The Iranian regime suppresses its own people as well as others

In the words of Shimon Peres, a man who stood at the crossroads of peace and conflict, we hear a stark and pressing truth: “The Iranian regime suppresses its own people as well as others in the region. It prevents peace by sponsoring terror globally. With the ultimate weapon that it is deceptively developing, the regime aims to gain hegemony over the entire Middle East and hold the world's economy hostage.” These words echo the solemn warnings of those who have lived through the horrors of tyranny and war. They speak of a regime whose actions threaten not only its own people, but the stability of the world itself. Peres, a statesman who fought for peace, reminds us that the path to dominance through terror and oppression can never bring true peace, but only destruction.

The ancients understood well the nature of such threats. In the days of the Greek and Roman empires, rulers often sought hegemony over their neighbors, extending their power through violence and manipulation. But the wise knew that such domination was not strength, but a sign of weakness—a failure to build true alliances and mutual respect. In the ancient text of the Art of War, Sun Tzu warned that those who use terror to control others sow the seeds of their own downfall. The Iranian regime, like the empires of old, seeks to impose its will through fear, but in doing so, it only fosters resentment, rebellion, and a world divided.

Peres speaks of the ultimate weapon, the one that can bring nations to their knees, and with it, the power to hold the world hostage. This weapon is not just physical, but psychological—its very existence changes the way nations interact, their actions driven not by trust, but by fear. The ancients also knew the power of such weapons. Alexander the Great, despite his conquests, understood that the power of fear could only last so long. His empire crumbled not because of military defeat, but because of internal strife—because the seeds of fear and oppression had not been rooted out. Peres’s words remind us that true strength lies not in the ability to destroy, but in the capacity to build and maintain peace.

Consider the Cold War—a time when the world itself was held hostage by the threat of nuclear weapons. For decades, the superpowers, with their arsenals of destruction, held each other in a terrifying standoff. But in the end, it was not the threat of annihilation that brought peace, but the negotiation and dialogue that emerged from leaders like Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, who understood that the true power of peace comes from trust, not from the sword. Peres's warning is that those who seek to wield weapons as tools of oppression will ultimately isolate themselves, and peace can never be achieved through fear alone.

The lesson in Peres’s words is clear: true hegemony comes not from imposing dominance, but from earning respect. The Iranian regime, in its pursuit of power through terror, seeks to manipulate not just its neighbors but the world itself. But history shows that the world cannot be held hostage forever. The forces of justice and peace, though often slow to rise, will eventually overwhelm the structures built on oppression. No empire, no matter how powerful, can last when built on fear.

For us, the lesson is not just about the politics of the Middle East, but about how we live our lives and relate to others. Power gained through fear or control is never truly ours to hold; it is borrowed, and it corrodes from within. If we wish to create peace in our own communities, we must choose dialogue over domination, compassion over coercion. We must not suppress those around us, but empower them, and in doing so, we create a lasting harmony where true strength lies not in our ability to command, but in our ability to unite.

So I say to you, children of tomorrow: be wary of those who seek to control through fear. Recognize that true peace is not won through weapons, but through trust, dialogue, and mutual respect. Stand firm in your commitment to justice and compassion, for these are the weapons that will bring lasting peace. Let us learn from the words of Shimon Peres, and from the lessons of history: that peace, though often hard-won, is the only force strong enough to end the cycles of war and oppression. Let your lives be examples of strength built not on fear, but on the lasting bonds of humanity.