USA and Israel, by imposing stricter economic and political sanctions on Iran through UN and EU, are upping the ante for Iran in Middle East. Israel is seriously contemplating war with Iran to destroy its nuclear research facilities and teach a lesson.
In pursuance of this folly of war, west is playing a dangerous game in west Asia. Iran, a Shia majority country has been systematically isolated and cornered in its own region, where once it yielded immense clout. Surrounded by Sunni dominant countries, and by openly offering its unconditional support for the falling regime of Assad Al Bashar, Iran has made more enemies than friends recently.
Since 1979, the year in which Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran was overthrown by now famous Islamic Revolution, Iran has made enemy of Israel which was once its ally during Shah regime. By establishing an Islamic republic and forcing out US and UK contractors and proxies out of its borders, Iran became an avowed enemy of the west in general, and USA in particular. If ayatollah’s are still clinging to power in spite of Arab spring and unrest in rest of the Arab world, it is because of the common hatred they all share for USA.
With its abundant natural resources Iran is being looked upon as another battleground for USA and western Europe to perpetuate their hegemony in the region in the name of promotion of democracy.
In 1979, when Iranians overthrew the Shah, they overwhelmingly voted for the establishment of an Islamic republic in a referendum. Same has happened in Egypt, where people have voted for Muslim Brotherhood in a first democratic elections held in that country.
Iran, bullied by eternally insecure Israel, and always-keen-to-stamp-its-hegemony, the USA, is trying to make itself secure by resorting to nuclear program. It says it is peaceful, but there are chances that it may not be just peaceful.
Iranian president said few days ago that they were not fools to build two bombs against 25000 bombs. It seems plausible that Iran would not risk full scale war and humiliation while pursuing what it calls peaceful nuclear research.
USA by adhering to its dual-track strategy of engagement with preconditions and heavy sanctions on Iran, is not giving enough space for substantial dialogue with Iran. The issue can be resolved through negotiations and intelligent diplomacy, but regional interests of sinking worldpower come in its way to look at the logic of peaceful solution for the problem.
When Bush called Iran as part of axis of evil along with Iraq and North Korea, few doubted his intentions then. Though Obama doesn’t call it as an evil nation, he has not changed the general policy of demonizing Iran and arm-twisting it to submission. Bush successfully invaded Iraq and changed regime there to suit their geopolitical interests. Iran seems to be the next on its list. Obama, Nobel peace prize winner, should give dialogue a chance to defuse the situation.
It is humiliation of 78 million Iranians by the west. Iran has shown defiance and has endured pressure tactics of Israel and USA for past 30 years.
In 1953, USA for the first time experimented its policy of directly meddling in the affairs of sovereign nations when it overthrew Iranian PM Mosaddegah in a coup famously known as Operation Ajax. And after 60 years it is still talking about regime change in Iran. Does superpower status confer it any right to interfere and destabilize a sovereign nation?
Iran doesn’t recognize Israel, and its president famously said once that he would wipe Israel off the map. It seems as rhetoric but Iran is not all innocent here. It has armed Hezbollah in Lebanon which frequently keeps sending rockets into Israeli territory.
But, a full scale war will be a disaster for the world economy. By destabilizing the already destabilized region, USA will leave a permanent scar on the psyche of whole Arab world. Saudi kings might be salivating at the prospect of seeing a defeated Iran, but they should know that simmering discontent within their country might erupt at any moment.
India must not abandon Iran. As a responsible regional power, and to meet its ever increasing energy demand, it will be prudent to play its own game in the region without straining its relation with either Israel or Iran. They too need India to sell their arms and oil, so India will do well to not to isolate Iran.
War must be a last resort when all civilized options fail. There are such options on the table, it is just the West and Israel are reluctant to use them.
