Montreal, June 16, 2025 — Canadian political commentator and activist Dimitri Lascaris has warned that the latest exchange of military strikes between Israel and Iran could spiral into an uncontrollable war with devastating global consequences, including a potential nuclear conflict. In a detailed podcast released on Sunday, Lascaris described what he called “Israel’s war of aggression against Iran,” expressing concern over the West’s role in escalating tensions and the limited public outcry.
Lascaris, speaking from Montreal on Father’s Day, used the broadcast to reflect on recent developments following Israeli attacks on Iran’s oil and gas infrastructure, and Iran’s subsequent retaliatory strikes on Israeli military and civilian sites. Drawing on his contacts in Tehran and footage from alternative media sources, he depicted a scenario far more dangerous than portrayed in mainstream Western outlets.
Civilian Casualties in Iran
According to Lascaris, at least 78 civilians, many of them women and children, have died in recent Israeli strikes on Iran. He cited a source from Iranian state media and presented a list of victims that included professionals from all walks of life, including a poet, teacher, civil servant, infant, and political activist. “Their only crime,” Lascaris said, “was that they are Iranian.”
He accused Western media, particularly U.S. networks like CNN, of downplaying the severity of the Israeli strikes and focusing instead on narratives supporting Israeli intelligence operations.
Iranian Retaliation and Military Capability
In response to the Israeli assault, Iran launched a series of retaliatory strikes under an operation dubbed “True Promise 3.” Lascaris claimed these attacks targeted critical infrastructure in Israel, including an oil refinery in Haifa and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot. Video evidence shared from Telegram channels suggested hypersonic missiles were used in some of the strikes, with one reportedly reaching Mach 11 before impact.
While acknowledging he couldn’t independently verify every video, Lascaris emphasized that these sources — including Resistance News Network and the Military Media Channel — had proven reliable throughout the conflict in Gaza and other regional crises. He claimed Iran’s weapons were penetrating Israel’s air defenses more effectively than expected, including those supported by American and British military systems.
Analysis of Israeli Vulnerabilities
Lascaris argued that Israel is ill-equipped for a long-term war with Iran. “Israel has never fought an attritional war on this scale,” he said, noting that it took the Israeli military more than a year to contain Hezbollah’s attacks from southern Lebanon — a significantly smaller and more localized force.
He outlined key disadvantages for Israel:
- Iran’s population of over 90 million dwarfs Israel’s Jewish population of roughly 7.2 million.
- Iran’s vast, mountainous geography contrasts with Israel’s densely populated urban centers concentrated in a small area between Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem.
- Iran has superior missile and drone manufacturing capabilities and could receive substantial military support from strategic allies such as China and Russia.
He also cited evidence that Iran’s air defenses had already shot down Israeli F-35 jets, although this claim remains unconfirmed.
Western Involvement and Strategic Calculations
Despite official denials from Washington, Lascaris stated that the U.S. is already deeply involved in Israel’s military campaign. He pointed to American refueling of Israeli aircraft, real-time battlefield intelligence sharing, and joint air defense coordination as proof.
According to Israeli media, Israel requested direct American military intervention in recent days — a request reportedly declined by the Trump administration, which has thus far maintained a stance of limited engagement. Lascaris expressed skepticism: “The U.S. is already providing critical support behind the scenes, and a full-scale intervention seems only a matter of time.”
He argued that domestic political calculations — especially among Trump’s voter base, who oppose new wars — are delaying an open U.S. entry into the conflict.
Risk of Nuclear Conflict
Lascaris issued one of his starkest warnings about the potential for nuclear escalation. “There has never been a greater risk of nuclear war in our lifetimes — not even during the Cuban Missile Crisis,” he said. He accused Israel of violating international law by targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and warned of catastrophic consequences should radioactive materials be released.
He expressed particular concern about Israel’s “genocidal leadership,” accusing them of using inflammatory rhetoric and threatening to “make Tehran burn.” Lascaris warned that such language, when used by a nuclear-armed state, should not be taken lightly.
Strategic Context and Global Stakes
He framed the Israel-Iran conflict as part of a broader American strategy to maintain dominance in West Asia. Citing a 2009 Brookings Institution report titled “Which Path to Persia?”, Lascaris claimed that U.S. neoconservative think tanks have long envisioned using Israel to provoke conflict with Iran in a way that minimizes American political fallout. He argued that Israel is being used as a proxy to weaken Iran ahead of more direct U.S. involvement.
“This is not about nuclear weapons,” he said. “It’s about regime change. They want to put in power a puppet government that will serve Washington and Tel Aviv — not the Iranian people.”
He also warned that a U.S. victory in Iran would dramatically strengthen American and Israeli control over West Asia, threaten Chinese access to regional energy resources, and undermine Russia’s geopolitical interests. This, he predicted, would trigger strong countermeasures from both Beijing and Moscow.
Call to Action
Lascaris expressed dismay at the lack of protest in Western countries, particularly in contrast to the global demonstrations seen during the Iraq War. He urged citizens to pressure their governments to oppose further escalation. “We must act now, before it’s too late,” he said. “Nuclear terror is already being normalized.”
He concluded by emphasizing the gravity of the situation and calling for immediate public mobilization to halt what he called a slide toward disaster. “We are being dragged into a conflict that could end life as we know it. And we must resist.”
Source: https://www.youtube.com/@reason2resist