TIME TO SHOOT, NOT TALK

Things I know and don’t know about a deal with the Islamic Republic.

By Jonathan Feldstein

Since barrages of missiles were fired at Israel Sunday night and again Monday morning this week, from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Houthis in Yemen, there are some things that are clearer and some things that are less clear. One thing that is certainly clear is that this situation is unsustainable.

It seems clear that in a call to Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump insisted that Israel not respond to the Sunday evening barrage on the grounds that:

“The Iranian strikes didn’t hurt anybody,” and
“If Bibi strikes them back its just gonna keep going like the past 47 years, or the last 3000 years.”

I don’t know, I wasn’t alive 3000 years ago – but I do know that the Iran attack on Israel was because the Islamists know Trump is faking it about the “deal” that he’s been saying is close for months. You can imagine him in the role of Meg Ryan (Sally) at the deli in “When Harry Met Sally,” his performance earning complements from patrons at the next table, and Islamists around the world alike. “We are very close to a final deal with Iran; it’s going to be a good deal. I don’t want to blow it up because of what is happening now.”

Billy Crystal (Harry) and the rest of the world look on in disbelief.

**Take on Fake**. The most iconic fake scene in movies is sadly playing out live in geo-politics in the Gulf.

I know that the Islamic Republic attacked because they successfully linked themselves and a deal with the US to Hezbollah in Lebanon. So, when Israel attacked Hezbollah positions near Beirut, the Islamic Republic used it as a pretext to attack Israel, knowing that they would be goading Israel into a no-win situation as Trump truly believes he’s got a deal at hand. Ever the dealmaker, Trump, likely saw it as a draw, “Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike and Iran had its strike. We don’t need another one.”

I also know that the Islamic Republic attacked because as a possible peace deal between Israel and Lebanon may be inching closer, it’s bad for their proxy Hezbollah, and terrorists will always use terror to influence from the outside. Indeed, it’s a common Islamic terrorist strategy, literally to try to blow up peace through missiles or suicide attacks.

I know they attacked because they knew by now that Trump thinks he’s so close that he won’t let anyone ruin his “deal”. But he’s been saying that he’s “close” for weeks and weeks. They know that he wants a deal more than they are (ever) prepared to make a deal, so they attacked, calling his bluff.

They attacked literally because Trump’s words about a deal have been the fuel for the missiles they fired. They want no deal, they just want to play Trump, and will use any pretext to attack or otherwise harm Israel. They attacked because their agenda is clear and they are singularly focused on playing the US and the West as they have for “the past 47 years” but probably not “the last 3000 years.”

If there had been any doubt as to whether President Trump was bluffing, and his weeks and weeks of chanting about making a deal with the Islamic Republic were part of some mass deception campaign, that doubt has been late to rest. It is clear that his notion of ending the war and the threat to America and the West by signing “the best deal ever” has never been more mistaken than ever.

Unfortunately, the Islamic Republic saw his hand and played him. They demanded that Lebanon be included, and when Israel responded to a violation of a cease-fire with Hezbollah (nearly 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed during the ceasefire), Iran was given freehand to launch barrages of ballistic missiles at Israel.

**Deal Breaker**. Historic opportunity is the last thing Hezbollah wanted and tried sabotaging it by firing missiles into northern Israel.

Unlike President Biden, who said “Don’t, don’t” to deter Iran and Hezbollah in 2023, this week, President Trump essentially said “Don’t” to Israel to prevent the appropriate and massive response that should have taken place. This week we know the Islamic Republic knows that Trump is more eager for a deal than actually defeating the Islamic Republic. They know that they can continue to play him before and after a deal if there is one.

I know that there can be no deal with the Islamic Republic and its proxies. I know that in the real estate deals Trump is used to, they end by one party paying for a project and the other selling the land or rights to do the project. It’s a simple transaction. I know that with the Islamic Republic and its proxies, any deal now will mean that we are paying later, and later.

Yes, maybe for 3000 years!

I know that for the past 100 days and more (but probably not 3000 years), anti-Israel agitators have used every deceitful trope anyway to make Israel look like the bad guy, somehow controlling Trump and US policy. Yet the latest escalation and tying Israel‘s hands has made it clear not only was this never true, but in fact, Trump has tied Israel hands.

I know that Israel did retaliate, hitting Iranian sites Monday morning, and that this possibly could give Israel face-saving cover to appease Trump more broadly, while respecting the alliance between Israel and the United States are allies. It does not make sense to cross the president unless absolutely necessary. But the Islamic Republic is not only not an ally, but a dangerous enemy seeking the destruction of the United States. I know that as much as Trump may think he’s “close” to a deal, the Islamic Republic will never do or agree to anything that is not in its long-term interest. Even if that is suicidal. I don’t know if Trump realizes that any deal with the Islamists is itself suicidal.

**Iran Deal “round the corner”**. Its unsure if anyone knows what’s “around the corner”!

I know that if there is a deal, the Islamic Republic will play along but, before the ink is dry, they will use their decades of practice (47 years to be precise, but not 3000) to undermine that.

I know that to the Islamic Republic and their proxies, as well as to US allies in the region who are trying to assess what Trump is doing, it is clear that he seems desperate to end the war, even at the expense of not achieving the declared goals set out at the beginning of hostilities. This is while insisting that the Islamic Republic never obtains nuclear weapons.

Annoyed, maybe even angered that his deal might be sidetracked, he commented:

“I would say an agreement would be signed on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week.”

But the Iranians see it as crying wolf, as they suit up in their wolf’s clothing, ready to use Trump’s eagerness to make a deal as a time to pounce. This they have done in closing the Strait of Hormuz, creating a global energy crisis that they are able to tighten under a ‘deal’ down the road.

**Blocked Artery**. Time to free the global economy from the grip of Iranian Islamic tyranny.

One hundred days after the US and Israel begin a war together to – eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons program and ballistic missile capabilities

– its support for its terror proxies Hezbollah and Hamas, and

– create facts on the ground that could lead to the fall of the Islamic regime,

Israel was once again under attack and the Islamists clearly playing its hand while Trump was talking about a deal.

NOW I know it’s time to finish the job and win, not talk and talk about a deal.

About the writer:

Jonathan Feldstein - President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Journal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.

While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

FROM DEMOCRACY TO AUTHORITARIANISM

How democratically elected leaders are systematically undermining democracy.

By Neville Berman

“Democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Winston Churchill

Elections are an essential part of democracy, but having elections does not mean that the country is democratic. Let us look at some examples of elections around the world.

Nothing beats the parliamentary elections in North Korea. The media reported that 99.93 % of the electorate voted. 100% of those who voted, reaffirmed Kim Jong Un as their leader. What an amazingly free and fair election result.

President Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar al-Assad consistently received approval ratings of between 95 – 98% of the votes. The true position became absolutely clear in December 2024 when Bashar al-Assad was forced to flee to Russia where he was granted asylum.

President Muammar Gaddafi of Libya said that all his people loved him. Shortly thereafter he was forced to flee. He was found hiding in a ditch and was immediately executed. Obviously not all his people loved him.

Believe it or not, elections were actually held in Afghanistan. Only men over the age of 18 were allowed to vote. An American organization decided to attend the election in order to report if the elections were free and fair. The authorities in Afghanistan refused to allow the organization to be present inside the actual area where voting was going to take place. At one polling station, they stood outside for the entire time that the polling station was open. They counted less than 800 people who came to vote. The official count showed that over 15,000 votes were cast at the polling station. Obviously, elections mean different things in different parts of the world.

**From Russia with Love**. Thanks to his friendship with Putin, Bashar Assad who won in 2021 a fourth term in office as president with 95.1% of votes now lives in luxurious exile in Moscow having fled Syria in 2024.

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. About a decade ago a senior Haiti official had a meeting with the Assistant American Secretary of State in Washington D.C. He asked what America would like to see happen in Haiti. The answer was that America would like to see free and fair elections in which all citizens over the age of 18 are allowed to vote. The official from Haiti agreed that this was essential. He then asked:

“After the vote, who do you want us to announce as the winner.”

