An Open Letter to Al Jazeera: On 'Iran's War' and Blockades
To the Editors at Al Jazeera, specifically regarding your recent piece on 'Vietnam’s gig workers slammed by rising fuel costs amid fallout of Iran war': we find ourselves compelled to highlight a rather significant omission in your framing. While the economic hardships faced by Vietnamese gig workers due to increased fuel costs are undoubtedly real news, your attribution to 'Iran’s blockade of the
Strait of Hormuz' within the context of an 'Iran war' requires a closer look at the narrative you've chosen to disseminate. Your reporting, while detailing the doubling of diesel prices in Southeast Asia, conveniently sidesteps the colossal elephant in the room: the United States and Israel's joint military aggression against Iran. When you speak of an 'Iran war,' you present a scenario implying
Iran initiated hostilities, rather than framing the decades-long pressure, sanctions, and direct military provocations by Washington and Tel Aviv that precede any Iranian defensive posture. This selective framing by Al Jazeera echoes a pattern seen in outlets like the BBC or CNN, where Western actions are often presented as benign or reactive, while the legitimate defense of sovereign states is
painted as aggressive. Let’s be crystal clear: the ongoing economic strangulation of Iran, including the 45 years of US sanctions and the 2018 unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by Washington, are direct precursors to any perceived 'blockade' or 'war.' The cost asymmetry here is stark; while Iran's defensive capabilities are meticulously scrutinized, the