On April 7, HRC Assistant Director Rob Walker was published in Castanet, responding to a letter from Frank Marten, who argued that the Islamic Republic of Iran has never posed a threat to Israel. Walker pushed back firmly, pointing to well-documented facts: Iran is widely recognized as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing funding, weapons, and support to a network of Islamic proxy groups across the Middle East, which collectively, have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Israelis, as well as numerous Western victims, including Canadians and Americans.

Walker also emphasized that Iran’s hostility is not rhetorical alone. Its leadership has repeatedly called for Israel’s destruction, while its support for proxy groups, along with its ballistic missile and nuclear ambitions, serve that objective. Iranian officials have also openly spoken about eliminating Israel, underscoring the seriousness of the threat.

Iran is a threat to Israel

Re. Frank Martens letter, Questions Trump’s policies (Castanet, April 1)

Letter-writer Frank Martens claims Iran’s regime “was never any risk to Israel,” and that the war with the Islamic Republic is simply unnecessary.

The truth is far more chilling.

For many years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, arming, funding and supporting an array of Islamic terrorist proxies, ranging from Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other groups in Iraq. Together, those groups have murdered thousands of Israelis, plus countless other Westerners, including Canadians and Americans.

Iran’s leaders have long publicly called for the annihilation of Israel and these terrorist groups, plus Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs, are simply a means to this end.

Iranian presidents have called for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” and boasted that just one nuclear bomb could kill millions of Israelis.

What country would live under such a threat from a fanatical and genocidal regime? 

However, Israel is not the only victim of Iran’s aggression. As we’ve seen in recent weeks, with Iran firing missiles into more than a dozen countries and trying to block the world’s supply of oil, the regime is not just a danger to Israel but to the entire civilized world.

Israel and the U.S. are taking a stand against a murderous regime, one that has killed hundreds of Canadians and we should be grateful that they are doing our job for us.

Robert Walker, asst. director,
Honest Reporting Canada