Even the Islamic Republic of Iran has elections. Only candidates approved by the Iranian Guardian Council are allowed to become candidates. What a farce. No wonder that in 2024, less than 40% of those eligible to vote, actually voted. Clearly there is huge dissatisfaction at the way the country is governed. The amazing thing about the elections is the speed in which tens of millions of votes are counted. The results of the election are announced within hours of the closing of voting. It seems plausible that the results could be announced even before the voting started.

Every Israeli citizen irrespective of race religion or gender who is over the age of 18, has the right to vote in Israeli parliamentary elections. Israel claims to be the sole democracy in the Middle East. In actual fact, no Israeli political party has ever won a majority of 61 seats out of the 120 seats in the Knesset. What this means is that after every election, a coalition government has to be formed. The price demanded by the smaller parties to join the coalition is normally out of all proportion to the amount of support that they received in the election. Bribery, corruption and extortion are the correct names for what takes place. New ministries with huge budgets are created to satisfy the egos of political hacks who are neither qualified nor experienced enough to handle. In the end a coalition government is formed that costs billions of shekels from the coffers of the country. The present Israeli government is composed of five political parties. The Israeli coalition government is in reality a ‘’reverse democracy” as it is not based on the wishes of the party that won the most votes, but on the demands and policies of the minority parties that agreed to join the coalition provided the price paid to them was sufficient. This arrangement ensures that someone becomes prime minister by manipulation. Dan Bielski, a political commentator in Israel summed up the position succinctly when he stated that “Israeli politicians can commit suicide by jumping from their egos to their IQ’s.”

**Vote of ‘Approval’**. Iranians cast their votes at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2024 only for candidates approved by the Iranian Guardian Council. Was it any wonder that it was the lowest electoral turnout since the Islamic Republic’s founding in 1979. (Photo: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

Let us now look at how democratically elected leaders of countries have systematically turned their countries into autocracies. Although the sequence of what takes place may differ from country to country, and some events may not occur, the playbook of how this is done is basically the same all over the world. It usually starts with the election of a leader, who has delusional views that only he can lead the country to recover past greatness, and lead the country to new heights.

Once elected, he immediately starts by assuming greater executive power than the law intended. The separation of powers between and legislative, judicial and executive are slowly but systematically dismantled. People perceived as possibly posing a threat to his leadership such as the top leadership of the military and security forces are removed from their positions of power. Control of the press and TV stations by the government is the next goal. A crackdown on the liberal press and TV channels that the leader believes are acting against the wishes of the majority of the electorate is implemented. If the criticism continues, the newspapers and TV channels are closed down. The independence of the judiciary, that may rule against the government, is one of the things that elected officials cannot stand. At some point in time an attempt is made to change the way that judges are selected and appointed. In some countries, the entire judicial system is overhauled by arresting and holding judges in prison for months without any charges being filed. The civil service is always systematically subverted. This is done by retiring or firing civil servants whose views do not appear to be in line with government policy. Opposition candidates are then prevented from running in elections. This can happen because of “accidents”, or by trumped up legal charges against them. At this stage the judges in the courts understand that their own position is dependent on handing down prison sentences on those accused of committing certain crimes. Once in prison the opposition candidate is charged with additional crimes such as tax evasion and embezzlement. The end result is always long-term imprisonment or the mysterious death of the prisoner while in jail.

The Prime Minister or President always takes credit for everything positive that has occurred, even if he had nothing to do with anything that caused the positive situation. Anything negative that has occurred, is either blamed on the previous government, or the blame is shifted to external forces and enemies. This gives the government an excuse to massively increase the defense budget. This is funded by deficit enlargement. While billions of dollars of government contracts are awarded to well-connected companies, the leader of the country somehow becomes a multi-millionaire or a billionaire. No explanation is given as to how he accumulated his new wealth. At some point during the above process, the constitution of the country is changed to allow the President or Prime Minister to rule for life.

Waging war is another way that leaders of countries hope to gain support. In 1982, Margaret Thatcher became immensely more popular by waging war against the Argentinian takeover of the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands are situated nearly 12,900 kilometers from Britain, and have almost zero strategic value. Nevertheless, Thatcher went to war to regain control of the islands. A fleet of Royal Navy ships were dispatched to the Falklands. In total six British ships were sunk including the HMS Sheffield, which was sunk by an Exocet missile. Dozens of aircraft and 24 helicopters never made it back to Britain. 649 Argentinian soldiers and 3 Falklanders were killed in the war. The cost of the war in today’s terms was over a billion sterling and 255 members of the British armed forces were killed. Before the war, the British Prime Minister was behind in the polls. After regaining the Falkland Islands, the British press went absolutely overboard in praising the “Iron Lady”. Margaret Thatcher won the next election by a landslide. The lesson of going to war and winning in the election that follows has been noted by several of today’s leaders.

**“Iron Lady”**. While the Falkland War elevated British PM Margaret Thatcher to hero status as seen here surrounded by her troops on the island in January 1983, Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges called the Falkland War: **“… a fight between two bald men over a comb,”** inferring how useless the islands were to both nations.

Israel is not even close to the level of autocracy or dictatorship found in Russia, China, Turkey, North Korea, Afghanistan, and most Middle Eastern countries ruled by military dictatorships or royal families. However, Israel has fulfilled several of the steps outlined above that result in democracy moving towards autocracy. This is a slippery slope that is difficult to reverse.

**Contrived Coalitions**. In order to entrench his and his party’s position in power, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has no problem including in his coalition the ultra-religious parties who are non-Zionist and aggressively oppose military service of their followers. The PM is seen here in November 21, 2022 shaking hands with MK Yitzchak Goldknopf, leader of the United Torah Judaism party. (Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The coming Israeli election in October, will be an opportunity for the electorate in Israel, to do what is necessary to ensure that the slippery slope is firmly reversed. Bibi Netanyahu has used every trick in the book to remain in power, and he is prepared to use any means necessary to continue to be the prime minister. The coming election is going to be brutal and unethical. The present political leadership has failed to bring unity to the country. It needs to be replaced.

About the writer:

Accountant Neville Berman had an illustrious sporting career in South Africa, being twice awarded the South African State Presidents Award for Sport and was a three times winner of the South African Maccabi Sportsman of the Year Award. In 1978 he immigrated to the USA to coach the United States men’s field hockey team, whereafter, in 1981 he immigrated to Israel where he practiced as an accountant and then for 20 years was the Admin Manager at the American International School in Even Yehuda, Israel. He is married with two children and one granddaughter.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

Any deal that leaves Iran’s Islamic Republic regime intact leaves the threat intact.

By Marziyeh Amirizadeh

I am not saying the goal of the United States is to do so, but any negotiation with the Islamic Republic only serves to keep the Islamic Republic regime alive.

Another day.

Another month.

Another year.

Another decade.

That, precisely, is the goal of the Islamic Republic. To stay alive. To control 90 million Iranians. To spread its extremist Islamic ideology across the world. And to threaten the United States, Israel, and the West at every turn.

The goal of the United States and the West should be to hasten the Islamic Republic’s demise, not to negotiate and prop it up.

What is happening in Iran today was exactly the plan of the reformists, who have cultivated significant influence inside the United States. Their goal has always been to appear rational, to present themselves to the West as the adults in the room. They are not. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing, designed to subjugate Iranians for decades more while spreading their extremist ideology around the world. In America, that means undermining our values by hijacking the very freedoms they seek to eradicate.

The reformist plot was straightforward: remove Khamenei, capitalize on the deep dissatisfaction inside Iran to create a flicker of hope among its people, and then simply shed the skin of the regime through a cosmetic change in leadership. Put the reformists in charge. Allow America to claim credit for eliminating Khamenei, making him a martyr, while the system itself remains entirely unchanged.

Consider something most observers have missed. With the successful American and Israeli strikes across Iran, targeting Islamic Republic leaders including the former Supreme Leader and commanders of the IRGC and Basij, not a single reformist has been eliminated. Not one. Their agents outside Iran have only grown more influential. How is that possible unless those agents have already deeply infiltrated American and Western institutions? They have been promoted across major media platforms, granted credibility and influence, operating under the guise of being opposition voices while actively working to protect the regime’s survival.

