Thursday, August 28, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Swedish PM: Israel’s attacks must be investigated

The escalation in the Middle East

Published 4 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
2 minute read

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) is waiting to take a position on whether Sweden considers Israel’s reported hospital attacks to be compatible with international law, but emphasizes the importance of protecting civilians.

According to a report by the UN human rights body OHCHR, published in December 2024, Israel has carried out 136 attacks against 27 hospitals and 12 other health facilities in Gaza since October 2023. In several of these attacks, patients and health workers have been killed, and mass graves have been found with bodies showing clear signs of belonging to health care seekers.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed serious concern about the situation in Gaza but avoided taking a position on whether Israel’s attacks on hospitals in the area are compatible with international law.

– We maintain our demands for both humanitarian access and the need for incredible caution where there are many civilians, Kristersson told TT.

The Israeli government claims that the hospitals are being used as terrorist hideouts, but the UN describes the evidence presented for this as vague. The Swedish government also states that it has not seen sufficient evidence to determine whether the attacks can be justified as proportionate under international law.

– I have not seen any evidence. Nor for the opposite, I should say, but these are things that will be examined very, very carefully, says Kristersson.

He also notes that a “united EU” criticizes Israel for lack of consideration for civilians, also taking into account the complicated situation in the densely populated Gaza.

– Nevertheless, the belligerent has a responsibility to protect civilians. Israel is constantly criticized for this, even by a united EU.

TNT is truly independent!

We don’t have a billionaire owner, and our unique reader-funded model keeps us free from political or corporate influence. This means we can fearlessly report the facts and shine a light on the misdeeds of those in power.

Consider a donation to keep our independent journalism running…

Swedish crisis preparedness brochure gains unexpected traction among worried Iranians

The escalation in the Middle East

Published today 10:26
– By Editorial Staff
MSB's brochure is available in a range of languages beyond Swedish – including Persian, Arabic, and Somali.
2 minute read

The Swedish information brochure “If Crisis or War Comes”, produced by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) in connection with the war in Ukraine in 2022, has gained unexpected distribution in Iran.

The Persian-language web magazine Stockholmian reports that the brochure’s Persian translation is now circulating widely on social media in the country.

The brochure, which was distributed to all Swedish households, contains various practical advice on crisis preparedness, such as storing food and water, following reliable news sources and seeking shelter during crises or conflicts.

Since Sweden has had extensive mass immigration in recent decades, the brochure was also translated into several languages – including Persian. And now the Persian version of the MSB brochure is reportedly gaining unexpectedly wide distribution even among the population back home in Iran.

“What’s interesting is that the Persian version of the brochure is now circulating widely on social media in Iran. Many Iranians, who are worried about the political and security developments in the region, have started spreading and reading this Swedish crisis guide as a concrete and useful tool”, writes the web magazine.

“The Swedish state has thought more about us than our own government”, claims one user, highlighting the brochure as an example of how a state should act to take responsibility for its citizens.

“A source of inspiration”

Despite the advice in the brochure being adapted for Swedish conditions, many of them are perceived as universal and relevant even in other countries in other parts of the world.

“In a time where uncertainty and threats of war have characterized many people’s everyday lives, Sweden’s model for information and preparedness can become a source of inspiration – even for countries like Iran”, Stockholmian concludes.

Although MSB’s brochure has been praised in many quarters, it has also been questioned and met with harsh criticism – not least for its explicit “doomsday rhetoric” where Swedes are urged to prepare themselves for upcoming terrorist attacks, aerial bombings and nuclear war.

In a country like Iran where bombs and war were actually bitter reality quite recently and are still a very concrete threat, however, the alarmist rhetoric is not perceived as equally remarkable.

Analyst: Israel preparing new war against Iran

The escalation in the Middle East

Published 21 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The question is whether Donald Trump will keep the United States out of a new Israeli war against Iran.
4 minute read

Swedish-Iranian Middle East expert Trita Parsi assesses that Israel will likely initiate a new war against Iran before December – perhaps as early as the end of August. The next conflict will likely be significantly bloodier than the previous one, he warns.

