The US military strike on Iran's core nuclear facilities is sending shockwaves through foreign policy circles, presenting a grim vision of a new era governed by "jungle law." In a stark analysis published on the news site T24, former ambassador and political commentator Namık Tan analyzes the strike where US forces hit Iran's nuclear capacity. According to Tan's commentary, the strike forces the Iranian regime into an impossible position: to negotiate would be to risk being overthrown from within, but to resist would mean being utterly crushed by superior military force. This move, he argues, represents the "final nail in the coffin of the post-World War II institutional order."
The analysis is set against the backdrop of a weeks-long war between Israel and Iran, where Israel's technological and military superiority has dismantled much of Iran's command structure and missile capabilities. However, Israel's own air defenses are beginning to show signs of fatigue. The US intervention, which includes the deployment of three aircraft carrier strike groups, is framed as a move by Trump to shorten the conflict, prevent a broader Israeli campaign, and open a path for negotiation on American terms. Tan notes that this aggression has bolstered the domestic political standing of both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Tan's piece laments the death of international law, arguing that the global West's acceptance of such a pre-emptive strike effectively buries the principles of the UN Charter and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He points to Iran's diplomatic isolation, noting that neither Russia nor China has offered support, a reality that should give pause to those who herald a new multipolar world. The outcome, he predicts, is a new Middle East where Israel is the sole military hegemon, and other nations must either align with it under an American security umbrella or face the consequences.
The commentary concludes with a sharp critique of Turkey's position, portraying President Erdoğan as a sidelined leader reduced to making vague pleas for de-escalation without naming the aggressors. Tan claims that Turkey's diplomatic and military credibility has been eroded, leaving the country dangerously exposed to the regional "hurricane." The path back to relevance and security, Tan insists, requires a fundamental shift in Turkey's foreign policy and a recommitment to its core alliances and secular identity.
About Namık Tan
Namık Tan is a veteran Turkish diplomat and prominent political commentator. His distinguished career in the Turkish Foreign Ministry includes serving as the ministry's spokesperson and later as the Turkish Ambassador to both Israel and the United States. His tenure in these critical posts has given him deep insight into the complex dynamics of the Middle East and US-Turkey relations. Since retiring from his diplomatic career, Tan has become an influential writer, offering sharp analysis of Turkish foreign policy and global geopolitical trends for various media outlets.
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