“Liberate Their Bodies From Their Souls”: The Lies That Sell the Iran War

# The Verity Ledger Summary In a March 20, 2026 Intercept Briefing, Ali Gharib, senior editor at The Intercept, and peace strategist Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini discuss the U.S.–Israel military campaign against Iran, characterizing proponents' claims of "liberation" as false while documenting escalating regional damage. The conflict has displaced more than 1 million Lebanese people, with nearly 1,000 dead as Israeli strikes intensify in Lebanon, according to Beirut-based journalist Afeef Nessouli. Naraghi-Anderlini notes a 20-25 year lobby campaign for Iran regime change, particularly since the 2003 Iraq War, while Gharib suggests Israel's strategic goal is destabilizing Iran into a non-threatening failed state rather than installing democratic leadership.