Respected Middle East academic journal @mideastcritique has been taken over by pro-Iran propagandists @WeAreTandF ~ Elder Of Ziyon

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Respected Middle East academic journal @mideastcritique has been taken over by pro-Iran propagandists @WeAreTandF

Middle East Critique, which has until now been a respected academic journal, just published "Zionist Defeat in Iran: The Triumph of National Identity over Aggression", by Reza Bagheri of the University of Tehran.

Here is the abstract:

On June 13, 2025, the Zionist regime launched a multifaceted attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran, resulting in 610 deaths, including military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. The aggressors, backed by US support, aimed to incite internal rebellion, expecting 80% of Iranians to rise against their government, as seen in Libya and Syria. However, the Iranian people overwhelmingly rejected calls for rebellion by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and US President Trump, demonstrating national unity and support for the Islamic Republic’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This article examines the Iranian response during the 12-day conflict, categorizing it into active participation, empathetic cooperation, and patient alignment. It analyzes two key factors behind this response: recognition of the imperialist nature of the US and Zionist regime, fueled by their actions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, and Iran’s deep-rooted patriotism and nationalism, historically tied to its civilizational identity. Despite internal critiques, Iranians prioritized defending their homeland, thwarting foreign plans for regime change and partition. The study underscores the resilience of Iranian national identity and its role in countering external aggression.

How could Middle East Critique publish this? It doesn't even use the word "Israel" but "Zionist regime." It exactly mirrors what the Iranian regime said after the war.

This is a peer-reviewed journal!

From everything I can tell, it has been ideologically captured by pro-Iran researchers. Check out this roundtable in the most recent issue:

The abstract of the first article on Nasrallah begins by falsely claiming the US was involved in the bombing that killed him. and then discusses "the impact of his martyrdom" - a very strange word choice for an academic journal. (So is "Sayyed," an Islamic honorific title.)

On September 27, 2024, the US and Israel detonated 80 tons of American Mark-II multi-ton bunker-buster bombs over the southern Beirut suburb neighborhood of Haret Hreik, assassinating Hezbollah chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Few contemporary Arab leaders had the political impact and leverage that Nasrallah had, having been the central focus of US and Israeli counterinsurgency for decades. At the same time, he was also a critical figure to the consolidation of the regional Resistance Axis, and an icon for both Islamic resistance and anti-imperialist liberation globally. This essay aims to reflect on the legacy of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the martyred leader of the Lebanese resistance organization, Hezbollah, by analyzing the trajectory of his political formation and ideology, as well as the spiritual and material elements of his activity and successes. While delving into the impacts of his lifelong struggle and leadership, this work also briefly touches upon the impact of his martyrdom, while providing a dialectical – both material and spiritual – assessment of his legacy.

Again, this reads like a Hezbollah press release and includes language that should never be used uncritically in academia.

The journal is published by Taylor and Francis, well known for its many academic journals. This does not make the company look good at all.