Arab-Iranian relations hit further

The peninsula Newspaper Wednesday, 25 April 2012 04:50 The Iranian President paid a provocative visit to the island of Abu Musa occupied by Iran since 1971. The 20 sqm island is located 60km from the city of Sharjah. Arab states immediately condemned the visit and the GCC states sent a message of protest to the United Nations condemning the visit as “a blatant violation of the principles of the UN Charter and international law and flagrant violation of the sovereignty of an Arab state. The message accused the visit of disregarding all peace initiatives and efforts made by the UAE and other GCC countries in order to find a just and lasting settlement to end the Iranian occupation of the three islands through peaceful means. Tehran, in turn, had escalated the situation. The Chairman of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy of the Council of the Islamic Shura said “the allegations of the UAE on the island of Abu Musa are “flimsy” for this region is part of Iranian territory” calling to discuss cutting diplomatic relations with UAE. Another Iranian official called UAE officials to submit an apology to Iran and not to follow the path of Zionism. He threatened saying that Iran today is much stronger than what it was before and will destroy any potential aggression against it! An Iranian tourism company announced organisation of cruises to the three islands. These recurrent extreme and hostile statements undermine all diplomatic efforts being made to resolve the islands’ issue through direct negotiations or resorting to the International Court of Justice. The move also internationalises the internal political crisis and conflict for on power after the former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani calling Iran to establish better relations with the Gulf States and Saudi Arabia and start a dialogue with the United States. Rafsanjani said, “If we have good relations with Saudi Arabia the West could not impose oil sanctions on us.” Rafsanjani declared that “it is possible to establish good relations with Riyadh” criticising those who make such “radical” statements against Saudi Arabia without considering the consequences. The relations between Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad have been tense since the latter launched in 2009 an unprecedented attack through the state television on Rafsanjani accusing him and members of his family of financial corruption and looting the wealth of the country. The jailing of Rafsanjani’s daughter for 6 months was approved for she said that Iran is run by “the foolish and fallen people.” The seminar held in the Institute of International Affairs in London, in which a group of specialists in Iranian affairs discussed and focused on the theme of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s current situation and whether the regime is strong or weak in the light of the recent developments that took place in the region and the continuing international sanctions on Tehran. Dr Ali Ansari, director of the Institute of Iranian Studies at the Britain-based University of St Andrews said that the most important political development in the Iranian regime today is the growing role of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the surrounding group and the influence of the former Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani on this group after assuming the presidency of one of the councils that facilitate the work of the Supreme Leader and the state in general. Al Ansari said most of the political, economic and security issues have significant links to religious and ideological views. Dr Shahram Chobin of (Carnegie) Institute specialised in security and nuclear affairs noted that the international sanctions have had negative impact on the Iranian economy and the cost of oil sanctions has been to the tune of $50bn. They had increased the security threats against the Iranian regime, but did not affect the morale of the revolution. Iran still has good relations with Hezbollah and Hamas and it still shows its military power in the region generally: Yemen, Syria, Bahrain and Sudan. Dr Hassan Hakimian, director of Middle East Institute at the College (SOAS), University of London, said it is wrong to believe that Iran is on the verge of falling into an abyss due to the sanctions, threats and developments resulting from the Arab spring. He also noted the lack of accurate statistics on the economic situation in the country and of the impact of economic sanctions, saying there is a pressing need for more transparency in this regard. “Everything can take place in Iran. Unexpected surprises can take place suddenly as it happened when the Arab spring took place,” he said. The relationship between Tehran and the Arab states is further worsening and complicating… there is the nuclear file, hostile statements and stand towards the Gulf states in Saudi Arabia, the southern regions and Kuwait, the crisis with Bahrain, escalation with the UAE and the violation of its sovereignty, the Iranian official direct political, military and media support to the sectarian oppressive regime in Syria, its opposition to the revolution of the Syrian people, despite the statements of Iranian officials supporting the Arab revolutions, armament of Houthis in Yemen and attempt to divide it, negative role and blatant interventions carried out by Teheran in Iraq by supporting sectarian militia and controlling the political decision and the liquidation of opponents and dissidents. Iran encourages sectarian split in Beirut and even the Arab countries of the Arab Maghreb and Sudan had become scene of negative Iranian interference and export of arms and religious ideology. When will Iran take more interest in its internal affairs and recognise its problems and solve them. There are 14 million poor people in Iran, drug abuse in primary, intermediate, and secondary schools, institutes and universities is growing. The Iranian people spend $18bn directly or indirectly on opium.