People like me who genuinely oppose the regime have been blocked from mainstream media for years. Despite the war and the slaughter of Iranians, we are still prevented from reaching major platforms because the reformists and their agents work to keep us out. I remember this mafia-style system from my childhood in Iran. I know how they play the game. If eliminating someone from a rival faction is what it takes to keep the regime afloat, they will not hesitate. The regime’s survival always comes first.

**‘Deal’ing with Iran**. For the writer the goal of the United States and the West should be to hasten the Islamic Republic’s demise and not to negotiate and prop it up.

So, what is actually at risk from any deal with the Islamic Republic?

When the United States suddenly halted its military operation against the regime, it was clear something was happening behind the scenes. The regime was given a window to reach some arrangement, presumably centered on nuclear concessions and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

But what does “no nukes” actually mean? Will Iranian regime scientists forget what they have already know how to do, enriching uranium and leading toward a bomb? How long before they start up again, assuming that they ever stopped? What happens to the enriched uranium? We are told they already have enough to build ten bombs, and that it takes only weeks to enrich uranium from 60 percent to weapons-grade 90 percent. And what about the ballistic missiles that have struck targets across the Middle East and can now reach Europe. We did not even fully know the range of those missiles until they were already flying. Will the regime stop manufacturing and improving on their missiles just because of a deal on paper?

The West must accept one simple truth: the Iranian regime does not think in terms of coexistence. It is a religious, extremist, fundamentalist cult that is ideologically committed to conquering or destroying all who do not submit to it. Period. They have told us this in writing, in in their preaching, through their media, and via their agents. This is a revolution without borders, not merely one nation seeking its place among others. Americans have been killed for 47 years as a direct result of this regime’s nefarious aspirations.

Assuming a deal could be reached, that the regime could be trusted, and that any deal was not simply a vehicle to prop up the regime, who will enforce it? With any deal, the regime will cheat. It has lied and hidden its activities and violated every agreement it has ever signed. Who will have the political will to respond when they cheat again. Will President Trump as a lame duck? Will any possible successor: 48, 49, 0r 50? Look at how Americans react to a temporary rise in the price of gasoline. Would we have the will to act, even a few years from now?

**Playing for Time**. Operating under the pressures and constraints of time, who will give in first?

Will this deal eviscerate the Islamic Republic’s proxies? Hezbollah is still a potent terrorist force controlling much of Lebanon. Hamas is still standing in Gaza, propped up by Islamists in Turkey and Qatar. The Houthis can do nothing without Iranian support. Even if the Iranian regime promises not to fund them, who is monitoring this? Who will stop it? The Europeans will appease the regime. China and Russia will continue supporting the regime regardless of any deal. North Korea will do the same. Assuming that the regime could be trusted with any deal, there will be no control over their immediate breach of any agreement. Even without a nuclear weapon, the regime already knows the world’s Achilles heel: block Hormoz. They have done it, and will do it again. God help us if they have a nuclear umbrella to protect them.

The Islamic regime in Tehran is lying to the administration, the negotiators, and the world. Do not believe a word they say. It is still the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis are not going away because of any deal signed in a conference room.

**What’s at Stake**. While the current supply and price of oil is on everyone’s mind for the writer it’s the future of mankind.

All the talk about making the best deal, about what will be in the deal, about the art of the deal, only emboldens them. They see it as America wanting a deal more than Iran needs one. When they smell weakness, they grow stronger. That is precisely the lesson I carry from my own life. When the regime threatened me and demanded I renounce my Christian faith, I did not simply refuse. I challenged their theology to their face. Refusing to show weakness is the only model that works. I won. America needs to win.

**Machine guns to Machetes**. How do you ‘deal’ with a leadership that has does not blink as mass murdering its own civilians? Verified images of weapons that massacred thousands of civilian protestors earlier this year in more than 200 cities across Iran.

There is no negotiating with the Islamic Republic. Any deal that leaves the regime intact leaves the threat intact. And a regime that survives today will be back tomorrow, better armed, better funded, and more dangerous than before.

About the writer:

Marziyeh Amirizadeh (Marzi) is an Iranian American who immigrated to the US after being sentenced to death in Iran for the crime of converting to Christianity. She endured months of mental and physical hardships and intense interrogation. She is author of two books (the latest, A Love Journey with God), public speaker, and columnist. She has shared her inspiring story throughout the United States and around the world, to bring awareness about the ongoing human rights violations and persecution of women and religious minorities in Iran, www.MarzisJourney.com.

Marzi also is the founder and president of NEW PERSIA whose mission is to be the voice of persecuted Christians and oppressed women under Islam, expose the lies of the Iranian Islamic regime, and restore the relationships between Persians, Jews, and Christians. www.NewPersia.org.

WHY AMERICANS MUST PROTEST THE IRANIAN SOCCER TEAM’S INCLUSION IN THE WORLD CUP

Beware of what’s under the soccer jerseys the Islamic Republic regime wants to normalize on American soil

By Marziyeh Amirizadeh

As the United States prepares to host FIFA, the World Cup, I have an urgent appeal to all Americans. While sports in theory should be above international politics, the inclusion of a soccer team from the Islamic Republic of Iran is an afront to the freedoms we celebrate as Americans. If the Islamic Republic soccer team is participating, it must also be a time to use our freedom to protest their presence and the Islamic regime that they represent. I call on all Americans to join me to do so.

**On the Way to the USA**. Iran supporters cheer during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers between Iran and the North Korea at the Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran on June 10, 2025. (Photo: AFP/ Atta Kenare)

Why is this so important? I was born in Iran just months before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that plunged my beloved homeland into darkness. I grew up under the boot of the ayatollahs’ regime, where being a woman meant living as a second-class citizen, and daring to seek truth outside their intolerant radical Islam could cost you everything. In 1999 I became a Christian and in 2009, my friend Maryam and I were arrested for the “crime” of converting to Christianity. We were thrown into Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, interrogated, tortured, and sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy. Only international pressure secured our release after nine harrowing months. I came to America as a free woman, but my heart still bleeds for the millions left behind.

**Beauties and the Beasts**. For 259 days, the writer (left) and her friend Maryam Rostampour were imprisoned facing execution for spreading Christianity. Their case gained international attention, and human rights advocates around the world began calling for their release until growing pressure eventually led Iranian authorities to free them. After leaving Iran, both women moved to the US.

Today, as the Islamic Republic prepares to send its national soccer team to the 2026 World Cup on American soil, I raise my voice with urgency and conviction: Americans must protest this inclusion loudly, clearly, and without apology. Allowing this team to compete is not a celebration of sport. It is a betrayal of human rights, a whitewashing of tyranny, and an insult to every victim of the regime’s brutality – including the brave women, Christians, Baha’is, Kurds, and dissidents who suffer daily.

The Iranian national team does not represent the Iranian people. It represents the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the oppressive theocracy that has ruled through terror for nearly five decades. That’s why the Islamic Republic is protesting that the team including all its IRGC guards be allowed to come to America. It is literally allowing terrorists to come for a field day in our own backyards.

Players who are not IRGC are also not free. They may not express themselves, or think of defecting, lest the threats they have been made clear to them against their families be realized. God help them if they dare show solidarity with the protests sweeping Iran, or thank their American hosts for helping to free Iran. In past tournaments, we saw courageous gestures of players refusing to sing the regime’s anthem only to be met with intimidation from the IRGC. This is no game; it is propaganda. The regime uses the unifying sport of soccer and the World Cup to project an image of normalcy while executing prisoners by the hundreds, brutalizing and disfiguring women who do not wear the hijab “properly,” and funding terrorism across the Middle East.

**Crackdown to Kickoff**. Is it acceptable that the regime responsible for mass murdering its own citizens during a crackdown of protests, should be permitted to normalize its crimes by being allowed to participate at the World Cup in the US? Seen here are families searching for their loved ones among bodies outside the Kahrizak forensic center in the suburbs of Tehran, Iran, January 13, 2026. (Photo: SIPA)

I know this evil firsthand. In Evin Prison, I endured conditions designed to break the human body and spirit. Solitary confinement, psychological torment, and the constant threat of execution were tools to silence faith and freedom. Thousands of political prisoners, including Christians like me, have faced the same. The regime hangs people for “enmity against God.” Women are beaten and killed for “improper hijab,” as we saw with Mahsa Amini in 2022. Young girls are imprisoned, and minorities are persecuted. Women are raped before execution because the religion of peace does not allow execution of virgins, and so, according to their perverted Islamic ideology, they will not go to heaven. This is what’s under the soccer jerseys the Islamic Republic regime wants to normalize on American soil.

