Threatening the United States Position in the Middle East

One of the main reasons that the United States has tried to securitize Iran is its fear that countries that the United States considers as rough states would begin to challenge the hegemony of the United States. From the American point of view, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a rough state that can pose such a threat to American hegemony in the region. In this regard, the United States restricts and isolates any country that finds it to be in conflict with its own interests and it would use its verbal action which includes portraying that country as a threat. In this regard, calling the governments such as Iran the rough states the United States seeks to show its serious objection to this country.

 

Although the current crisis between the United States and Iran seems to be about the latter’s nuclear program, yet the actual problem stems from the conflicting interests of the two in the Middle East. According to the National Security Strategy of the United States of America, 2006, the major interests of the United States are (1) providing security for the oil and gas supply, (2) eliminating threats from terrorist organizations, (3) preventing the spread of WMDs, and (4) maintaining Israel’s existence and qualitative military advantage. The United States seeks to achieve the four goals through managing the developments in the region.[1]

 

But considering the United States assumption based on which Iran’s nuclear activity is a threat unless it is proved otherwise, the United States will lose much of its influence in the region if Iran succeeds, because Iran, like other member states of the Middle East security complex, has some interests in the region which will be more likely to be achieved if it acquires nuclear technology; these interests in many cases will be in conflict with the interests of the United States and will result in a zero-sum game for both sides.

 

The Interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Region

 

The Islamic Republic of Iran has two primary interests in the region namely maintaining its national solidarity, territorial integrity and its Islamic Republic system as well as turning into a superpower in the region. For Iran, the United States is the main threat to the maintenance of the Islamic Republic while considering the United States’ opposition to its nuclear activities as leverage over the countries in the region. 

 

Iran has some geopolitical advantages. It has access to the world’s two energy-rich regions, the Middle East and the Caspian Basin. North-south and east-west control of energy transit lines and the ability to control the Strait of Hormuz increase Iran’s leverage over other actors. In addition, another factor that gives Iran an advantage is its young population: two-thirds of its population is under the age of 30.[2]

 

On the other hand, the United States should be seen as a trans-regional power that has broad interests, and the foreign policy of the Bush administration should be interpreted as an attempt to expand the sphere of the United States’ influence in the world and create an empire.

 

For the United States, Iran wants to become a modern power in the Middle East. The United States believes that by acquiring nuclear technology Iran will impose itself on the region as a two-factor nuclear power, an issue that allows the Islamic Republic to have an upper hand. With this situation, there is always a conflict of interest between the two actors, one of the most important of which is the conflict over suppling and managing the energy by the two countries. 

 

This issue as a vital artery of industrialized countries is in the hands of the Middle East security complex, in which Iran as one of the largest producers of oil and gas plays an important role.

 

Energy

 

One of the issues that have always been of interest to the United States is the issue of energy in the Middle East. Many Middle Eastern countries have based their economies on their energy resources, which provide a large amount of their annual budget. Iran is one of these countries that is no exception. Energy has a special place in Iran’s foreign policy and is considered as an economic artery of Iran. With the rise of oil prices, Iran could gain more revenue and expand its regional influence by increasing its military power, which according to the United States. includes increasing investment in the nuclear program.

 

In addition to asking oil companies not to cooperate with Iran, the United States is trying to prevent them from buying Iranian oil. The United States believes that Iran should use its oil for providing the energy of its country. In this situation, Iran would no longer consider itself in need of generating electricity through nuclear energy. As Obama said about the Qom’s nuclear sites, the United States believes that Iran’s goal in pursuing nuclear technology is not to generate electricity and peaceful programs, because as far as providing the required electricity is concerned, the excising facilities in the country are enough; many Israeli politicians support this view.

 

The al-Quds-Occupying Regime

 

 Since 1948, the Zionist regime has been in constant conflict with the Islamic countries. Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the political leaders of Iran have declared the Zionist regime an illegitimate regime. In the eyes of the United States, Iran has threatened to eliminate Israel, and such policies are seen by the United States as reasons which justify the development of weapons of mass destruction to destroy the Zionist regime. Most Zionist officials believe that if Iran acquires a weapon of mass destruction, it will use such weapons against this regime. Given the common interests of the United States and Israel in opposing the nuclear program of Iran, this issue became one of the most controversial nuclear cases when George W. Bush came to power and has drawn the world’s attention. The Zionist regime, much more serious than the United States, threatens Iran with a pre-emptive strike. Israeli officials have said that they could take action against Iran’s nuclear program if they do not achieve the desired results through exerting pressure from the international community.

