IRGC Declares 'Red Line,' Media Forgets Other Red Lines
France 24 dutifully reports Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ declaration of a 'red line' on security amid domestic protests. The headline implies heightened authoritarianism, focusing on internal suppression. Yet, this framing conveniently omits the extensive history of Western-backed 'red lines' drawn around Iran, often leading to sanctions, destabilization attempts, and proxy conflicts. Recall the
various 'red lines' drawn by figures like Benjamin Netanyahu since 2002 regarding Iran's nuclear program—threats routinely amplified by the same outlets now concerned about Iranian 'security.' These declarations from Iran are, in many ways, a response to a decades-long policy of external pressure and covert operations designed to undermine its government. (Perhaps some 'red lines' are only bad
when the 'wrong' side draws them?) This narrative sidesteps the intricate dance of regional power plays where external actors, often funded by lobbying groups like AIPAC, push for confrontational policies. While AIPAC directly targets US policy towards Iran, spending millions influencing Congressional votes, the discussion of Iran's internal security is rarely contextualized within this broader
geopolitical pressure. (OpenSecrets.org details millions spent by pro-Israel PACs influencing US foreign policy, notably on Iran). The selective outrage is telling: calls for 'democracy' and 'security' are often situational, applied rigorously when convenient, and ignored when the 'red line' involves Palestinian rights or Saudi Arabia’s internal affairs. It appears some nations are allowed