Iran Hails UK Sanctions on Israeli Settlements as 'Start of Israel's End'
Iranian state media has enthusiastically welcomed the UK's imposition of sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, interpreting the move as a significant step towards the "end of Israel." According to The Jewish Chronicle, Iranian television channels lauded the decision, announced by UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, claiming that years of activity by Tehran-backed "resistance groups" ultimately compelled the "naive British government" to act against Israel. Iranian media quoted Miliband calling settlers "terrorists" supported by Prime Minister Netanyahu's government and accusing them of "ethnic cleansing." Iranian radio even accused the British minister of "plagiarism," asserting that the right to label "Israeli occupiers" as terrorists belongs to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Iranian state media presented the UK's sanctions as validation of Tehran's long-standing strategy of supporting a network of allies and proxies across the Middle East. Despite the severe consequences this policy has had on Iran itself, the report suggested that the Islamic Republic "must continue to support groups and allied networks." Iranian news agencies also viewed the British decision as a potential factor in Israel's domestic politics, with Tehran claiming the sanctions could contribute to the "overthrow of the Netanyahu government" in the upcoming elections on October 27.
Iranian officials have linked the upcoming Israeli elections to the ongoing confrontation with Tehran. Esmaeil Baghaei, a representative of Iran's Foreign Ministry, stated that the continuation of the war against the Islamic Republic is of "existential significance" for the "Zionist regime," and that Prime Minister Netanyahu allegedly needs the conflict to influence election outcomes and retain power. Former Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Kazemi-Qomi, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that both Netanyahu and American Republicans, facing their own midterm elections in November, seek political gain from the ongoing confrontation with Iran. Kazemi-Qomi did not rule out the possibility of Iran or its proxies launching attacks against Israel before the October 27 elections, believing that sufficient military pressure from the "axis of resistance" could lead to Netanyahu's defeat.
These statements coincide with increasing public discussions within Iran about a potential shift in the country's military doctrine. Mohsen Rezai, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf have publicly spoken of a "change in strategy," including the possibility of preemptive strikes against Israel. Simultaneously, Iranian authorities have shown less interest in negotiations and continue to claim responsibility for attacks on targets they deem associated with the US. Notably, Iran's reaction followed closely behind UK opposition leader Kemi Badenoch's sharp criticism of the sanctions, warning that such moves could benefit Iran and harm British security. Iranian state media's framing of the UK's actions as a success for Tehran's strategy provided an argument for Badenoch's concerns, who emphasized that damaging relations with Israel, a key security and intelligence partner, while facing a significant terrorist threat, is "madness."
