E-Paper
Quote of the day by John F. Kennedy amid US-Iran tensions: ‘Mankind must put an end to war or war will…’
As the US-Iran conflict intensifies, JFK's 1961 warning on war's consequences becomes relevant.
With uncertainty surrounding Iran’s leadership and fresh developments in the US-Iran conflict, a decades-old warning from former US president John F. Kennedy is being revisited. Kennedy had warned that “mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.”
Kennedy delivered the line during a 1961 address to the United Nations General Assembly, where he cautioned global leaders about the dangers of modern warfare and the devastating consequences of conflict in the nuclear age.
Why Kennedy is remembered on March 15
Kennedy is also remembered on March 15 because it marks World Consumer Rights Day. According to Consumers International, the day commemorates Kennedy’s 1962 “Special Message to Congress on Protecting the Consumer Interest.”
Consumers International states that in the address Kennedy proposed a Consumer Bill of Rights, outlining four key protections: the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose and the right to be heard.
Also Read: Tatiana Schlossberg cause of death: How did JFK’s granddaughter die? All on health issues
Developments in the US-Iran conflict
The quote has gained relevance as tensions involving Iran continue to dominate global headlines.
In recent developments, speaking to NBC News, US President Donald Trump said he was unsure whether Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was alive following recent US-Israeli strikes.
“I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him,” Trump told NBC News, describing reports of the leader’s death as a “rumor.” Trump added that if Mojtaba Khamenei was alive, “he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender.”
According to Iranian officials cited in reports, Mojtaba Khamenei suffered a leg injury during the strikes that followed attacks which reportedly killed his father, Ali Khamenei.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also questioned the Iranian leader’s public absence, saying Iran has “plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders,” and asking why only a written statement was released instead of a video message.
A journalist from BBC Verify also noted that the profile image on Mojtaba Khamenei’s newly created social media account appeared to be AI edited, which fuelled speculation about his whereabouts.
