THE Middle East stands once again at the edge of a dangerous precipice. In a recent and highly controversial move, Israel launched an unprovoked military strike on Iran, causing extensive damage to critical infrastructure and resulting in the loss of many lives, including senior officers of the Iranian armed forces. In swift retaliation, Iran responded with missile attacks, igniting an already volatile region with renewed flames of hostility. As the situation escalates with each passing day, the international community watches in silence or, worse, with complicity.
The United States, ever-present behind the veil, is now urging Iran to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, portraying itself as a mediator. However, Iran has categorically rejected negotiations, stating that justice must first be served and Israel must be held accountable. Iran鈥檚 position reflects deep national trauma, not just from the latest attacks, but from decades of political isolation, economic sanctions and military threats fuelled by western hegemony.
The hidden hand of American strategy in Israel鈥檚 aggression is becoming increasingly evident. Despite formal denials, many seasoned political analysts believe that Tel Aviv鈥檚 attack on Tehran would not have been possible without Washington鈥檚 explicit approval or at least its tacit endorsement. History has taught us this lesson repeatedly: when Israel acts boldly, America鈥檚 shadow is rarely far behind.
But this new chapter in Middle Eastern instability is not just about two nations trading missiles. It is a clear manifestation of a broader geopolitical agenda 鈥� one aimed at systematically dismantling powerful Muslim nations one after another. We have seen it before, in Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Syria, each nation destabilised, the leadership removed and its infrastructure left in ruins under the guise of 鈥榝reedom,鈥� 鈥榙emocracy,鈥� or 鈥榗ounter-terrorism.鈥� Each time, the west used its media and military to justify its campaign and each time, the Muslim community failed to act with unity or resolve. Now, it appears to be Iran鈥檚 turn.
In a parallel development, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince and son of the deposed Shah of Iran, is making renewed efforts to destabilise the Islamic republic. Backed by Israel and the United States, he seeks to mobilise Iranians against their own government in a bid to restore monarchy and reintroduce western dependency. His actions are a stark reminder of how former colonial powers continue to manipulate internal divisions to achieve their strategic goals.
Equally disturbing is the behaviour of some Arab nations, especially Jordan and other Gulf monarchies, who have openly or tacitly aligned with Israel in condemning Iran. Their silence in the face of Israeli aggression and willingness to join hands with Tel Aviv against a fellow Muslim nation is not only shameful but historically treacherous. These so-called custodians of the Muslim world are, in fact, betraying the very principles on which the Muslim community was built.
Meanwhile, voices of reason and resistance come from Russia, China, Turkey and Pakistan that have expressed solidarity with Iran. But the question remains: why must Muslims always rely on non-Muslims to defend their dignity and sovereignty? When will the Muslim world learn to stand on its own feet?
When we look into the mirror of history, it becomes undeniably clear: this pattern of western aggression and Muslim disunity is not a new phenomenon. It is a recurring cycle that has unfolded for centuries, driven by calculated political strategies, imperial greed, and the Muslim world鈥檚 chronic lack of united leadership.
The fall of the Ottoman caliphate in 1924 marked a devastating turning point in the history of the Muslims. For over six centuries, the Ottoman caliphate stood as the political backbone and defensive shield of the Muslim world. Although in its later years, the caliphate suffered from internal decline, foreign manipulation and administrative challenges, it still represented the last formal structure of Muslim unity and collective strength. When Mustafa Kemal Atat眉rk formally abolished the caliphate in 1924 to establish modern Turkey, the entire Muslim world was left fragmented and leaderless.
The collapse of the caliphate did not merely erase a political institution. It removed a centre of gravity for the entire Muslm world. This vacuum was quickly exploited by western colonial powers. The British, the French, and, later, the Americans did not need to launch direct invasion to control Muslim lands. They simply filled the leadership void left behind.
A stark example of this is the Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916)l between Britain and France to divide the territories of the Ottoman empire in the Middle East. This resulted in the artificial creation of modern states such as Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Iraq: borders drawn not on the basis of cultural or religious unity but to serve European geopolitical interests.
Following that came the infamous Balfour Declaration (1917), in which Britain promised to support the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, a Muslim land with deep religious and historical ties to the Muslim community. This was not just a betrayal of Muslim Arabs who had allied with the British during World War I, but a strategic move to plant a foreign presence in the heart of the Muslim world.
These agreements were not merely documents. They were blueprints for the systematic dismantling of the Muslim unity. The strategy was clear: divide the Muslims by ethnicity, language, sect, and nationalism; and then, install client rulers loyal to western powers. These rulers would serve two purposes: preserving their own thrones and preventing their people from uniting under a common Islamic cause.
The outcome of this strategy is painfully evident today: a humiliated, weakened and fractured Muslim world. While western powers dominate economics, education, technology and military influence, the community remains divided, dependent and, often, powerless.
In this context, the current Iran-Israel crisis is not an isolated event. It is part of that same historical playbook: target one Muslim country at a time, weaken it and use other Muslim nations to help finish the job. Divide and Rule is not just a policy. It is the foundation of modern imperial strategy.
The west鈥檚 methods have never changed. It manufactures division, funds proxies and presents itself as peacekeepers.
Unless the Muslims learn from this history, rebuild the leadership and revive education and self-confidence, this vicious circle will never be broken. The fragmentation that began after the fall of the caliphate still haunts us and the solution remains incomplete. Fast forward to the 21st century and the same script continues to unfold. Only the actors and excuses have changed. It is time the Muslims awaken from deep slumber.听
The disunity, political corruption and the absence of collective vision among Muslim states are not only allowing such aggression to happen. They encourage them. They may enjoy temporary security and material gain, but they cannot escape the judgment of history.
The need of the hour is unmistakable: unity, strategy, and unwavering commitment to collective survival. Iran鈥檚 plight today may be Syria or Turkey鈥檚 tomorrow. The elimination of one stronghold weakens all. The west has understood this truth and is acting on it. Why cannot we?
The Muslim world must come together and form a unified front, not just in words but in policy, defence, economy and diplomacy. We must build institutions that safeguard our interests and form alliances that are rooted in our faith, not in fear.
This is not a matter of the Shias or the Sunnis, the Arabs or the non-Arab. This is a matter of survival. The attack on Iran is an attack on the dignity of every Muslim. If we fail to recognise this now, we will face the consequences one by one, until none of us is left standing.
听
HRM Rokan Uddin is a retired brigadier general.
