"Diplomacy, Not Destruction: Stop the Slide Toward Catastrophe"

By Dean Bordode

As the world watches the unfolding crisis between the United States and Iran, the risk of catastrophe grows by the hour. The recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — and Iran’s reported threats of sleeper-cell retaliation on American soil — have dragged us to the brink of a broader war with devastating consequences for civilians everywhere.

We cannot afford to look away. What’s at stake is not just geopolitical leverage or national pride. What’s at stake is human life — in Tehran, in Tel Aviv, in New York, and in every city where fear now hangs in the air like thick smoke.

A Dangerous Turning Point

According to reports, Iran warned former President Donald Trump at the G7 summit that any military strike would provoke devastating consequences — including the activation of sleeper cells in the U.S. homeland. That warning came just days before bombers were deployed and “bunker busters” rained down on Iranian soil.

Iran’s foreign minister has declared that “all options are on the table.” Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a terrorism bulletin warning of potential cyberattacks and violent retaliation. Police departments in major American cities are on high alert. And communities — particularly Jewish, Iranian-American, and Muslim communities — now live in fear of becoming scapegoats or collateral damage.

We Must Reject Violence — From All Sides

I say this plainly: no grievance justifies terrorism. Threatening civilians — whether by bombs from the sky or bombs hidden in sleeper cells — is a violation of everything we claim to stand for as a global society.

But we must also speak truth to power: military escalation never brings peace. It sows hatred, fans extremism, and opens the gates to retaliatory cycles that are hard to close once opened. The lessons of Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya should have taught us this by now.

Borders, Bias, and Broken Priorities

It is deeply concerning that some commentators are using this moment to scapegoat migrants, immigrants, and vulnerable communities. The narrative that open borders have let terrorists flood the United States plays into dangerous political rhetoric, often devoid of nuance and fairness. It risks painting entire ethnic and religious groups with the brush of suspicion — a tragic repeat of post-9/11 paranoia.

Yes, security matters. But so do civil rights. So do facts. And so does accountability for the decisions that lead us into these crises in the first place.

The Path Forward: Diplomacy Rooted in Dignity

What we need now is not vengeance. We need vision. The international community must demand an immediate ceasefire, urge de-escalation on all fronts, and rally around non-violent solutions. The United Nations, the European Union, and neutral parties must press for urgent negotiations.

We also need a global human rights framework that governs modern warfare — including cyber conflict, proxy battles, and drone strikes. We must protect civilians not just in policy, but in practice.

In Defense of Peace and Humanity

As someone who has spent a lifetime advocating for human rights, I believe the true measure of a nation’s strength is not in its firepower, but in its commitment to justice, dignity, and restraint. In every decision we make — as leaders, citizens, and global neighbors — we must ask: does this path bring us closer to peace, or closer to ruin?

History will judge what we do next. Let us not be remembered for the carnage we unleashed, but for the courage we showed to step back, listen, and choose a better way.

Dean Bordode

Human rights advocate and global citizen

🔥 Latest News & Analysis

1. Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) – Iran’s Threats and Capabilities

www.cfr.org

> Search for: Iran Threat Landscape or Iran’s Strategic Capabilities

2. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – U.S.-Iran Relations

https://carnegieendowment.org

> Offers in-depth regional analysis and policy briefings.

3. Al-Monitor – Middle East News & Insights

https://www.al-monitor.com

> Real-time updates from within the region, often with unique insider perspectives.

4. The Soufan Center – Global Security & Terror Threats

https://thesoufancenter.org

> Especially insightful for understanding sleeper cells, state-sponsored terrorism, and counterintelligence.

5. Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

https://www.understandingwar.org

> Maps, intelligence briefings, and military-strategic updates on Iran and global hotspots.

📚 Background & Context

6. "The Twilight War: The Secret History of America’s Thirty-Year Conflict with Iran" – by David Crist

> A well-researched, behind-the-scenes history of U.S.–Iran covert operations and tensions.

7. "Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States" – by Trita Parsi

> Helps make sense of the long-term triangular tensions and diplomacy (or lack thereof).

8. United Nations Security Council Reports – on Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions

https://www.un.org/securitycouncil

🧠 For Critical Reflection & Peacebuilding

9. International Crisis Group – Iran & Conflict De-Escalation Strategies

https://www.crisisgroup.org

> Deep dives on diplomatic options, preventing escalation, and human impact.

10. Amnesty International – Iran Human Rights Reports

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/iran/

> Stay updated on civil rights abuses within Iran, especially relevant to your human rights work.

Read The Telegraph - "Iran ‘threatened Trump with sleeper-cell revenge terrorist attacks’" on https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/23/iranians-moved-enriched-uranium-before-us-strikes/

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