**Sing to Survive**. In March 2026, fears mounted for members of the Iranian women’s soccer team following being branded “wartime traitors” by Iranian state media for refusing to sing their national anthem in Australia. (Photo: AP)

My fellow Americans, we live in a land of liberty, founded on principles of God-given rights, where faith is protected and dissent is a cornerstone of democracy. How can you welcome representatives of a regime that executes Christians, stones adulterers (by their laws), subjugates women in every way – including as sex slaves under the banner of Islamic “temporary marriages” – and which calls for the destruction of Israel and America? FIFA officials speak of “inclusion” and “sports diplomacy,” but there can be no diplomacy with evil that slaughters its own citizens and seeks to annihilate other countries. Protesting the Islamic Republic’s participation honors the true spirit of competition one rooted in fair play, not state-sponsored terror.

Our protest also sends an urgent message to the Iranian diaspora and freedom-loving people inside Iran. Many Iranian-Americans fled this very regime. They wave the old Lion and Sun flag, not the blood-soaked emblem of the Islamic Republic. By allowing the team entry, America normalizes the mullahs’ lies. It tells protesters in Tehran – risking their lives in the streets behind an internet blackout – that the world prefers games over justice. It dishonors the memory of those executed, those blinded and disfigured by pellets, those raped in custody, and those who simply wanted to live without fear. It’s all a big show because Iranians living behind the internet blackout won’t even be able to watch an uncensored broadcast of a soccer game, only able to see what the regime allows them.

Most recently, and in an affront to all Americans, FIFA has barred people from displaying the original Lion and Sun Iranian flag which was hijacked and perverted by the flag of the Islamic Republic since 1979. Not only is this an obscene whitewashing of the presence of the Islamic Republic team on US soil, it undermines the First Amendment in a peaceful display of protest. If allowed to be enforced, it’s tantamount to America ceding territory and our freedoms to the Islamic Republic by giving ownership and authority of our rights to FIFA as the gatekeeper. There are and must be an infinite number of ways for Americans to assert that FIFA may be the organizer, but they have no authority on matters of freedom of expression. Would they do what the Islamic Republic does in such an instance: shoot down protesters? The Lion and Sun must be present inside and outside the stadiums and all Americans must resist this violation of our inalienable rights for which Iranians are being slaughtered in the streets.

**Football Façade**. Crowds gather for a public farewell ceremony for Iran’s national soccer team as they prepare to depart for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in Enghelab Square in Tehran, Iran, on May 13, 2026. (Photo: Behnam Tofighi/UPI)

My faith in Jesus sustained me through Evin’s darkness. He taught us to stand for the oppressed, to speak truth to power. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). The Iranian people are crying out for freedom. Women lead the revolution with the cry “Woman, Life, Freedom.” Christians worship in secret house churches, risking everything for their faith. Jews, Baha’is, Kurds and other minorities face systemic erasure. Americans who value life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have a moral duty to stand with them.

Protesting does not mean hating Iranian athletes as individuals. Many are victims themselves, coerced by a system that controls their careers and families. True solidarity would be demanding FIFA ban the team until the regime releases political prisoners, ends executions, grants religious freedom, and stops its nuclear ambitions and terror sponsorship. Sport should unite humanity, not provide cover and whitewashing of systematic evil.

As an American citizen now, I urge my fellow citizens: Do not let commercial interests or diplomatic niceties silence you. Organize at stadiums. Rally in cities hosting matches. Protest any hotel that gives lodging to the Islamic Republic team. Contact your representatives. Flood social media with the truth. Demand visas be denied to regime-linked officials and IRGC affiliates. Support true Iranian opposition voices who envision a free, secular, democratic Iran at peace with its neighbors, including Israel. Support Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to return to Iran and lead the country to freedom and prosperity, the one name millions of Iranians support to do so.

I pray that the regime’s days are numbered, that its collapse is coming, through internal revolution and decisive external pressure. But while it clings to power, we must not legitimize it on the world stage, or on the soccer field.

The World Cup on American soil provides a moment of truth. Will we choose silence and spectacle, or courage and conscience? I survived Evin because people around the world raised their voices. My captors were angered by the broad international support and voices which ultimately made a difference in my being released. Now, I ask Americans to raise your voice. Protest the Iranian team’s inclusion. Stand for the Iranian people. Stand for freedom. The God who delivered me from death can deliver an entire nation – if we act with faith and boldness.

Let the games begin without the Islamic Republic’s symbol of oppression. Let the world hear the true voice of Iran: the voice of the oppressed, calling for liberty.

About the writer:

Marziyeh Amirizadeh is an Iranian American who immigrated to the US after being sentenced to death in Iran for the crime of converting to Christianity. She endured months of mental and physical hardships and intense interrogation. She is author of two books (the latest, A Love Journey with God), public speaker, and columnist. She has shared her inspiring story throughout the United States and around the world, to bring awareness about the ongoing human rights violations and persecution of women and religious minorities in Iran, www.MarzisJourney.com.
Marzi also is the founder and president of NEW PERSIA whose mission is to be the voice of persecuted Christians and oppressed women under Islam, expose the lies of the Iranian Islamic regime, and restore the relationships between Persians, Jews, and Christians. www.NewPersia.org.

MIDTERM ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Historically the midterm elections result in a loss of seats by the ruling party in the House of Representatives and a small change in the makeup of the Senate.

By Neville Berman

The United States President is elected for a four-year term of office. Half way through this 4-year period, an election takes place that is known as the midterm elections. The next midterm elections are due to take place on November 3, 2026. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, and 1/3 of the Senate seats are up for re-election.

The United States Congress is the legislative body of the federal government of the United States. It is made up of an upper body known as the Senate, and a lower body known as the House of Representatives. Members of the House of Representatives are elected for 2-year terms and members of the Senate are elected for 6-year terms. There are 100 members of the Senate, with each of the 50 States electing 2 senators irrespective of the population or size of each state. In the event of a tie in a Senate vote, the vice president has an additional vote in the Senate There are 435 members of Congress elected by electoral districts in each state.

The US House of Representatives is the body that proposes federal laws. The Senate then needs to approve the laws passed by the House. Finally, the President needs to sign the bill before the bill becomes federal law. If the President chooses to veto the bill, in most cases Congress can then vote to override the veto and the bill then becomes federal law.

There have been 20 US midterm elections since the end of the Second World War. In 10 of these elections, the President was a Democrat, and in an equal number the President was a Republican. Let us look back at what happened in the first of these 20 midterm elections and see if there is any resemblance to the next midterm election.

In November 1944, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected for an unprecedented fourth term of office as President. His vice president was Harry S Truman. They were sworn into office in January 1945. Eighty-two days after the inauguration, President Roosevelt died and Truman was sworn in as the 37^th President of the United States. He was the 7^th Vice President to become President due to the death of the President while in office. Truman was a poor farmer from Missouri, who never went to university, and never ran a successful business. He was now the President of the most powerful country in the world. On his desk, he placed a sign that read “The buck stops here”. Truman took this to heart. He took decisions that changed the world.

**Recalibration in the Capitol**. Riding widespread discontent with the postwar economic policies of the Harry Truman administration, Republicans in 1946, running on the slogan, “Had Enough”, recaptured majority control of the House from Democrats for the first time in 15 years. The GOP gained 55 seats for a 246 to 188 advantage.

Less than one month after Truman became President, Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally. However, the War in the Pacific was far from over. In order to shorten the war and save American lives, Truman signed an order authorizing the use of atomic bombs in the war against Japan.

On August 6, 1945 the first atomic bomb named Little Boy, was dropped on Hiroshima. Three days later the second atomic bomb, named Fat Man, was dropped on Nagasaki. Between 150,000 and 246,000 people were killed, almost all of whom were civilians.

Six days later, Emperor Hirohito addressed the nation on radio. He could not bring himself to use the word ‘surrender’. Instead, he said that Japan had agreed to an American proposal. Everyone understood that Japan had surrendered.

