Israel Kills Iranian Officer

Israel officials have taken responsibility for the murder of an Iranian officer on 22 May 2022. According to the New York Times, Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, who has been accused by Israeli officials of having been the deputy commander of Unit 840, a covert organization within the Quds Force, was shot five times in his car outside of his home in Tehran. The killing occurred during a period of already high tensions between two truculent forces and sparked reactions from all major players involved in the conflict.

General Hossein Salami, the commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guards, a widely powerful Iranian institution meant to defend the Islamic Republic from internal and external threats, has vowed to take revenge on Israel and all complicit enemies. Iran has also directly addressed the United States, claiming that it’s support has been vital to increasing Israeli audacity. Israel has claimed that they are unbothered by Iranian threats and are not intending on bringing the United States directly into the conflict, however, it has also been recorded that Israel is discussing ways with the United States to increase pressure on Iran, a move that would move a new Iranian nuclear deal further from reality.

While it may be true that Col. Sayyad Khodaei has been involved in subsets of the Quds Force, possible aimed against Israel, his assassination perpetuates cyclical violence between the two forces, amounting to more intense conflict. Furthermore, the violence involves other nations, specifically the U.S. in regard to the nuclear deal with Iran and the impact that said violence may have could lead to more global implications, an extremely distressing potential consequence. The possibility for alternative diplomatic solutions remains relevant, yet each act of violence between drives each party further from U.S. nvolvement in the conflict and directly addresses the complexities of the Iran nuclear deal.

A key component of the nuclear deal’s hampering is the unwillingness of the U.S. to retract their declaration of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation. The original designation occurred at a similar point in time to the United States’ withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal under the Trump administration and was largely influenced by the increased closeness between the U.S. and Israel. This makes the issue a contentious point among U.S., Israel, and Iran relations. Furthermore, grassroots opposition to Israel’s actions in Iran has been documented by the New York Times, who captured thousands of Iranians at Col. Sayyad Khodaei’s funeral chanting “Death to Israel.” This wave of civil society involvement in the conflict raises the awareness of the conflict and reveals the vastness of the involvement.

As we continue to watch the conflict unfold, it is essential to remember the damages done by violent approaches to conflict between Iran and Israel. Additionally, Iran’s response to the assassination of the colonel is yet to be disclosed and thus the potential for increased tensions remains. Lastly, as the nuclear deal talks continue between Iran and the United States, the ongoing violence between Iranian and Israeli forces could have catastrophic consequences for international security.

Britt Gronmeyer

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