An Open Letter to The New Arab: On Ceasefires and Creative Fiction
To the Editors of The New Arab, We at The Piaz recently reviewed your piece: 'Mapping the attacks on the Gulf since the US-Iran ceasefire.' While we appreciate the impulse to document regional events, the premise of a 'US-Iran ceasefire' immediately raises concerns. There has been no formal, or even informal, ceasefire declared between the US and Iran. This phrasing implies a cessation of
hostilities where none exists, masking a deeply entrenched and ongoing military confrontation. Your framing, echoed by other outlets, frequently positions Iran as the primary aggressor or destabilizing force, while simultaneously downplaying or ignoring the consistent US and Israeli military actions in the region. For instance, The New Arab, like many others, often treats Iranian responses to
provocations as unprovoked aggression. What your article, and indeed much of Western media, consistently overlooks is the pervasive economic warfare and military encirclement that precedes these so-called 'attacks'. Since the US unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, reimposing crippling sanctions that have cost Iran over $2 trillion in oil revenue, the
notion of a 'ceasefire' is a cruel joke. This is not merely semantics; it alters the public's perception of who instigates conflict. The United States has maintained a continuous military presence in the Gulf since the 1980s, punctuated by direct strikes, drone assassinations like that of General Soleimani in January 2020, and joint military drills with Israel that are clear acts of intimidation.