Not a day goes by without Washington voicing new threats against Iran. Apparently, while not having enough power to “punish” Russia, Europe or Israel, the new administration decided to go after Iran by making a boogeyman out of it. It’s been noted that the tensions between the US and Iran have been purposefully mounted. Moreover, the initiator and the driving force behind this recent crisis, as political observers unanimously agree, is the United States.
For example, Republican senators have already announced their plans to pass a bill that will introduce new sanctions against Iran, while accusing it of violating a number of UN Security Council resolutions by launching ballistic missiles and allegedly attempting to seek the destabilization of the Middle East. This was stated by Senator Lindsey Graham, a member of the Armed Services Committee, at the Munich Security Conference. The Senator added that he was convinced that it was time for the Congress to examine Iran’s steps outside of its nuclear program, while taking tough measures for Tehran’s steps that did not go in tune with Washington’s policies. The West is also going to introduce sanctions against those individuals that are assisting Iran in developing ballistic missiles, and those who are engaged in the sectors of the Iranian economy that directly or indirectly support this area.
Last month, the Pentagon announced that the US military forces in the Persian Gulf were brought “to the highest state of readiness”, while explaining this step by the deteriorating relations with Iran. This was yet another anti-Iranian step made by the Trump administration. A few days before that, the United States expanded sanctions against Tehran, adding 13 individuals and 12 companies to their blacklist. It went so far that Washington has declared Iran a terrorist state without any explanation provided. At the same time, the state of Saudi Arabia, where women are often stoned in the streets women and convicts being publicly beheaded, which funds a wide range of terrorist organizations hasn’t been labeled as a terrorist state.
Interestingly enough, many experts believe that Washington in the pursuit of its anti-Iranian policies would seek ways to strike a deal with Russia, by using the deployment of its missile defence systems in Europe as a bargain chip. It may also try to propose its recognition of Russia’s interests in the Caucasus, Ukraine and the Balkans in exchange for Moscow’s non-interference in the future conflict with Iran. As for Beijing it’s going to be promised cheap oil imports and the opportunity to invest in the future pro-Western Iran’s economy in exchange for its non-intervention in a hypothetical war with Iran.
At the same time Washington is seeking ways to draw Saudi Arabia in its anti-Iranian plans, since it has always been Tehran’s main competitor in the region. This won’t be a hard task since Saudi Arabia is always willing to oppose Iran whenever it’s possible. Should Iran be taken down, Saudi Arabia will have the option of levering influence in the oil markets along with the situation in Syria. Saudi Arabia has also been undermining Iran’s interests in Yemen, where the so-called coalition, led by Saudi Arabia destroys villages and cities, while killing elder, women and children. Saudi Arabia would strongly prefer that Iran ceases to exist as an independent state. It’s clear that such fascist policies must be condemned by the world.
From this perspective, the Saudis follow the principle invented by Goebbels – the greater the lie, the more loudly you support it, hoping the international community will believe anything. For example, none other than the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Adel al-Jubeir accused Iran of organizing the illegal supply of the opposition forces in Yemen and the financial support of international terrorism. We are facing here with the state support of terrorism, the high-profile Iranian diplomat said, noting that Iran is the only country in the region where ISIS hasn’t committed terrorist acts. But one must ask why the Saudi Arabia, that is being accused by of betraying the interests of Islam, for some reason, hasn’t witnessed any terrorist attacks in its territory. While it’s considerably harder to organize those in Iran than in Saudi Arabia. As of now Riyadh is financing and supplying with weapons all sorts of terrorist organizations. But sooner or later, those terrorist will come to Saudi soil and then Riyadh will have little to no time for questions.
Adel al-Jubeir has also recently urged Tehran to change its behavior and principles, pointing out that otherwise, it will be difficult for other states to deal with such a country. The top Saudi dimplomat is convinced that we can not ignore the fact that their constitution calls for the export of revolution , adding that Iran violates the principle of noninterference in the affairs of other states and refuses to comply with international law. In other words, Saudi is trying to dictate to other countries how to run their own affairs.. Apparently, after accumulating an enormous wealth, which no longer exists today, some politicians cannot think straight.
As for Iran it is conducting peaceful policies and tries to establish good relations with its neighbors in the Gulf region. It is in this light that the recent visit of Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani to Oman and Kuwait can be regarded. It is a key objective for the Iranian president was to restore diplomatic relations with Kuwait and monarchies of the region, including Saudi Arabia. A number of the Persian Gulf monarchies have withdrawn their ambassadors from Tehran last January, after an angry mob assaulted the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. The riots that led to this assault were cause by the execution of a well-known Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia.
If we take into account that Kuwait is like the north of the Persian Gulf and Oman – in the south, it becomes clear that Iranians tries to outmaneuver Saudi Arabia diplomatically. In addition, Qatar, though an Arab country, but its leaders have always been competing with its powerful neighbor. In addition, moreover Qatar and Saudi Arabia have territorial disputes.
In addition, the northern neighbor of Saudi Arabia- Syria has been bled dry by its furious opposition to terrorists and radical gangsters that have been infiltrating its territory for years. Any terrorist organization, which is not today, then tomorrow will be pushed out from the Syrian territory, may, and probably will land in the Saudi territory.
At the same time, Tehran has been clearly showing that any attempts to intimidate it will not bring any desired results to the aggressors. According to Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the positive results can only be achieved through dialogue and mutual respect. M. Zarif said on behalf of his government that his country is not seeking the possession of nuclear weapons, since it doesn’t increase the security of a state.
Tehran, finding itself in such a difficult position, has been trying to establish strategic relations with Russia, which is being perceived in Iran as the guarantor of peace and tranquility in the region. In this connection it may be recalled, that along with Iran, Russia and Turkey are the guarantor of the truce in Syria, where the armed struggle has been raging for six years. Should peace be finally achieved in Syria, it will result in the greater stability of the Middle Eastern region.
Viktor Mikhin, a member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.“