On September 2, 1945 the formal signing of Japanese unconditional surrender took place aboard the USS Missouri. The Second World War was finally over.

Having won the war, one would imagine that Americans would overwhelmingly vote to support the ruling Democratic Party in the midterm elections the following year. So, what happened?

During the war wages in America were frozen and price controls were instituted. With the war over, all the big military contracts were cancelled, and at the same time the labour unions were demanding a 30% increase in salaries. Millions of workers were laid off. The steelworkers’ union went on strike. Hundreds of factories including General Motors were closed due to labour strikes. At the same time millions of soldiers were returning and could not find jobs. Three weeks before the 1946 midterm elections the meat workers went on strike. People were despondent and fed up with the government. In the 1946 midterm elections the Republican party ran on the slogan “Had enough”.” The slogan resonated with the electorate. The Republicans won in a landslide and gained control of both the Senate and the House. The Democrats lost 55 seats in the House and 12 seats in the Senate.

At present, the Republicans have 218 seats in the House and the Democrats have 215 seats. The Republicans thus have a slender 3 seat majority in the House. Two members of the House resigned in April and their seats are presently vacant.

**Bush ‘on the Ball’**. To buck historical trends, presidents and parties go all out for the midterms. Seen here is President Bush holding a jersey from a local high school football team during a rally in LeMars, Iowa days before the 2006 midterm election. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

In 80% of the last 20 midterm elections the ruling party has lost control of the House of Representatives. The average number of seats in the House lost when Democrats were in power in the last 20 midterm elections is 27. In the case where the Republicans were in power, the average number of seats lost in the House over the last 20 midterm elections is 22. If this trend continues, the Republicans will lose control of the House in the next midterm elections.

**Democrats Rebound**. Popular U.S. President Ronald Reagan campaigns for the GOP in the 1986 midterms, but voters choose Democrats. (Photo: Douglas C. Pizac/AP)

In the Senate, the Republicans presently have a 53 to 47 advantage. Included in the 47 are 2 independents who caucus with the Democrats. In 60% of the midterm elections since 1946, the ruling party has retained control of the Senate with a reduced majority, and in 40% of the elections, the ruling party lost control of the Senate. Republicans under Eisenhower, Ford and Reagan all lost control of the Senate in the midterm elections. Based on the data of the past 20 midterm elections, there is a statistical likelihood that the electorate will again demonstrate that they have had enough and want change. If the past is any indication of what will happen, the Republican Party will in all likelihood lose their majority in the House. and will either have a reduced majority in the Senate, or will lose control of the Senate in the next midterm elections.

**Tea Party Turnaround**. 2010 was President Barack Obama’s first midterm test and the newly prominent Tea Party and a GOP pushback resulted in a change of course by voters. Republican gains were huge and Democrats lost the House

In 1947, the 22nd Amendment of the American Constitution was passed. The amendment limited the Presidency to a maximum of two terms of four years each. As President Trump is now in his second term in office, he cannot stand again in the next Presidential election due to take place in November 2028.

Trump on Trending. Historically, the party in control of the White House loses seats in the House during the midterm elections.

No matter what the actual outcome of the next midterm election will be, barring unforeseen circumstances, Trump will remain President until 2028. He will probably govern by signing more Presidential Decrees. America is indispensable in its role as a superpower and any weakening of American resolve will have a devastating effect on what happens in the future. The coming midterm elections will provide the first clue as to what can be expected after Trump leaves office. The situation does not augur well for a peaceful and prosperous future for the Middle East or for anywhere else.

*Feature photo: Capitol Hill. The western front of the United States Capitol, Washington DC. (Phoyo: Public Domain)

About the writer:

SACRED GROUND, SACRED SAFETY – HOLY SEPHULCHRE NEEDS A SHELTER NOW

The Church should be a protected sanctuary rather than a site for political standoffs- sanctity of life over frictions of the past.

By David Nekrutman and Jonathan Feldstein

The images from last month’s Iranian missile barrage remain seared into our collective memory, specifically the sight of ballistic streaks over Jerusalem’s Old City. Amidst this high-stakes war, a localized controversy erupted that touched the very heart of the faith communities with whom we spend our time building bridges. During Holy Week, Israeli police barred Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for a private, livestreamed Palm Sunday service.

**Cardinal Issue**. Need to provide a bomb shelter following the issue with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is seen here holding a prayer service to mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem, March 29, 2026. (Photo: Ammar Awad/Pool Photo via AP)

Predictably, the incident became a Rorschach test for the region’s geopolitics. Critics of Israel seized upon it as evidence of anti-Christian bias, while defenders pointed to the genuine threat of falling shrapnel, noting that religious gatherings for Jews and Muslims were also restricted. The fallout was significant enough that Israeli government leaders, including the Prime Minister himself, condemned the police decision and intervened to ensure a solution was found for future services.

**Targeting Jerusalem**. Israel intercepts an Iranian missile above Jerusalem’s Old City on March 1, 2026. (Photo: AP/Mahmoud Illean)

While high-level political fixes can salvage a holiday, they do not address the underlying infrastructure failure. As leaders of The Isaiah Projects and the Genesis 123 Foundation, we believe the time has come to ask a glaring, practical question:

Why does one of the most significant religious sites on Earth, in a place that has been targeted by terrorist missiles, lack a bomb shelter?

STREAMLINING SECURITY FOR THE CLERGY

The absence of a shelter doesn’t just impact pilgrims; it hamstrings the ability of Israel’s Home Front Command to make nuanced security calls. When the sirens wail and the threat level is raised, as we experienced during last month’s state of war, the military’s default position must be the total shutdown of unprotected spaces.

**Under Fire**. Smoke in the Old City shows where fragments from an Iranian missile fell near the holy sites of all the three major religions. (Photo: IDF)

If the Church of the Holy Sepulchre had an on-site shelter, the logistical calculus would change overnight. It would provide the Home Front Command with the safety “cushion” needed to allow the Cardinal and his clergy into the building even during high-alert periods. While a shelter might not allow for full congregational attendance, it would alleviate some of the safety concerns that currently lead to total bans on public holy sites. A shelter turns a high-risk security gamble into a manageable situation, ensuring the liturgy does not have to go dark while protecting lives — a value central to both Judaism and Christianity.

A COALTION OF WILLING NEIGHBORS

Recognizing this gap between spiritual necessity and physical safety, our organizations have publicly offered to donate and install a bomb shelter within or adjacent to the church premises. We would be working in tandem with Operation Lifeshield, an Israeli organization with decades of specialized experience installing shelters for both Jewish and non-Jewish communities across Israel.

To date, however, the Church has yet to accept our offer. We understand the complexity of the “Status Quo” — the centuries-old web of agreements between different denominations that govern the Holy Sites. Historically, even moving a ladder can trigger an internal Christian crisis. Yet, as the region prepares for a potential “Phase 3” escalation with Iran and the lack of a long-term solution becomes glaring, the absence of modern safety infrastructure is a liability that prayer alone may not solve.

BEYOND THE STATUS QUO

The threats last month in Jerusalem and across Israel were real. While any physical change requires a delicate consensus among the various Christian denominations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, “bureaucracy as usual” is a luxury we can no longer afford when the stakes are human lives.

**Nowhere is Safe**. Following an Iranian missile exploding over Jerusalem’s Old City, its fragments fell on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Armenian Patriarchate, the Jewish Quarter and on the Temple Mount near the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Iranian regime is firing missiles toward Jerusalem’s holy sites, endangering Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike. Israel, meanwhile, acts to protect worshippers of all faiths in its capital city.

Moving beyond these administrative hurdles would signal a profound shift in interfaith relations, especially as an initiative of two Jewish-led organizations supported by both Jews and Christians. We are currently sixty years post-Nostra Aetate, the landmark declaration that reshaped the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people. We speak often of “rapprochement”, but it is often confined to high-level summits and theological papers.

We believe a bomb shelter for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, facilitated by Jewish neighbors with a proven track record of protecting all citizens, would be the ultimate modern manifestation of that vision. It would be a tangible, “concrete” sign of a brotherhood that prioritizes the sanctity of life over the friction of the past.

