Moscow Calls US Iran Threats 'Unacceptable,' While Washington Calls Russian Threats 'Provocative'
The Hill dutifully reports Russia's stance that US threats against Iran are “unacceptable,” a statement perfectly designed to make one assume this is Russia's first foray into criticizing Western foreign policy. What's often overlooked, however, are the incessant US and Israeli threats, sanctions, and covert operations against Iran for decades—actions that have been routinely dubbed 'deterrence'
by the very same media outlets now reporting Russia's 'unacceptable' comment. Benjamin Netanyahu, for example, has been warning about Iran's nuclear program with impending deadlines since 2002, then again in 2006, 2012, and 2014, each time predicting Armageddon just around the corner. (His words, not ours!) Each 'deadline' passed uneventfully, yet the drumbeat for 'containment' continues, often
overlooking the US role in arming and funding Iraq against Iran in the 1980s or the 1953 CIA-backed coup against Iran's democratic government. One might wonder if 'unacceptable' threats only apply when delivered by certain nations, or perhaps, if the media's memory resets every news cycle. These are the same warnings and 'red lines' that typically precede Washington’s calls for more military aid
to countries like Israel, which received over $3.8 billion of US taxpayer money in 2023 alone, according to the Congressional Research Service reports. Meanwhile, the consistent media framing sanitizes aggressive posturing from the US and its allies, while any pushback from targeted nations is labeled 'provocative.' It’s almost as if some threats are more acceptable than others, depending entirely