US ATTACKS IRAN

PRESIDENT ALI FOR TALKS WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP

Ralph Ramkarran

US attacks Iran

The bombing of Iran by the US and Israel commenced yesterday morning. There is no disguising of the fact that the objective, contrary to international law, is the removal of Iran’s government. At the moment when Iran has put forward new and innovative proposals that included major economic elements for the first time, both the US and Israel have declared that Iran poses a threat to their countries on account of its alleged intention to build nuclear weapons and its possession of ballistic missiles.

Backed by the US, Israel has total disregard for international law and for the human life of non-Israelis. Its objective is twofold, namely, the wrecking of those countries of the region, such as Lebanon and Syria, that have not been fully US-aligned and supportive of Israel and to establish itself as the single hegemon in the region. Iran has been in the way of Israel achieving these objectives and this is the reason that Iran is in the gunsights of Israel for decades. 

Iran is no threat to the US or to Israel. It is not building a nuclear weapon. It has said over and over again that it has no intention of doing so. It entered an agreement with the US, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) involving the US, UK, France, Germany, China and Russia in 2015 which limited its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. The JCPOA came to a formal end in 2025 but the US under President Trump, withdrew from it in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. 

As with other US Presidents, President Trump has bought in to the Israeli narrative that Iran’s remaining enriched uranium, its ballistic missile weapons and programme and its allies such as Hezbollah and Hamas, considered to be terrorist organisations, pose existential threats to Israel. President Trump was probably hoping that in the discussions Iran would completely surrender. Iran most likely considers that, far from posing a threat to Israel, it is Israel that poses a threat to Iran, having attacked it in the past. Iran also probably considers that instead of committing suicide by surrender, it is a safer strategy for it to absorb the attacks of the US and Israel and seek to impose a heavy cost on them by its own responses that will cause them to think again. 

President Trump has called for regime change in Iran. Most observers have said that the only way to obtain regime change is to launch a ground invasion of Iran. This the US and Israel will be reluctant to do because it would mean casualties. This being the case, the failure of the military action is pre-ordained.

President Ali for talks with President Trump

President Ali and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar have been invited to the US for talks with President Trump on March 7 in Florida. President Ali characterized the talks as having to do with “regional security.” But the idea cannot be avoided that the two Heads, appearing to be those closest to US positions on Venezuela, except that the Guyana Government’s position has been more muted, are being rewarded by the US with a meeting with the president. Equally, the idea cannot be avoided that the US could be seeking to establish a energy consortium involving Trinidad’s Petronin refinery and Guyana’s oil. US’s partnership in Petronin and Guyana’s oil gives it a major voice in the region’s energy security. Cooperation between Guyana and Trinidad, facilitated by the US can enhance the long- term influence of the US in the direction of the Region’s energy security. 

It ought not to be difficult for the US to conceive that the threat to regional security posed by Venezuela extends beyond the direct allegations have been made against former President Maduro. It is Secretary of State Marco Rubio who in 2025 recognised Venezuela’s incursion in Guyana’s Stabroek Block when he clearly stated that it would be unwise for Venezuela to attack Guyana. These Venezuelan actions, as well as the incorporation of Essequibo into Venezuela as a Venezuelan State named “Guayana Essequiba,” and the purported elections for the appointment of representatives of Guayana Essequiba, are as threatening to regional security as any other action by Venezuela.

If regional security is going to be the major issue of discussion at the March 7 meeting between President Ali, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar and President Trump, it would not be feasible to omit from the discussions Venezuela’s claim that the 1899 Arbitral Award is null and void, that Essequibo belongs to Venezuela and Venezuela’s refusal to accept the jurisdiction of the International Commission of Jurists over the Controversy, having regard to the Geneva Agreement. 

If such discussions take place, as they should because Venezuela’s actions in relation to the Border Controversy and to Guyana are dominant factors in fueling regional insecurity, it is not feasible to expect that Venezuela will change the positions that it has taken in the past. However, having regard to the influence now being exerted by the US in Venezuela due to the recent changed circumstances, Venezuela could be persuaded by the US to agree to abide by the decision of the ICJ in Guyana’s case that will be heard on May 4.