ACCORDING to the latest reports, the Israeli government, at dawn today, carried out widespread attacks and bombed large parts of our homeland, including Iran’s nuclear facilities. In a series of terrorist operations, a number of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders — including Mohammad Bagheri, chief of the general staff of the armed forces, and Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the IRGC — as well as several Iranian nuclear scientists, were killed.

Iran’s state television announced that following the Israeli attack on Tehran, about 50 injured individuals were transferred to Chamran Hospital in Tehran, at least 35 of whom were women and children.

The criminal war government’s attack, led by Benjamin Netanyahu and reportedly with the knowledge of the Trump administration, violates all international laws and clearly demonstrates how silence and practical collaboration with a regime that has so far killed over 50,000 Palestinians, including 12,000 children in Gaza, and has now subjected millions of residents to famine and starvation through economic blockade, can have dire consequences for peace throughout the Middle East.

According to international news agencies, Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement confirming the attack on Iran, saying: “Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion … This operation will continue for as many days as necessary…”

Ali Khamenei also issued a statement following the attacks, in which he declared: “The zionist regime, at dawn today, committed a heinous crime in our beloved country and revealed its evil nature more clearly by targeting residential areas. The regime must await severe punishment. The powerful hand of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not let it go unpunished … Several commanders and scientists were martyred in the enemy’s attacks. Their successors and colleagues will immediately carry on their duties.”

This Israeli attack comes at a time when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors, on Thursday June 12, passed a resolution against the Islamic Republic, stating among other things that: “Iran’s repeated failures since 2019 to fulfill its obligations to fully and promptly co-operate with the agency regarding undeclared nuclear material and activities at several sites constitute non-compliance with its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.”

It should be noted that some of the issues mentioned in this resolution had already been addressed during the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiations and had in effect been resolved.

In response to the IAEA resolution, Masoud Pezeshkian emphasised that Iran would continue enriching uranium, adding: “I don’t understand how we are supposed to co-operate with the world in a way that stops their mischief and allows others to remain independent. We will follow our own path and continue enrichment.”

It is also important to note that the Israeli attack occurred just as the sixth round of negotiations between the Islamic Republic and the United States was scheduled for Sunday.

In recent weeks, the central committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran has expressed deep concern over the severely critical situation in the region and the threats facing our homeland, warning: “Moving toward military confrontation with US imperialism and Israel — a conflict that could turn Iran into another Syria or Iraq… The Tudeh Party of Iran, like other progressive and popular forces in our country, has always supported peace. In line with this policy, we call for transparent, public and direct negotiations that reduce the costs of these catastrophic conditions for the Iranian people. It must not be forgotten that dragging Iran into destructive military conflicts could have long-lasting and disastrous consequences for our homeland and the popular movement — setting back the struggle for freedom and the end of dictatorship by years.”

With the Israeli government’s massive attacks on Iran and the retaliatory threats by the Islamic Republic, as promised by Ali Khamenei, today our national interests face tremendous danger. Dragging Iran into large-scale, destructive military conflicts — especially given that imperialist powers, led by US imperialism, are expected to side with and support the criminal Israeli government — will only bring catastrophic consequences for Iran.

The Tudeh Party of Iran strongly condemns the Israeli military aggression and terrorist act, which violate our country’s national sovereignty. It emphasises the need to defend Iran’s national interests and considers any foreign military intervention or aggression to be against the will, rights, and interests of the Iranian people. Only imperialism, its client forces, reactionaries, and the ruling dictatorship benefit from tensions and war.

The Tudeh Party of Iran calls on all progressive and freedom-loving forces in Iran and the world to unite in condemning this blatant and brutal violation of international law and to focus all efforts on preventing a wide-scale, destructive military conflict and establishing peace in the Middle East.

The global public must go beyond mere concern expressed by the UN secretary-general over Israel’s attack on Iran. All international mechanisms available through the United Nations and its security council must be used to stop the region from plunging into large-scale war.

The Tudeh Party of Iran believes that only through establishing and defending peace can we put an end to the current dangerous crisis in the Middle East.