“Iran Has to Respond”: Does the Cuban State Media Want War?

MIAMI, United States — Cuban state-aligned journalist Oliver Zamora Oria on Sunday defended, on national television, the need for an armed response from Iran following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

The statements were made during an international analysis segment. “Iran has to respond, it has no other option. Showing weakness could mean its end in a context where strength is what matters,” said Zamora Oria.

The comment comes after the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear sites, dangerously escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The remarks by the pro-government Cuban journalist coincide with the beginning of retaliatory actions by Iran, which on Monday launched missiles at the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, according to the AP news agency. The attack was described by Iranian state television as “a powerful and successful response” to the “U.S. aggression.”

Zamora Oria argued that the U.S. bombing, praised by Trump as “excellent and successful,” was in fact ineffective, as “the facilities had already been evacuated” and the key nuclear equipment did not suffer “very significant damage.” He also questioned Washington’s official version and dismissed Trump’s foreign policy doctrine as “simplistic,” referring to it as based on “peace through strength,” a strategy that, according to the journalist, “has never produced lasting results.”

In a defiant tone, Zamora Oria backed Iran’s military capabilities and suggested measures with major global impact. “The Persian country’s parliament proposed closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil supply passes,” he noted. “What would its closure mean? A disaster. Oil prices would skyrocket with terrible consequences for everyone.”

Zamora Oria also highlighted the potential of Iran’s allies in the region, including the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and “neighboring countries that do have nuclear weapons and have taken a firm stance alongside Tehran.” In his view, “Iran is a military power that has been preparing for this moment for decades.”

In his argument, the journalist drew on an ideological interpretation of Iranian culture to justify military sacrifice. “Life begins after death, and the passage through this world is a test in which losing one’s life for faith is a reward for a better future,” he stated, thereby defending a possible escalation of armed conflict in the name of religious principles.

A Rapidly Expanding Regional Conflict

Zamora Oria’s statements come amid a context of escalating confrontation between Iran, the United States, and Israel. According to the AP news agency, the Al Udeid base was targeted by Iranian missiles just hours after Israel expanded its offensive against Tehran, bombing government targets and Evin Prison, known for imprisoning political dissidents.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on social media platform X: “We did not start the war nor do we seek it, but we will not leave an invasion of Greater Iran unanswered.”

The United States, which justified its Sunday attack as a “one-time” attempt to halt Iran’s nuclear program, used missiles and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs against the facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Trump, however, further fueled the controversy by suggesting on his Truth Social network: “If the current Iranian regime is incapable of MAKING IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a regime change?”

Since then, Iran has intensified its offensive under the framework of “Operation True Promise 3,” attacking the Israeli cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv and causing explosions in Jerusalem. According to figures from the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, Israeli attacks on Iran have resulted in at least 950 deaths and over 3,400 injuries. Israel has reported 24 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries on its own territory.

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