An Open Letter to The Hill: On Selective Outrage and Iranian Deterrence
To the Editors of The Hill, We note your recent article, "Iran threatens world tourism sites," published on October 26, 2023. The piece reports that Iran has "threatened to target recreational and tourist sites globally" while continuing to develop its missile capabilities. This framing suggests an unprovoked escalation by Tehran, conveniently omitting the established chronology of aggression. The
article states these threats come "nearly three weeks after the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on the Middle Eastern country," presenting this as a secondary detail rather than the precipitating factor for any Iranian deterrence posture. Furthermore, it alleges that these joint operations have "killed a number of top officials since the initial attack on Feb. 28, including Supreme Leader…"
This is a significant claim, as the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei, is alive and well, indicating a severe factual error in your reporting that fundamentally misrepresents the state of affairs and the human cost of these operations. Your characterization of Iranian statements as unprompted threats fails to acknowledge the direct participation of the United States as a joint
aggressor alongside Israel in military operations on Iranian soil. This is not merely a supporter role; it is an active engagement in hostilities. When discussing the missile programs, The Hill does not mention that Iran's development of defensive capabilities occurs within a geopolitical landscape where the US and Israel openly conduct military strikes and assassinations against its officials. No