The head of the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), Joe Kent, announced his resignation, explaining his decision by the fact that he “cannot in good conscience support” the Israeli-American military operation in Iran.
He published the relevant document on his page on the social network X.
According to him, Iran did not pose a direct threat to the United States, and the war began “under pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby .” Lobbying or lobbying is an activity aimed at influencing government bodies or officials in order to make decisions that are beneficial to certain interest groups, companies or organizations. “.
“Early in this administration, senior Israeli officials and influential members of the American media launched a disinformation campaign that completely undermined your 'America First' platform and sowed pro-war sentiment to encourage war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States and that if you struck now, there would be a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie, and it is the same tactic the Israelis used to drag us into the disastrous war in Iraq that cost our country the lives of thousands of our best men and women,” Kent wrote.
He called for avoiding past mistakes and stressed that he could not support “sending the next generation to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost of American lives.”
“I pray that you will reflect on what we are doing in Iran and who we are doing it for…You can change course and chart a new path for our country, or you can allow us to slide further into decline and chaos. You hold the cards. It has been an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great country,” Kent added.
Israeli and US military operation against Iran
On February 28, Israel attacked the Iranian capital Tehran. US President Donald Trump later said that the US military had launched a “major combat operation” against Iran to “eliminate imminent threats from the Iranian regime”. He accused the Iranian government of “funding and training” militants in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Hamas in Palestine. According to him, the aim of the military operation is to “destroy Iran's missile industry and navy” and “ensure that the world cannot be destabilised”.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched missiles and drones towards Israel, and also attacked US military bases in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Amid the US military operation against Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris is calling for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.
The European Union said it reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to ensuring regional security and stability” in the Middle East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was fair to give the Iranians a chance to get rid of “the terrorist regime and guarantee the security of all peoples who have suffered from attacks from Iran.”
On February 28, Trump announced that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was dead, a claim later confirmed by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
On March 1, the IRGC announced that it was launching “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic” against Israel and “American terrorist bases.” Trump called on the Iranian regime to abandon these plans and threatened to strike “a very strong blow” in response.
On March 2, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the next phase of the US military operation against Iran would be even more destructive.
On March 6, Trump declared the need for a complete change in Iran's leadership, adding that he already had several candidates for the role of “a good leader.”
On March 8, Iran's Assembly of Experts elected the son of the assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.
Trump declined to comment on the election of Mojtaba Khamenei, saying only: “We'll see what happens.” Before that, the American president said that the new leader of Iran “won't last long” if he doesn't receive the approval of the White House.