UK-Iran proxy tensions escalate: How geopolitical proxy wars and intelligence militarisation fuel global instability
Original framing: “Two men rearrested in U.K. on suspicion of assisting Iran over suspected plot at a U.S.-run air base” — The Hindu
The voices of Iranian civilians, particularly those in marginalised communities, are entirely absent from this narrative, despite their direct exposure to the consequences of these proxy conflicts. For example, women’s rights activists in Iran have long warned that U.S. sanctions disproportionately harm ordinary citizens, pushing the government toward more repressive and aggressive policies. Similarly, the families of those arrested in the UK—often from working-class or immigrant backgrounds—face stigma and legal persecution without any acknowledgment of the systemic factors that led to their involvement.
This incident is not an isolated act of 'terrorism' but a symptom of a deeply entrenched system of proxy wars and intelligence militarisation, where states like the U.S.
and Iran use local actors as pawns to avoid direct confrontation. The historical parallels—from the 1953 coup in Iran to the Cold War-era proxy conflicts in Latin America and Africa—reveal a pattern where external powers exploit local divisions, leaving ordinary people to suffer the consequences. The current framing, which focuses on individual arrests and 'national security,' obscures the systemic drivers: sanctions, arms races, and the lack of diplomatic engagement. Marginalised voices, such as those of Iranian civilians or the families of the rearrested men, are erased from the narrative, while the trickster element exposes the absurdity of a system that thrives on secrecy and escalation. To break this cycle, solutions must address the root causes—through truth commissions, demilitarised diplomacy, sanctions reform, and legal accountability—while centring the voices and needs of those most affected by these conflicts.