 

“Under no circumstances will Israel tolerate a nuclear Iran,” said Shaul Mofaz the Israel defence minister. According to Reuters, the United States plans to equip Israel with $139 million-worth bombs including penetrative bombs, for destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities. According to the regime’s officials, Iran’s nuclear facilities are dangerous not only for Israel but for the whole world, so we must take any measure including sanctions against our main enemies in Tehran before the Security Council acts. 

 

The Zionist regime has different scenarios for Iran’s nuclear facilities, one of which is carrying out an airstrike against Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, there have been many objections to this idea, because in their view, although it is possible to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, the scientific capabilities to move towards nuclear technology cannot be countered. The United States lawmakers have called for an Israeli attack on Iran-backed proxy groups, including Hezbollah and Hamas. From the United States’ point of view, Iranians do not believe that the United States attack is imminent, and some argue that Israel wants to change its position in the Middle East and bring the United States into war with Iran. Finally, it is noteworthy that in the face of the Zionist regime’s attack on Iran, Iran will also target Israeli territory, as Iran has stated that we have nothing to lose in this case, and we will show proper response to Israel’s threats and actions. The unique alliance between the strategic allies (the United States and Israel) is based on the balance of threats to confront governments that they consider as the primary threats. 

 

This special alliance between the two governments is established with respect to political, economic, and military-security issues. In addition to the Strategic Partnership Agreement of November 30, 1981, the United States and Israel also signed a Joint Cooperation Agreement on April 21, 1988. In this agreement, in addition to military and security cooperation, the United States recognizes the Zionist regime as its strategic ally outside NATO. The United States Secretary of Defense William Perry and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres have signed a joint statement on missile defence cooperation. According to the agreement, the United States is committed to establishing strategic military cooperation with Israel and providing it with military technology and equipment if regional security threats against Israel, which also threaten the United States interests, continue. 

In addition to cooperating in the fight against ballistic missiles, the two governments also signed the Arrow Defense Capacity Program. This Zionist regime’s defence system is aligned with the United States’ security capabilities and will be implemented as a guarantee for fulfilling the defence interests against the ballistic missiles in the region. The Zionist regime has had a nuclear arsenal since the 1960s, and it is estimated that it possesses between 100 and 200 nuclear warheads, which has largely given it nuclear deterrence. So far, Israel’s official institutions, officials and newspapers have repeatedly warned of the danger of a nuclear Iran. They believe that not only will Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, but it will use it against the regime occupying al-Quds.

 

From the Zionist regime’s point of view, Iran will extend its nuclear weapons to other third-world countries, especially the opposition groups, which Israel calls terrorists. The United States has signed several nuclear agreements with the Zionist regime. The Treaty of Advancing Nuclear Activities signed between the United States and Israel on February 22, 2000, allowed Israeli nuclear scientists to use United States nuclear technology. According to the agreement, the two governments pledged to work on the exchange of equipment, experience and other nuclear cooperation. This agreement will not change the policy of the Zionist Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or other nuclear programs of this regime. Under the agreement, Washington declares that Israel will not sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty because it has a very sensitive place in the Middle East.

For Israel, Iran tries to move as close to a nuclear weapons capability and is stockpiling enriched uranium. Currently, Iran is testing the missiles with a range of 1,200 miles which could be the basis for a nuclear weapons delivery system. The Zionist regime views Iran and its nuclear program as an existential threat to itself.

 

In January 2006, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert announced that under no circumstances would Israel allow any country to acquire weapons of mass destruction through threatening Israel so that Israel’s existence will be challenged.

 

Israel emphasizes that the first goal of Iran’s nuclear activities is destroying Israel, which in a way is a sign of the United States and Israeli support for each other in the Iranian nuclear issue, and reveals different United States policies based on which Israel, despite possessing nuclear weapons, is considered a peaceful regime and Iran, though pursuing peaceful nuclear energy, is identified as a nuclear threat, and this ultimately lead the United States to use the power of verbal action.

 

 

Archive of The Enemies of the Islamic Revolution