Iran, Trump and wickedness of neighbor

Mousavian in his recent article, originally written in Persian, copy of which have been obtained by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), warns against a conspiracy by Iran's certain neighbors that has altered the strategy of engagement with Iran to an strategy of confrontation with the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian scholar and Middle East Security and Nuclear Policy specialist in the article titled: 'Iran, Trump and wickedness of the neighbor', lays out his points on the issue in seven sections, excerpt of which have been translated into English by IRNA as follows:

Point one: A few months ago, in an article published in the Iranian media, I wrote that [Saudi Crown Prince] Mohammad bin Salman had told the Russian authorities during his visit to Moscow that Riyadh would bear with Bashar al-Assad provided that Iran leaves Syria. Now, and after the visit to Russia by Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud the fact was exposed by the international media.

Salman's visit to Moscow, made in coordination with the US and with its prior knowledge, was aimed at achieving two goals: first, to slacken Moscow in its bid to set up regional strategic alliance with Iran through billion-dollar deals; second, to persuade Moscow that Saudi Arabia is a player acting independently from the US, so Moscow can use Saudi Arabia's capacities in the Arab and Muslim world to, eventually, separate US traditional Sunni allies in the region from Washington.

Evidence to such an argument is recent remarks by a Russian senator saying that the Saudi King's trip to Moscow signified the end of US dominance in the region, which is after all, absolute naïveté.

The Saudis don’t even cough without US permission. This is while Riyadh, by establishing collusions with the Zionist regime of Israel, has completed its vassalage on the US.

Point two: While [former US president Barack] Obama was in the office, Washington avoided attacking Iran and Syria, opted to engage with Iran, accepted the Iran nuclear deal, ratified uranium enrichment and heavy water in Iran, conceded Iran's removal from chapter seven to the UN charter and annulment of all six international resolutions against Iran and suggested Saudi Arabia that Riyadh should also engage with Iran.

These measures by the Obama administration infuriated the Tel Aviv-Riyadh-UAE axis and the 'neighbor's sedition' took form through a hidden but strategic alliance; some of whose effects have been unveiled and some are still to be uncovered.

Then, Iran decided not to go any further with Obama than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as Iran nuclear deal. After [Donald] Trump took office and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu gained leverage in the White House, apparently, Tel Aviv has come to terms with the Saudis to mobilize all its influence and lobby power to hit Iran, on the condition that, firstly, the Saudis stay with the Israelis to the end and not lean toward Iran halfway through the plan; and, secondly, the Saudis try to settle the Israeli problem of not being recognized by the Arab countries.

The fact that the Saudis have turned down all Iran's well-meaning invitations may have been due to the same collusions. However, Tehran should not give up hope for rescuing Riyadh-Abu Dhabi axis from Tel Aviv's clutch.

The Persian Gulf region will enjoy stability and security when the three regional powers, i.e. Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, get able to develop a joint system of cooperation.

Point three: As it turns out, debate over the JCPOA is expected to continue in Washington for a year; there is a possibility that Trump will decide to leave the Deal, but there is also a better chance that he will try his best to make the Deal fall into disuse without formally and overtly quitting it, so that he couldn't be accused of violating the Deal, but at the same time, minimize Iran's gains from the international accord.

Besides, he may want to use the threat of quitting the Deal as the sword of Damocles over Europe's head so that to make them endorse the US in its future measures against Iran. Two key goals of the neighbor-Tel Aviv- Neocons' sedition are to curb Iran's regional power and leverage and to stop the country's economic progress through creating tensions in Iran's foreign relations and blemishing the JCPOA.

Point four: We are facing two realities; First, after four decades of dispute, Washington and its allies are stuck in an unprecedented international isolation. This is an exceptional, but not a lasting opportunity. Thus, Iran should appreciate it, and make the most of it, through timely and appropriate actions. Second, about 15 years ago, Europe initiated nuclear talks with Iran. Today, regarding the fact that the US uses regional issues against Iran and the JCPOA, Tehran can initiate dialogs on regional crises. Through resistance, dialog and diplomacy, Iran could take back its rights about enrichment, heavy water, and the use of all nuclear technologies.

The US and the West had done their best to deprive Iran of such rights. Iran can persuade the world to recognize its rights, and natural and legal stance, through diplomacy, dialog and the good job done by its distinguished Generals.

Moscow and Tehran have fortunately started cooperation beyond dialog. But that's not enough. Such cooperation with the Asian powers, such as China, India and Japan, is also important. Europe is the US' first bulwark to create an international consensus against Iran. Thus, it is of great importance for Iran to initiate dialogs with Europe on regional crises, through forming joint workgroups to counter the Takfiri terrorism, and crises in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Such a policy can neutralize US pressures on Europe, strengthen mutual collaborations between Iran and Asian powers, prevent probable new tensions in foreign relations, and also stop the process aimed at damaging the JCPOA.

Point five: Trump is a deft businessman, with an unpredictable character. He is also willing to show that he is unpredictable so that others would fear him. He plans to destroy the most important legacies left from the Obama era. The JCPOA is among Obama's few important legacies. Trump put new and dazzling events under his own name to immortalize his name in history. The 350-billion-dollar arms deal with the Saudis is just the beginning. He is now trying to shake the Persian Gulf sheikhs down for another one trillion dollars in the name of countering Iran.

As a successful businessman, before his presidency, Trump's technique was to downgrade the property and knocked it off using abnormal methods. He thinks he can make the kind of deal with Iran, too; therefore, in my recent editorial, that was published by Reuters, I mentioned five points to make him throw such ideas out of his mind.

But he wants to put any possible deal with Iran under his own name, and thinks he can use his realtorship techniques in the world of diplomacy.

Point six: Since the signing of the JCPOA, a big rift has appeared in the American society, a rift unprecedented since after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. A large segment of the US politicians, media, scientific, intellectual, and academic centers are standing against Trump's anti-Iran policies.

Point seven: The Zionist lobby that pivots around AIPAC has always had an important role in the US policies, but has never enjoyed such leverage as in the Trump's administration. They play a central role in devising Trump's anti-Iran policies.

MKO-led anti-Revolutionary groups, as high-paid mercenaries of the Arab Takfiris, on the other hand, have largely increased their subversive measures. They now, by relying on the support they receive from the US Neocons, are increasingly expanding their sphere of maneuver and influence.

After the announcement of new Iran policy by Trump, it seems that the plot to change the strategy of engagement with Iran into ca confrontational strategy has prevailed in Washington.

Washington is now considered by Iran's enemies as as a frontline against Tehran.

By: Hossein Mousavian
Translated by: Hossein Abolghasemi

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