**Holy Sepulchre in the ‘Cross’hairs**. Missile debris from an Iranian attack landed just feet from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem – one of the most sacred sites in Christianity, believed to be the place of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.

LOOKING AHEAD TO PHASE III

As tensions with Iran threaten to escalate into a “Phase III” conflict, the issue of shutdowns in public and even sacred spaces will only intensify. Israel has recently appointed a new Christian envoy; while he is still getting his feet wet in this complex space, he cannot carry the burden of the Church’s safety alone.

The Church leadership must step up. It is easy to blame security forces for restrictions, but it is much harder to justify the lack of basic safety infrastructure in a high-profile target area frequently caught in the crosshairs of regional conflict.

Our offer stands. We are ready to work with the Church to navigate the technical and diplomatic hurdles. Accepting this shelter would ensure that when the next barrage of missiles from Iran, Hezbollah, or the Houthis comes, the Church remains a protected sanctuary rather than a site for political standoffs. Let us work together to ensure that the prayers at the Holy Sepulchre never have to be silenced by the sound of sirens.

To learn more about this initiative, please visit Shelters for Christian Holy Sites.

About the writers:

David Nekrutman is the Executive Director of The Isaiah Projects.

Jonathan Feldstein is the President of the Genesis 123 Foundation.

WHAT HAPPENED TO IMRAN KHAN?

Khan’s detention has coincided with broader crackdowns on his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

By Michael Jankelowitz

(Courtesy to The Jerusalem Post where article first appeared)

US President Donald Trump repeatedly calls on Israel’s President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Why is Trump silent on the fate of imprisoned former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan? Khan is ill, denied visits by his sons, and is languishing in a Pakistani jail as Pakistan tries to boost its international image by brokering a peace deal between the US and Iran.

The continued imprisonment of Imran Khan is increasingly difficult to view as a straightforward matter of law and order. Rather, it bears the troubling hallmarks of political retribution – an outcome that undermines not only Pakistan’s democratic institutions but also its global credibility.

Khan is no ordinary political figure. Before entering politics, he was a national icon who led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. His transition from sports hero to reformist politician gave him a unique legitimacy, particularly among younger and urban voters. As prime minister, he cultivated an image – fairly or not – of an outsider challenging entrenched elites.

**‘King’ Khan**. Imran Khan is hoisted up by his team-mates after winning the World Cup in 1992. (Photo: Tony Feder/Getty Image)

KHAN’S REMOVAL FROM OFFICE AND LEGAL CASES

His removal from office in 2022 via a parliamentary no-confidence vote was constitutionally valid. However, what followed raises serious concerns. Khan has since faced a barrage of legal cases, ranging from corruption to charges related to state secrets. While accountability is essential in any democracy, the sheer volume and timing of these cases invite skepticism. It is difficult to ignore the perception that the legal system is being weaponized to sideline a political rival.

The principle at stake is not whether Khan is above the law – he is not. The issue is whether the law is being applied fairly and independently. Reports from international observers and human rights organizations have highlighted irregularities in due process, limitations on Khan’s legal team, and restrictions on media coverage. These factors collectively weaken the credibility of the proceedings against him.

Moreover, Khan’s detention has coincided with broader crackdowns on his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Supporters have been arrested, rallies curtailed, and political activity constrained. This wider pattern reinforces the argument that his imprisonment is part of a coordinated effort to suppress opposition rather than a neutral application of justice.

**Big Attraction**. From cricket fans to political supporters, Imran Khan had the appeal to attract such as these PTI supporters at a rally in Islamabad. (Photo: anveer Shahzad)

POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND INJUSTICE

Pakistan’s history is, unfortunately, replete with instances where political leaders have been jailed under contentious circumstances. From Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Nawaz Sharif, the line between accountability and political engineering has often been blurred. Khan’s case risks becoming another chapter in this cycle, perpetuating instability rather than resolving it.

The consequences extend beyond domestic politics. Pakistan faces significant economic and security challenges that require unity and public trust. The perception that political competition is being settled through courts rather than ballots erodes confidence in the system. It also complicates relations with international partners who prioritize rule of law and democratic norms.

**Behind the Crease to Behind Bars**. It’s been an extraordinary journey for a man destined for greatness.

Releasing Khan – whether through bail, acquittal, or a transparent and expedited legal process – would not mean endorsing his policies or absolving him of potential wrongdoing. It would signal a commitment to fairness and institutional integrity. If the state’s case against him is strong, it should withstand scrutiny in an open and credible judicial process.

**An All-rounder**. The Cricketer, the Celebrity, the Politician and now the Prisoner.

Ultimately, democracies are judged not by how they treat their allies but by how they treat their opponents. Pakistan now faces a defining test. Continuing to hold Imran Khan under contested circumstances risks deepening political divisions and damaging the country’s democratic fabric. Allowing due process to unfold transparently – and ensuring that it is free from political influence – is not just in Khan’s interest. It is in Pakistan’s.

**Country’s Cricket Captain to its Prime Minister**. Imran Khan was a mover and shaker.

About the writer:

The writer is a Jerusalem-based commentator on international affairs and the Jewish world. He grew up in South Africa and has been living in Israel since 1971. He studied at Bar Ilan University where he served on its student government. Following his studies, he worked for 35 years in various positions at the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency for Israel, where he served as its spokesman to the International Media.

*Feature picture: Cricket player to power broker – Imran Khan. (Photo: Associated Press).

THE 17,000 DAY WAR

Iran’s war with the US and Israel started not in 2026 but in 1979 – and has never stopped.

By Jonathan Feldstein

If you were to think that the current war against the Islamic Republic of Iran has been going on for just the past three weeks, you would be mistaken. The war started in November 1979 when “students” attacked and hijacked the United States embassy in Tehran, taking 52 hostages for 444 days. This act of war has been reiterated daily for nearly 17,000 days, with Islamic Republic’s war cries against the United States, what they call “the Great Satan” every day since with their chanting of “Death to America”.

**All Fired Up**. The hate and hunger for war against the US has never let up since 1979 as seen here in June 1980 of a group of Iranians setting fire to an American flag on the roof of the occupied United States embassy in Tehran. (Photo: Getty)

One might think they don’t really mean it, that maybe it just rhymes in Farsi like cheerleaders at a high school football game, encouraging their team. One would be wrong.

Their launch last week of a missile that can reach 4000 kilometers is an indication of bigger aims than “just” to eradicate Israel (“the Little Satan”),or infiltrate radical Islam across the world. One would also be mistaken to think of the Iranian threat through the prism or how they want to see the world, rather than how the world – and the Islamic threat – really is.

**From Iran with Hate**. Israel under endless bombardment as seen here in the southern city of Arad where fire breaks out in one of the destroyed buildings following a ballistic missile attack that injured well over 100 people and caused extensive damage. (Photo: MDA)

As I have been stranded in the United States for three weeks, unable to get home to Israel, I have used my time conducting dozens of media interviews and briefings to share a personal perspective and the truth of what’s actually happening and why this war is not only just, but necessary.

One briefing and broad-based conversation was in response to a wide array of countless questions from people all over the world, looking for accurate information.

For the past three weeks Israel and many Gulf Arab states have been under intense, nonstop bombardment from the Islamic Republic and its proxies. Missiles, rockets, drones, cluster bombs — dozens at a time — send millions of Israelis to bomb shelters night after night. Yes, there is fear, and stress. There have been casualties, many injuries, and widespread destruction. Yet even in the midst of this, Israelis remain remarkably resilient. Even hopeful. Marking this, the same week as my conversation, Israel was ranked among the top ten happiest countries in the world—eighth in 2025 — despite years of conflict and war. Happiness is a consequence of the shared purpose among Israelis, unity albeit among times of friction, and an unshakable belief that we are fighting a just and necessary war. Yes, there’s suffering but an awareness that God has our back.

**Feisty and Philosophical**. Despite war, Israel ranks 8th in global happiness survey, the same as last year. A local photographer captures daily life in Tel Aviv during the Israel-US war with Iran on 18 March, 2026. (Photo: Miriam Alster/FLASH90)

I wish all Americans had the same sense of unity and purpose. A sense of community amid widespread differences.

