Focus on Iran-Israel relations for a stable West Asia

 

From the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 until the Iranian Revolution and the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979, Israel and Iran maintained close ties. Actually Iran was the second Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel, as a sovereign state after Turkey. Israel too viewed Iran as a natural ally and a non-Arab power on the edge of the Arab world, in accordance with David Ben Gurion’s concept of an alliance of the periphery. After the ‘Six-Day’ war of 1967, Iran supplied Israel with a significant portion of its oil needs and Iranian oil was shipped to European markets via the Israeli-Iranian pipeline.

The Iranian revolution of 1979 to overthrow the regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi became the point of conflict where Iranian revolutionists took a hard stance of anti-Zionism. Even post Iranian revolution, Israel helped Iran with logistical and military support during the Iran-Iraq war of 1980, despite Ayatollah Khomeini’s declaration of Israel as the ‘enemy of Islam’ and the ‘Little Satan’ (US being the ‘Great Satan’). Israel even convinced the Ronald Reagan administration to allow Israel to channel arms of US origin with it to support Iran against the barbaric attacks of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Israel also destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor near Baghdad, giving a strategic advantage to Iran over Iraq.

The relations started to turn sour with the statements by the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini and his decisive anti-Zionist stance and by his successor Khamenei to consolidate domestic support which is otherwise on wane. The same goes for the other democratically elected authorities in Iran like the President, especially during the President Mahmud Ahmedinijiad’s term. He discontinued the velvet glove policy of former President Mohammad Khatami and instead adopted an offensive stance against Israel with openly nurturing Shia-Islamist group and political party in Lebanon, HEZBOLLAH. This infuriated Israel and the previously warm relations turned hostile with both sides attacking each other since then (Beunos Aires blasts on Israeli Embassy in 1992, 2006 Lebanese war, successive Gaza wars, 2010 assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists, 2010 Stuxnet worming in Iran’s Natanz enrichment plant, 2012 Bulgarian bombings by Hezbollah militants to the latest 2015 explosions in Jarmana, near Damascus). Since decades, Israel has been accusing Iran for supporting Hezbollah and Syrian Government to perpetuate anti-Zionist propaganda and war to threaten the peaceful existence of Israel, whereas Khamenei has accused Israel of supporting JUNDALLAH in Balochistan (West Pakistan), a Sunni militant group targeting Iran.

The bonhomie relationship which turned to a ‘fire and sword’ hostility for each other needs to cool down for a peaceful West Asian future. The responsibility of the same lies with the immediate governments, to blend the public mood and extinguish the fire of suspicion to bloom the flower of peace between the two old friends. The world must realize that the deep mistrust between these two rivals is fueling the fire in the West Asian region and allowing the other non-stakeholders to take disproportionate advantage of the conflict to strengthen their illegitimate power structure. Wahhabism emanating from West Asia is a major global threat which is riding on the wave of conflict between Iran-Israel. US President Barack Obama made a good start with Iran through the nuclear deal, which was opposed by Israel and Saudi Arabia alike. But to my Israeli friends, I must suggest that they should exploit the opportunity of improving the relations with Iran during the term of moderate Government of President Hassan Rouhani in Iran. They should understand that Ariel Sharon believed it was important to "leave a small window open" to the possibility of good relations with Iran in the future. Simultaneously, it is the duty of the Rouhani Government to ensure peace with Israel by exploiting the huge public mandate acquired by his political party in the recent general election in Iran, by keeping the radical forces at bay.

Stemming of confrontation and unilateralism to accommodate compromise, negotiation and collaboration (especially between Iran and Israel) is the need of the hour for the West Asian political conflicts. Suspicion and deep hostilities amongst the rivals have already burnt the entire West Asian subcontinent from the last few decades. This opportunity to accommodate conflicting views and dispatching of medieval confrontations might lead to a peaceful coexistence of people in the West Asia. Shall India be the plank to bridge the gap between the two rivals? If yes, then how?

Sacrificing her illegitimate children (Special report on the birth of ISIS)

After ‘proclaiming’ to kill her own baby (Al Qaeda) in his paternal home  (Afghanistan), US is back with so called fundamentalists ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) militants. US nurtured the first baby (Al Qaeda) during the Cold War to counter USSR who had been honeymooning in Afghanistan for 10 years (Dec 1979 – Feb 1989).

This time, there is a strong blizzard forming in the Arctic Circle from East to West with Russia surfing solely on it victoriously this time. The ‘czar’ of Kremlin has left no stone unturned to veto all the Western moves that could undermine Asia’s authority over world affairs, or particularly, Russian authority over the international politics. As the game between the West and the ‘East’ (led solely by Russia) was going uneven, with Russia scoring all the points and the West succumbing with zilch.

• The West, or say, just US tried invading West Asia (Middle East) again to show off her defense skills and machines, to market their products to nations like India (huge importer of arms). But, Russia vetoed the move in the UN Security Council (Syrian talks). US failed the opportunity to rob West Asian wealth, to comfort her dwindling economy.
• Russia also created a mess during Ukraine’s admission to European Union and ended up giving anarchy to Ukraine by supporting the rebels, Crimean accession was a huge blow too. West merely saw the actions and replied back with childish economic sanctions which affect the European themselves.
• Allegedly, US even tried an assassination attempt on Vladimir Putin in Ukraine via CIA but failed to do the same and ended up fuming Malaysian Airlines to flames.
• Unease of European nations for economic sanctions on Russia because of the huge investments by Russian oligarchs in their respective countries, further tensed US about the Western grouping’s future.
• Most importantly, the emergence of the BRICS Bank, a parallel institution to World Bank, undermining Western dominance over world economy, the growing closeness of Russia, India and China, or say the BRICS countries as a whole forced US to bite her nails.

All in all, US had been a loser till now by scoring, literally zero points against the game with Russia. All thanks to the ‘able’ leadership of Mr. Obama.

But then, the security experts of Mr Obama like James Clapper, reminded him of their illegitimate child of a subsidiary of Al Qaeda, living in Iraq, with the funding of CIA (Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi) ready to die for his mother (US). Mr Obama cheered in joy and ordered the multiplication of his funds and a special military training to combat Iraqi forces. By this, US would be able to exert pressure on the world to invade West Asia (failed invading Syria earlier) and would be able to control the region that has turned anti-US from the past few years. This way the region would stop porting to Russia for their needs and will again be neo-colonized.

Recent air strike combat operations are an eye wash, the beheading of US journalist James Foley is as true as the assassination of Saddam Hussein, Qaddafi and Osama Bin Laden (wondering what is Area 51). The motive is to invade Syria, via Iraq (that's why the last S in ISIS stands for liberation of Syria) and to control Shia population which is on the rise in West Asia. Forgive me for the words, but Sunnis have been secret weapons of CIA in their operations.

At last, the whole world knows that this wicked mother (US) will kill her child (ISIS) after his use and will look towards another child to sacrifice for her. The history is repeating itself, the Cold War has returned with an open conflict and this time, the West seems weak because of lack of unity and a severe leadership crisis.