Pictured: Indigenous groups and transit workers protest skyrocketing cost of living resulting from Middle East war, Guatemala City, September 2026.
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Opportunity to Mobilize the Masses for Communism
September 13— “Iranians are suffering from very high inflation and being terrorized by bombings. Some say that it doesn’t matter whether the US or China gets Iranian oil cheaply,” a friend explained.
This is a potentially revolutionary situation. Only communist revolution will free the masses from imperialist war and exploitation. In communism, oil and all other resources will be used solely to meet the needs of the working class—not for any imperialist’s profit!
“Both the US imperialists and the Iranian fascist government are the workers’ enemies,” said another Iranian friend. “But it’s too much for Iranians to fight them both at once. First kick out the US, then take on the Iranian government.”
“I disagree. The working class is powerful, and capable of taking on both enemies at the same time. The fight must be to get rid of all the capitalists-imperialists, including China,” responded a comrade.
This is the same two-stage argument made in 1979: “First kick out the Shah, then we’ll fight Khomeini.” Khomeini attacked and killed many activists. He was another capitalist murderer. This time, the fight must be for communist workers’ power. There are no “lesser evil” capitalists or imperialists.
“But Iran would be attacked,” the friend countered.
“Yes, the imperialists will attack, but the workers of the world would support communist revolution and be inspired to do the same. Workers worldwide will spread the revolution,” the comrade said. “And we will win.”
US Goal: Iranian Regime ChangeIn December 2025, the US colluded with United Arab Emirates (UAE) banks to lend Iran money to collapse the value of the Iranian rial. Inflation soared. The Iranian masses couldn’t buy food. Companies stopped paying workers’ wages. Bazaars (markets) shut down. Iranian masses took to the streets demanding food, wages, relief from inflation.
This crisis was engineered by operatives of the CIA (US) and Mossad (Israel). They instigated demonstrators on the ground. The capitalist Islamic Republic government attacked demonstrators, killing over 3000. There was no pro-US coup. There was fascist murder by the Iranian Republican Guard, the CIA, and Mossad.
When this coup failed, the US imperialists and the Israelis bombed Iranian schools, a desalination plant, and much more, killing tens of thousands. They hoped to put a pro-Western government in power to replace the pro-Chinese, pro-Russian Iranian government. They have failed spectacularly.
The US imperialists are trying to fight a 21st century war with 20th century weapons that cause damage but that cannot control Iran. Their aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford had to return to port after an electrical problem caused a fire. The day the US started bombing, Iran destroyed the US base in nearby Bahrain, forcing the US navy to move its repair and resupply operation to its base on Diego Garcia.
The resulting resupply problem on the USS Abraham Lincoln became a huge scandal. It’s possible that sailors on both ships were protesting the conditions and telling relatives about them.
This severely restricts the US Navy in the war against Iran. Also, Iran’s new supersonic missiles can attack US planes quickly, making them vulnerable, rendering the US Air Force nearly useless.
Therefore, the choices facing the US rulers are dire: send in ground troops, strangle Iran financially, use tactical nuclear weapons, or retreat. They are not going to retreat from the battle for world domination.
Some predict it would take two million troops to invade Iran. Workers and soldiers would rebel. They could see that it’s not worth risking the life of any working-class person anywhere, and killing class brothers and sisters, so the US capitalists-imperialists or the Iranian-Chinese capitalists-imperialists control the world’s oil, shipping lanes, and currency.
Workers, soldiers, sailors, and youth have everything in common with each other and nothing in common with any capitalist-imperialist rulers. Their outlook is the main thing that will determine the future. Our enemy is capitalism-imperialism—not other workers. Many are open to joining the fight for communist revolution to end the rule of the capitalists-imperialists over the world’s masses.
This war is spreading. Let’s fight for communist workers’ power. Let’s spread Red Flag and build the International Communist Workers’ Party to end this deadly system and build the communist world we need and deserve.
