response to Maduro’s capture has emboldened this latest atrocity.
At the heart of this aggression lies a toxic dynamic: the United States has become a proxy for Zionist Israeli interests. US foreign policy appears dictated not from Washington but from Tel Aviv, where expansionism drives endless conflict. Trump’s administration enters wars without meaningful congressional oversight, imposes economic strangulation on dissenters, and shields Israel from accountability for its actions. This alliance perpetuates a cycle of violence — from illegal settlements in Palestine to drone strikes across the region — all to secure dominance, access to resources and the profits of the military-industrial complex.
Iran, a steadfast opponent of this hegemony, stands as a key obstacle. By targeting its leadership, the attackers seek to install a pliable regime that would abandon resistance and open the door to further exploitation.
The human cost is already mounting. Civilians in Tehran and other cities face terror from above, with air-raid sirens blaring and retaliatory missiles heightening the risk of wider war. Iran, like any sovereign nation, has the legitimate right under international law to defend itself against what is described as an unprovoked invasion. The EFF affirms that, in the face of regime-change attempts and global silence on Israeli actions, self-defence is not just permissible — it is imperative. Yet the aggressors bear full responsibility for any escalation. Israel’s declaration of a state of emergency and warnings of further attacks in the coming days only underscore its role as the initiator of hostilities.
Israeli citizens must confront the reality that their government’s policies have heightened tensions and may invite retaliation, thereby endangering their own people.
South Africa cannot remain on the sidelines. Born from the defeat of apartheid, our nation has a moral duty to oppose similar forms of oppression worldwide. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) must act immediately to evacuate all South African citizens from Israel. It is unconscionable that no coordinated effort has yet materialised to protect our people amid this predictable escalation.
EFF MP Carl Niehaus.
Image: Supplied
The ANC-led Government of National Unity (GNU), if it retains any revolutionary credentials, must break from equivocation: condemn the attacks outright, reassess diplomatic relations with the aggressors, consider sanctions, and rally the African Union against imperialism. Our foreign policy must prioritise Pan-Africanism, anti-imperialism and solidarity with the oppressed — not fear of reprisals from Washington or Tel Aviv.
Globally, the call is urgent. The United Nations General Assembly and Security Council must convene without delay to address this alleged violation of the Charter’s prohibition on wars of aggression. Measures such as sanctions, protective mechanisms for Iranian sovereignty and international legal accountability should be considered. Silence equals complicity. Progressive movements, freedom-loving peoples and the global proletariat must rise organise protests, boycott products tied to these regimes and amplify resistance on every platform. From Johannesburg to Cape Town, let our streets resound with chants against imperialism.
This war echoes the invasions of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan — conflicts built on contested premises that led to mass death, displacement and instability. Iran’s resistance, alongside its government and people, is framed as a stand against such neo-colonial ventures. The EFF’s solidarity is presented as part of that broader struggle. History, many believe, ultimately favours liberation.
Down with US imperialism. Down with apartheid Israel. Viva the sovereign Islamic Republic of Iran. A luta continua.
Carl Niehaus is an EFF Member of Parliament (MP).