Sanctions must continue to apply to the Ayatollah’s regime

Accounts by Amnesty International and other human rights groups of the mass round-up in Iran of more than 1000 alleged fifth columnists accused of helping Israel – and the gruesome summary execution by hanging or firing squad of some of them – are no surprise. It is what Tehran’s murderous ayatollahs do when they are in trouble. The crackdown leaves no doubt about Tehran’s struggles as it tries desperately to shore up its grip on power.

“The Islamic Republic was victorious” in its 12-day war with Israel, Iran’s ISNA News Agency reported supreme leader Ali Khamenei, believed to be hiding in a bunker, declaring in a recorded message delivered to a mass funeral for 60 “hero” generals and nuclear scientists killed by Israel. “In return (we) dealt a sharp blow to America’s face,” he told a cheering crowd that the Tehran Times claimed was “many millions” strong and chanting “death to Israel” and “death to America”.

He could not have appeared to be further from Iran’s plight following the successful Israeli-US attack. Nor could Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who claimed on X “the Great and Powerful Iranian people … showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to run to ‘Daddy’ to avoid being flattened by our missiles”.

The scorecard of 627 Iranians and 28 Israelis killed during the 12-day conflict indicates a very different outcome. Donald Trump was right at the weekend when he warned he was “absolutely … without question” prepared to bomb Iran again if it were found to be enriching uranium to levels that raised concern. Mr Trump announced he was “immediately dropping all work on sanctions relief, and more”. That is a devastating blow to Iranians who were hoping for sanctions relief. It deserves strong support from the international community, including China and India, that shamelessly buys vast quantities of cut-rate Iranian oil.

The regime’s rejection of Mr Trump’s offer of negotiations shows that despite the success of the joint Israeli-US onslaught, the challenge posed by the rogue theocracy remains. So does the prospect of it supporting terrorism among its Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi proxies. That is why, as Yoni Bashan and Liam Mendes report from the ground in Israel, residents of border towns near southern Lebanon are nervous about returning home.

Following a unanimous vote by the Iranian parliament to end all co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf insists that Tehran’s nuclear program now will be pursued with even “greater speed” and determination. Iran is inviting further trouble for itself by such brazen provocation. The sooner the regime recognises that Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mean business, the better it will be for the Islamic theocracy and its people.