Desperate US Imperialist Rulers Have New Nuclear Strategy
The Pentagon has drafted a new Nuclear Strategy emphasizing the use of Tactical Nuclear Weapons. The very fact that the Pentagon is considering using tactical nuclear weapons against Iran, and Putin against NATO, should be a wake-up call to workers, soldiers, and youth everywhere.
The capitalist system is deadly for our whole working class. These bloodthirsty imperialists will fight to the last workers possible for their empire and profit. We need to bury them along with their system.
In its place, we’ll build a Communist world where the working class collectively produces only to meet the needs of our international working class, not for the profit of any capitalist or imperialist. This is the fight of our lives, which depend on getting rid of this deadly system.
Why Is US imperialism Fighting to Control Iran?
September 15—Iran’s plentiful oil is key for Chinese imperialism in the unfolding third world war. Both for its economic growth and as a secure oil supply during war. Iranian oil can get to China by sea and by land, including by the newly-built “Steel Silk Road” rail connection between Iran and Xi’an, China. It is up and running despite US bombing.
US imperialism’s goal is to deny Iran’s oil to China, its main rival, by taking over Iran. This would halt China’s economic rise and, in war, would paralyze China’s military. Even though some US ruling factions disagree with Trump for not getting others in NATO to support the attack on Iran, they are all committed to controlling Iran’s oil.
Petrodollar versus PetroyuanA crucial part of the fight between the US and Chinese imperialists is that Iran’s oil is sold in Chinese yuan and other currencies instead of the US dollar. More oil sold in yuan threatens the existence of the petrodollar.
In 1973 the Saudi rulers agreed to sell oil only in US dollars in exchange for US military protection. The Saudis used their influence in OPEC to guarantee that all oil-producing nations would sell oil only in US dollars. From 1973 until now, oil was sold only in $US worldwide. The petrodollar gave the US tremendous financial advantage. The US government could print money, backed up by the petrodollar.
US sanctions (on Iran and others) have backfired as more transactions worldwide are now carried out in currencies other than the $US. This threatens the US capitalists’ global position. The US imperialists, desperate to regain their lost financial and military dominance, urgently need regime change in Iran. If the petrodollar falls, the US economy will go into a deep depression.
The Gulf countries can no longer fully cooperate with the US sanctions because they fear Iranian attacks. That’s why the new US sanctions could mean the end of the US sanction regime. The Iranian rulers’ strikes on Gulf states have shown that US imperialists can no longer provide military protection.
The US government debt stands at $40 trillion. The annual interest payment alone is $1 trillion, even more than the defense budget. If the petrodollar collapses, this debt burden will mean huge attacks on the masses.
A ground invasion of Iran and the collapse of the petrodollar would cause a worldwide depression as the prices of oil and fertilizer soar. The price of oil is already rising.
Twenty-two countries participated in the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit (led by Russia and China). They condemned the sanctions and US bombing of Iran. They pledged support for Iran and for Eurasian economic integration. They are building a financial system outside US and NATO control. This will make US imperialism even more desperate.
The recent advance of the Iranian-backed Ansar Allah (Houthis) against Saudi interests, and their attack on a key pipeline, put the world’s supply of oil at greater risk and expand the war. Ansar Allah has gained control of the crucial Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The US government is increasing punitive sanctions on Iran. These attack Iranian workers, not the government. The Iranian masses are already suffering from low wages, sometimes no wages, high inflation, and scarcity. Meanwhile, China and Russia imperialism are supporting the capitalist Iranian government with intelligence and weapons to fight US imperialism.
Oil workers in Iran were key in overthrowing the hated Shah in 1979. Workers and soldiers everywhere are key today in the fight to turn the imperialists’ exploitation and war for oil profits into revolution for communist workers’ power.
The contradictions between the workers and the capitalists are sharpening everywhere. The workers don’t have “national interests.” We have class interests! The interest of our one international working class is to fight for and build a communist world where we produce only to meet the needs of the working masses.
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