Israel is determined not to give Iran time to rebuild its military capacity after the June war, according to Trita Parsi, well-known Iran expert and author. In a new analysis, he warns that an attack could come within the next few months.

“Israel is likely to launch another war with Iran before December – perhaps even as early as late August”, writes Parsi.

Iran is already preparing for the attack. According to the analyst, the country played a long-term game during the first war and measured its missile attacks while waiting for a prolonged conflict. Next time, Iran is expected to strike hard from the beginning.

Large-scale war

Parsi assesses that the coming conflict will be significantly more devastating than the June war. If US President Donald Trump again gives in to Israeli pressure and joins the fight, the US could face an extensive war with Iran.

“United States could face a full-blown war with Iran that will make Iraq look easy by comparison”, warns the Iran expert.

According to his analysis, Israel’s June war was never solely about Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The goal was rather to shift the balance of power in the Middle East, where Iranian nuclear capabilities were indeed an important but not decisive factor.

Failed with main objectives

Israel had three main objectives with its attacks in June, according to Parsi: to draw the US into direct military conflict with Iran, to overthrow the Iranian regime, and to transform the country into the next Syria or Lebanon – countries that Israel can bomb without American support.

He notes that only one of these objectives was achieved. Despite early intelligence successes – such as killing 30 high commanders and 19 nuclear scientists – Israel only managed to temporarily disrupt Iran’s command structure.

“Within 18 hours, Iran had replaced most if not all of these commanders and launched a heavy missile barrage, demonstrating its ability to absorb significant losses and still mount a fierce counterattack”, writes Parsi.

Threatened to kill generals’ families

According to the Washington Post, Mossad agents, speaking fluent Persian, called high Iranian officials on their mobile phones and threatened to kill them and their families if they did not record videos condemning the regime and defecting publicly. More than 20 such calls were made during the war’s first hours.

“Yet there’s no evidence a single Iranian general capitulated to the threats, and the regime’s cohesion remained intact”, notes the Iran expert.

Contrary to Israel’s expectations, the attacks did not lead to mass protests or uprisings against the Islamic Republic. Instead, Iranians of all political colors rallied behind the flag, though not necessarily behind the regime itself.

Parsi quotes an artist in Tehran, Iran who told researcher Narges Bajoghli at Johns Hopkins University:

“I used to be one of those who would chant during protests to not send Iranian money to Lebanon or Palestine. But now I understand that the bombs we all face are one and if we don’t have strong defenses across the region, the war comes to us”.

Israel signals new offensive

Both Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir have signaled that a new offensive is likely. The June war was just the first phase, according to Zamir, who added that Israel is now “entering a new chapter” of the conflict.

The Middle East analyst explains that Israel is determined not to give Iran time to replenish its missile arsenal, restore air defenses, or install improved systems. This is central to Israel’s “mowing the grass” strategy: to strike preemptively and repeatedly to prevent opponents from developing capabilities that could challenge Israeli military dominance.

To deter further attacks, Iran is expected to strike hard and fast from the beginning of the next war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned on X:

“If aggression is repeated, we will not hesitate to react in a more decisive manner and in a way that will be IMPOSSIBLE to cover up”.

The Iran expert assesses that the cost for Israel must become overwhelming, otherwise the country will gradually erode Iran’s missile capacity and leave the country defenseless.

Trump’s role becomes decisive

Trump’s response to a second Israeli war with Iran could be decisive, according to Parsi. The president seems unwilling to engage in a prolonged conflict – the 12-day war exposed critical shortages in US missile stockpiles.

“By green-lighting the opening salvo, Trump has walked into Israel’s trap – and it’s unclear whether he can find a way out”.