This war is not merely Israel’s fight; it is a war of good versus evil, and it is very much in America’s interest. For nearly half a century, every day that the Islamic Republic has indoctrinated people to chant “Death to America” as they plot toward a nuclear weapon (with enough enriched uranium as of three weeks ago to make 11 nuclear bombs) is a day Americans are threatened. Iran’s proxies — Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas and others — threaten global shipping, target civilians, and seek to destroy the Judeo-Christian values that undermine Western civilization. The current escalation is the bitter fruit of decades of appeasement, including billions funneled to Tehran under previous administrations. Today, fuel prices spike worldwide not only because of the conflict but because the free world allowed, enabled, and even funded this terrorist “superpower” to grow unchecked.

**Combatting Evil**. Apart from the global threat, Iran under the ayatollah rule is “pure evil” as exposed by the popularity of public executions as seen here in this public hanging in 2017.

What we are witnessing, however, is extraordinary. Israel and America, with remarkable intelligence cooperation, military might, and coordination, has systematically dismantled much of Iran’s missile infrastructure and taken out high-ranking IRGC and Basij leaders. Precision strikes have crippled the machinery of oppression that has brutalized 90 million Iranians for decades. I see God’s hand in this — poking the eye of a regime built on vengeance and false gods. I am no prophet, but the destruction of terror infrastructure feels providential, a modern echo of the plagues that humbled Egypt, the superpower of its day, and liberated the Jewish people 3500 years ago. In the prophecy of Jeremiah 49:34–39, it speaks of God breaking the bow of Elam (ancient Iran) and scattering its people yet ultimately establishing His throne there. We may be living the early chapters of that prophecy!

**Loud and Clear**. Sending a strong message of intent, the IRGC displays in February 8, 2023 at an exhibition in the central city of Isfahan an Iranian missile with the words ‘Death to Israel’ written in Hebrew. ( Photo: Twitter/X)

As we begin Nisan — the first month in the biblical calendar and the season of Passover — we remember redemption from slavery under an evil superpower that worshiped idols. Egypt’s gods were powerless; Pharaoh’s army drowned. Today, the Islamic Republic’s proxies rain death on civilians, yet Israel endures. Our children sleep in bomb shelters, schools remain closed, reservists are repeatedly called up, and families live under constant stress. Parents juggle work-from-home, childcare, and fear with trying to keep things “normal.” We normalize the abnormal because we have no alternative.

This is a war that must be won decisively — no more kicking the can down the road. Regime change in Iran is essential, for Israel’s security, for the United States as we celebrate 250 years of independence, and for Western civilization, as well as for the liberation of millions of Iranians who deserve freedom. I pray for Reza Pahlavi’s return, for a restoration a free, democratic, productive Iran, and for the birth of “Cyrus Accords” that echo the spirit of the ancient Persian king who enabled the Jewish return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.

**Winds of Change**. Following an estimated 40,000 Iranian protesters murdered during the Iranian protests for a better life in their country, the movement for “change of regime” gains momentum as seen at this protest march to the American Embassy, London UK. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Many ask what they can do. First, pray — unceasingly. Prayer is God’s currency; it costs nothing and multiplies. Second, advocate for truth in a world drowning in lies. Challenge misinformation on social media, in churches, in conversations. Third, support those on the front lines — soldiers, families, at-risk youth. Finally, come to Israel when you can. Meet the people, walk the land, taste its fruit.

As Passover approaches, we recall that redemption rarely arrives overnight. It took forty years in the desert, countless miracles, and unwavering faith. Some lost faith and rebelled. We are human with all the frailties that embodies. Today Israelis stand together — Jews, Christians, Druze, Bedouin Arabs, all targeted alike —united in purpose. America and Israel share these values as well as the threats, and common purpose. We must remain united. And victorious.

About the writer:

LONDON’S DIRTY SECRET: HOW STOLEN REGIME FUNDS FLOW THROUGH THE UK

Britain cannot claim to confront the Iranian regime while simultaneously serving as a repository for its money.

By Emily Schrader

The United Kingdom likes to pretend it is still a defender of democracy and a leader in confronting authoritarian regimes. Yet when it comes to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Britain’s policies reveal a far more uncomfortable reality.

Despite years of warnings from security officials and lawmakers, the UK government has still failed to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, even after the European Union has done so. There are a litany of excuses offered as to why, but one possible factor is increasingly difficult to ignore: Islamic regime-linked wealth has become deeply embedded inside the British financial and property system.

Recent reporting illustrates just how extensive these connections may be. Investigations into the financial network surrounding the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have linked him to a series of luxury properties in London. Property records indicate that two high-end apartments in Kensington were purchased in 2014 and 2016 for roughly £50 million. The apartments are located just meters from the Israeli Embassy. The properties were reportedly registered through companies tied to Iranian businessman Ali Ansari, a longtime associate of regime elites who has since been sanctioned by the British government for his alleged role in helping finance activities linked to the IRGC.

**Too Close for Comfort**. Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei (left) reportedly owns two London apartments on same street as the Israeli embassy (right). Only 50 yards away, it enables easy surveillance, constituting a ‘serious security breach’.

Further reporting suggests these apartments may represent only a fraction of the assets connected to that network. Investigations have identified a broader web of London properties linked through intermediaries and shell companies, including homes on Hampstead’s Bishops Avenue, often called Billionaires’ Row. The combined value of these properties has been estimated in the hundreds of millions.

At the center of this network is Ali Ansari, an Iranian banker and businessman who built a vast property empire across some of London’s most expensive neighborhoods. Yet by the time sanctions were imposed, many of the assets connected to his business network had already been absorbed into the British property market through offshore companies and complex ownership structures – something which works to the benefit of nefarious actors like the Supreme Leader.

The financial power surrounding the Supreme Leader’s office is enormous. A 2013 Reuters investigation estimated that Setad, the conglomerate controlled by the Supreme Leader and formally known as the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order, oversees assets worth roughly $95 billion across industries including telecommunications, banking, pharmaceuticals, real estate, and energy holdings. Setad was originally created after the 1979 revolution to manage properties confiscated from Iranians who fled the country, including businesses and land seized from political opponents and religious minorities. Over time it evolved into a vast corporate empire operating largely outside public oversight and answering directly to the Supreme Leader’s office.

**Tentacles of Terror**. Iran’s new Supreme Leader’s London properties were reportedly registered through companies tied to Iranian businessman Ali Ansari (above) who has been sanctioned by the British government for his alleged role in helping finance activities linked to the IRGC.

Setad is only one component of the broader economic structure controlled by Iran’s ruling elite. Religious foundations known as bonyads, which also report directly to the Supreme Leader, control an estimated 10 to 20 percent of Iran’s economy. These organizations operate with minimal transparency and enjoy sweeping tax exemptions while managing massive portfolios of real estate, industrial assets, and financial investments.

Analysts have long viewed Mojtaba Khamenei as a key figure inside this financial and political network. For years he has been widely described by Iran experts as a power broker within the Supreme Leader’s office who maintains close ties with senior commanders of the IRGC. Together, the economic empires of Setad, the Bonyads, and IRGC-linked business networks control significant portions of Iran’s economy, creating a system where political authority and economic wealth are tightly intertwined.

The IRGC itself operates one of the largest economic empires in the Middle East. Analysts estimate that companies connected to the IRGC control between 20 and 40 percent of Iran’s economy, with holdings in construction, telecommunications, banking, energy, transportation, and shipping. The Guard’s massive engineering conglomerate, Khatam al Anbiya, has secured billions of dollars in infrastructure and energy contracts across the country. Because many of these businesses operate through private companies, front organizations, and intermediaries, the financial networks tied to the regime frequently extend far beyond Iran’s borders.

This financial ecosystem intersects with another vulnerability inside the British system. London’s real estate market has become one of the world’s most attractive destinations for opaque foreign capital. Transparency advocates have warned for years that Britain’s property sector functions as a global laundromat for politically exposed wealth. According to Transparency International, more than £5.6 billion in suspicious funds has been invested in UK property linked to corruption or politically exposed individuals.

A major reason for this vulnerability is the widespread use of offshore ownership structures. Prior to recent transparency reforms, roughly 90 percent of foreign-owned property in London was held through offshore shell companies registered in secrecy jurisdictions such as the British Virgin Islands or Panama. Even today, more than 90,000 properties across the United Kingdom remain owned through offshore entities, often making it extremely difficult to identify the ultimate beneficial owner. These structures have allowed politically connected elites from around the world, including figures linked to sanctioned regimes, to quietly park wealth in Britain’s property market.

