Countering Iran’s Threat, Strategies for Regional Stability

Image
  Written by Mahmoud Hakamian Two-minute read On Sunday morning, April 14, the Iranian regime launched an unprecedented attack against Israel, escalating tensions in the Middle East. Despite military experts’ assessments that the attack failed, it underscores  Iran’s role as a focal point  of regional conflict. The October 7th attack sent shockwaves globally. Despite ample evidence implicating the Iranian regime, Western governments dismissed Tehran’s involvement, adhering to a flawed appeasement policy toward the primary state sponsor of terrorism. They disregarded explicit statements from Revolutionary Guards  (IRGC) commanders boasting  about their direct role in the attack. For decades, the Iranian Resistance has urged the international community to adopt a resolute stance against the Iranian regime’s aggression and terrorism. Despite persistent calls, the failed appeasement policy of the West allowed Tehran to escalate its belligerent activities, including financing, arming, train

Uncertainty Over Iran Nuclear Deal Can Be Used as Leverage

Share
Iran Focus
London, 31 Mar - Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s high-profile visit to the White House is significant because his discussions with US President Trump were tied to the upcoming quarterly deadline to assess whether Tehran is complying with the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump made his opposition to the JCPOA a central position in his presidential campaign, and it is uncertain whether the US will pull out of the agreement.

Following the Crown Prince’s visit, in a move that received widespread international condemnation, Yemen’s Houthi militia launched seven ballistic missiles targeting civilian areas in Saudi Arabia. In Washington, the attacks are viewed as an Iranian attempt to escalate the war in Yemen as part of a strategic effort to undermine the growing US-Saudi relationship.
Trump’s recent appointment of John Bolton as his national security adviser and Mike Pompeo as secretary of state are also believed to play a part, as both Bolton and Pompeo are well known for their positions on Iran.
Tehran depends on sanctions relief to operate its government and prevent the economy from collapsing, so Trump’s objective in creating uncertainty over whether his administration will pull out of the JCPOA is believed to be a means to financially squeeze the regime into negotiations.
The Bolton and Pompeo appointments are a logical step toward implementing Trump’s anti-Iran policies and raising the pressure on Tehran over other issues, such as ballistic missile testing and arming proxies. In an article for Arab News, Middle East analyst and columnist, Sigurd Neubauer writes, “Bolton and Pompeo expected to be able to build on US president’s hardball stance against Tehran to forge a grand bargain with Iran that includes changes to its regional policies.”
It is believed that an US-EU consensus on these issues could be followed by Russia’s endorsement, with perhaps its own modifications, and that China will support the revisions, as well.
However, there is no guarantee that Russia will accommodate the request to revise the JCPOA. In light of the recent decision to expel 60 Russian diplomats over Moscow’s alleged role in attempting to kill a former spy and his daughter in the UK, a US-Russian he US-Russia relationship is at an all-time low.
For all practical purposes, Trump’s uncertainty over the future of the JCPOA, as well as his support of the recent Iran protests, is putting Iran on notice. Now, Pompeo’s responsibility will be to negotiate with his international counterparts to “fix” the JCPOA, and Bolton will be responsible for coordinating policy — including on Iran — at the White House.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

General Call for Signing a Statement on the Investigation of Killers of the Massacre of Prisoners

Countering Iran’s Threat, Strategies for Regional Stability

Paris Conference Demands Justice for Victims of Iran’s 1988 Massacre and Accountability for Regime Officials