Jeremy Corbyn Condemns US-Israeli Strike on Iran as 'Clearly Illegal'
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has launched a scathing attack on Donald Trump, accusing the US President of initiating a "clearly illegal" military operation against Iran with the explicit goal of regime change. In a recent interview with Sky News, Corbyn expressed profound horror and shock at the joint US-Israeli missile strikes that reportedly killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Catastrophic Aggression and Global Consequences
Corbyn described the Saturday operation as a "catastrophic act of aggression, brutality and escalation" that has resulted in significant loss of life and suffering across the Middle East. He emphasized that the attack has led to "more lives lost, more pain, more horror" while simultaneously generating substantial profits for arms manufacturers worldwide.
The 76-year-old politician warned that without an immediate ceasefire and reversal of military actions, the conflict risks spiraling "way out of control" with potentially devastating regional consequences. He stressed that international law, human rights, and human lives must remain paramount considerations in any military engagement.
London Protests Reflect Divided Perspectives
The political controversy spilled onto London's streets over the weekend as two separate protests demonstrated sharply contrasting views on the conflict. Corbyn joined hundreds of pro-Iran demonstrators in Parliament Square who gathered under the banner "Hands Off Iran" organized by the Stop The War In Iran Coalition.
Protesters brandished signs bearing portraits of Ayatollah Khamenei with slogans including "Choose the Right Side of History," "Stop Trump's Wars," and "No War on Iran." Chants echoed through the square with messages like "Long live the resistance! Long live Iran!" and "USA are war criminals!"
Meanwhile, just hours earlier, hundreds of Iranian democracy activists assembled in Whitehall for a separate rally organized by the Stage of Freedom group. These protesters called for an end to the Iranian government and expressed support for the American strikes. Their demonstration featured the pre-Islamic revolution Iranian flag and included controversial far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson.
Conflicting Accounts of Leadership Status
The military action has created confusion about the status of Iran's leadership. While Israeli media reported "growing indications" that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed during the strikes, Iranian officials maintained that both Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi remain "safe and sound."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a televised address that "all indications show this tyrant is no longer with us," referring to the destruction of Khamenei's compound. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced the strikes as "wholly unprovoked, illegal and illegitimate" while confirming the Supreme Leader's survival "as far as I know."
Regional Escalation and Retaliation
Iran responded to the initial attacks by launching suicide drones across the Middle East, targeting 27 US bases in the region including locations in Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. The country also fired missiles at Israel and four Gulf states hosting American military installations, prompting multiple Middle Eastern nations to close their airspaces due to safety concerns.
President Trump declared that America had begun "major combat operations" and encouraged the Iranian people to seize the opportunity to overthrow their government. The attack reportedly focused specifically on Iran's leadership and military commanders, causing what officials described as "very significant harm" to the regime's command structure.
Divergent Views Among British Protesters
The London protests revealed deep divisions within the Iranian diaspora and British political activists. David Polden, an 85-year-old protester from Highgate, acknowledged the Iranian regime's human rights abuses but argued that "killing Iranians is hardly supporting them." He suggested both American and Iranian governments were "equally" problematic, with the US possessing greater capacity for damage due to its military power.
Conversely, pro-democracy protesters like Ehsan Fathi, a 45-year-old British-Iranian project manager, expressed appreciation for American and Israeli intervention, believing it could weaken the Iranian government enough for citizens to regain control. Kima Mohajeran, 63, protested with her husband Davood, claiming that Stop The War protesters misunderstood how many Iranians actually felt about the strikes.
The Metropolitan Police imposed conditions on both gatherings, limiting the Stop The War event to a specific section of Parliament Square and requiring Stage for Freedom protesters to disperse by 5:30 PM. The contrasting demonstrations highlighted the complex ethical questions surrounding Western military intervention and support for regimes accused of human rights violations.