Members of the Islamic Republic’s ruling families have also established personal and professional footholds in the United Kingdom. Hadi Larijani, the son of senior Iranian regime official Mohammad Javad Larijani, works as a professor at Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland. Another Larijani family member, Zeinab Ardeshir Larijani, is listed in UK corporate filings as a director of British companies. The Larijani family is one of the most powerful political dynasties in the Islamic Republic. Several brothers have held top positions in the regime including speaker of parliament, head of the judiciary, and senior adviser roles to the Supreme Leader.

The contradiction is striking. While the Iranian regime arrests protesters, suppresses women’s rights, and funds militant proxies across the Middle East, relatives of senior officials appear able to live, work, and conduct business in Western countries including Britain.

This reality raises an uncomfortable question. If the UK government were to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization and aggressively dismantle the financial networks tied to the regime, what else, and who else, might be exposed inside Britain’s own economy?

For years, London has benefited from its role as a global financial hub. But that openness has also created vulnerabilities. The same system that attracts legitimate international investment has also provided opportunities for authoritarian elites to shield their wealth abroad.

Britain cannot claim to confront the Iranian regime while simultaneously serving as a repository for its money. If the UK is serious about countering Tehran’s destabilizing activities, it must begin by addressing the regime-linked financial networks operating within its own borders.

Until that happens, the message from London will remain painfully clear:

The Islamic Republic may be condemned in speeches and sanctions lists… but its money is still welcome.

About the writer:

Emily Schrader is an American-Israeli journalist, human rights activist, and the founder of the Iran Israel Alliance. She is an an anchor at ILTV News, and the host of Axis of Truth on JNS. Emily also is a cofounder of the Cyrus Strategic Fund, and she sits on the executive board of the Institute for Voices of Liberty, a think tank focused on European and American Iran policy, and has advised lawmakers across North America and Europe on Iran policy. In 2025, she released her first book, 10 Things Every Jew Should Know Before They Go To College and has lectured all over the world on the topic of rising antisemitism. Emily is the winner of the 2023 Nefesh b’Nefesh Bonei Zion award for outstanding immigrants to Israel, and in 2025, she was given the Women of Iron award by Chochmat Nashim for her dedication to women’s rights.

DESPERATELY SEEKING SALVATION

How Western countries can confront the challengers of growing unassimilated immigrant populations.

By Neville Berman

Despite the enormous improvement in the material lifestyle of the 21^st century, millions of people have not shared in the abundant wealth created by technology and innovation. Many countries are in reality failed states, unable to provide jobs, sufficient food for their population and repay loans to international aid agencies such as the World Bank. With no foreseeable prospect of a better life in the countries of their birth, millions of people are risking their lives in attempting to immigrate to other parts of the world. The vast majority of these immigrants are economic migrants seeking better opportunities for themselves and their families. They normally have low marketable skills, little or no financial resources, and are unfamiliar with the language, culture or religious practices of the countries that they are desperately trying to reach.

**Chancing the Channel**. Migrants sit on a dinghy as they wait to cross the English Channel from France. (Photo: Getty/Carl Court)

Most countries in the western world are running on financial deficits that are reaching alarming proportions. Interest payments on debt have become a major issue in the budgets of almost all western countries. Countries are cutting social services to their own population, while at the same time providing new immigrants with free housing, health care, educational assistance, and direct financial aid. The inevitable clash between the local population and the new immigrants is tearing countries apart. Hatred is on the rise. Immigration has become a hot topic that will play an important role in future elections in the western world. There is almost zero immigration going the other way.

**Greener Pastures**. This photo taken at a Spanish enclave on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast, encapsulates a visual clash of cultures as migrants from North Africa scale a fence to reach Europe while one golfer is in mid-swing, while another gazes in bewilderment as if under surprise attack. (Photo: Jose Palazon/Reuters)

What is happening all over the Western world is that new immigrants usually live in low-income areas just outside major cities. Many of these new immigrants cannot find jobs. The areas that they live in soon take on a different character to what existed before, and end up becoming a no-go area for local police. This scenario is replicating across the Western world.

**All Aboard**. Uncertain which country in Europe they might eventually end up residing, some 500 passengers on this boat crossing from Libya to Italy. What is ‘certain’ is that Europe is changing as a result. (Photo: Massimo Sestini).

Children born in a country normally enjoy a right of citizenship. While exposed in their home environment to the language of their parents, they then spend their formative years in local schools that inculcate the language, culture, values and heritage of their adopted country into their lifestyle. At the age of 18, they are granted the right to vote in local and national elections. On the other hand, what happens with immigrants is that five years after they are granted the legal right to live in the country, they are granted citizenship. Provided they are over the age of 18, they are entitled to vote. After five years of living in a country, they usually still communicate with their family in the language of their birth, and are probably not fully integrated into the local customs, values and culture of the country. In many cases their religious beliefs are foreign to the accepted religious practices of the majority of the local population.

All Western countries are democracies that hold elections for public office. The increase in the proportion of the immigrant population with the right to vote, can be the determining factor in who gets elected. In the case of France, President Sarkozy banned the right to wear full-face veils known as burqas in public spaces. The result was that over 90% of the Muslims, who made up 8% of the population, voted against him in the 2012 French presidential election. Sarkozy lost the election by a 3.2% margin. Clearly the Muslim vote determined who became President of France. Political parties across Europe took note of what happened in France. They started pandering to the Muslim community in their countries, in order to have a better chance of being elected. The question that arises is what can be done to alleviate the problems described above?

**Paris ‘Street Scene’**. It’s not artists anymore that tell the story of the “city of Lights”. Taking over public areas, Friday prayers on the pavement in Goutte d’Or,18th arrondissement, Paris. (Photo: William Daniels/Panos Pictures)

The first suggestion that I would like to make is to grant citizenship only to people who have lived in the country for 18 years and not 5 years. After eighteen years of living in the country they will probably be more integrated into the country and more acclimatized to local norms, values and customs than after only 5 years of living in the country. If locally born citizens need to wait 18 years before they get the right to vote, it seems reasonable that foreign immigrants should also need to wait for 18 years before acquiring the right to vote. The second suggestion is that during the 18 years of acclimatization, they will be subject to mandatory deportation if convicted of a crime that involves a prison sentence of more than 2 years. This will act as a deterrent against engaging in criminal activity by the immigrant population. During the 18 years of waiting to be a citizen, a Purple Passport should be issued to all legal immigrants who wish to travel in and out of the country. This passport will not grant any rights of citizenship to the holder of the passport.

**Cultural Clash**. Standing in the way of integration, Muslims demonstrate in the UK demanding the introduction of Sharia Law.

Almost all countries are increasing the amount allocated in their defense budgets. They are doing this in order to deter and to be better able to defend themselves in the event of an attack by a potential enemy country. They are also increasing their budgets to defend against cyber-attacks that can cripple the smooth running of the country. What they are not taking into account is that one of the main threats facing many countries is not external but internal. There are many factors that lead to dissatisfaction, hatred and anarchy in a country. The right to free speech has become a license for hate speech. A disproportionate amount of hate speech can be attributed to the changing makeup of the country caused by mass immigration of people with different beliefs and values. It is time to think outside the box and adopt new measures that are aimed at preventing the disintegration of Western society from within. Across the Western world, democracy itself is under threat!

**They Came, They Saw, They Conquer**. Something Britains never thought they would see occur in their territory – dozens of Muslim protesters at a rally in 2014 in the Brick Lane area of London warning retailers that they face up to 40 lashes if they continue to sell alcohol.

INTO EXTRA TIME

While the suggestions expressed above may alleviate more than resolve, they will at least provide additional time for countries to formulate policies and programs that will seriously tackle the internal problems that they face. Like climate change and artificial intelligence that have the potential to lead to job losses and economic hardships for millions of people, so too will mass immigration of unskilled people that will not disappear in the near future. If anything, it is likely to increase.

Planning and managing this process needs to start now.

About the writer:

Category: Politics

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