Limited involvement is probably no longer an option. Trump will either need to go all in on the war or stay out completely. And staying out requires more than a one-time refusal – it requires sustained resistance to Israeli pressure, something he has so far not shown either the will or strength to manage, concludes Trita Parsi in his analysis.

Trita Parsi is an Iranian-Swedish author and one of the most prominent experts on Iran and Middle Eastern politics. He is executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington-based think tank that advocates for diplomatic solutions and generally opposes military interventions. He previously founded the National Iranian American Council (NIAC).

Parsi holds a doctorate in international relations and has written several acclaimed books about the relationship between the US, Israel and Iran. His analyses are regularly published in leading newspapers such as the New York Times and Foreign Affairs, and he is frequently consulted as an expert by international media outlets including CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera.

Parsi's focus on dialogue and diplomacy has also led to harsh criticism from pro-Israeli groups and parts of the shah-friendly Iranian opposition, who believe that Parsi is too soft on Tehran and have accused him of being a regime-friendly lobbyist.

Israel launches new attack on Syria

The escalation in the Middle East

Published 17 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Israel bombs Syrian military government buildings to support the Druze minority in the country, officials explain.
1 minute read

Less than a week after the attack on neighboring Lebanon, Israel is now also launching a new attack on neighboring Syria, according to Times of Israel among many other media outlets. During the afternoon, they bombed the government’s military headquarters in the capital Damascus, and there are also reports that bombs struck near the presidential palace.

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, several people are reported to have died and been injured in the attacks.

The Israeli military justifies the attacks by claiming they are supporting the Druze religious minority in Syria, which in recent days has been engaged in armed conflict with state forces in southern Syria.

Islamist rule

Syria is currently ruled by Salafists from the group HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham), a breakaway faction from the terrorist movement Al-Qaeda. They were also officially designated as such by the US, which nonetheless worked for many years to help them overthrow the secular socialist president Bashar Al-Assad, who fell around Christmas last year after more than 13 years of civil war.

Both Israel and the US initially positioned themselves as officially positive toward the change of power in Syria.

Read more about the Salafists who rule Syria

Nya Dagbladet (Swedish news outlet) has previously highlighted the new Syrian government in an analysis article that you can read here.

Israel’s latest attack: Ground troops in Lebanon

The escalation in the Middle East

Published 10 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
2 minute read

Israel has conducted almost daily attacks against targets in southern Lebanon and also against the capital Beirut since the ceasefire was concluded in November 2024 between Israel and Hezbollah. During the night, they have also deployed ground troops in the neighboring country.

As recently as Tuesday, Israel fired on a vehicle in the Lebanese city of Tripoli in an attack that killed three people and injured 13 according to Lebanon’s health ministry. According to Israel, a Hamas officer was killed in the attack.

During last night, Israel also deployed ground troops in the neighboring country in what is described as a “special operation”. The Israeli military IDF communicates this in a press release and a statement on Telegram as reported by, among others, the Qatari channel Al-Jazeera. They also show a video of soldiers in the operation.

 

 

Despite the agreed ceasefire, Israel has justified continued attacks in Lebanon by claiming that the paramilitary Shia Muslim political party Hezbollah, which is part of the country’s complex coalition government together with Christian, Druze and socialist politicians, continues to pose a threat and that the Lebanese state has not fulfilled its commitments under the agreement.

Lebanon has for its part condemned the attacks as flagrant violations of the ceasefire and has also requested help from the UN Security Council to get Israel to cease the attacks. Lebanese President Nawaf Salam has repeatedly also addressed the US and Israel directly to get the Netanyahu government to refrain from further attacks.

Our independent journalism needs your support!
We appreciate all of your donations to keep us alive and running.

Our independent journalism needs your support!
Consider a donation.

You can donate any amount of your choosing, one-time payment or even monthly.
We appreciate all of your donations to keep us alive and running.

Dont miss another article!

Sign up for our newsletter today!

Take part of uncensored news – free from industry interests and political correctness from the Polaris of Enlightenment – every week.