MEMRI Special Dispatch | 6009 | March 29, 2015

Pakistani Urdu Daily: 'Iran's Interference In Iraq's Affairs, Under American
Patronage, Has Become So Much That It appears As If Iraq Is Part Of Iran'

In its editorial dated March 19, 2015, Pakistan's widely circulated
Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Islam, known for its support of militant
organizations in Pakistan, raised concerns at the increasing influence of
Shia Iran.

In an editorial titled "Dire Consequences of Irani Interference in Iraq",
Roznama Islam argues that Iran is out to create a Shia empire which would
destabilize the whole region. The Urdu daily is published in seven cities of
Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Quetta, and
Muzaffarabad (Pakistani Kashmir).

The following are excerpts:

"America Has Taken The Command Of The Air Strikes [In Iraq], Whereas The
Leadership Of The Ground War Is At This Time In The Hands Of The Regular
Army Of Iran"

"The political circumstances in the Middle East are taking a dangerous turn
every day. Iraq, which has been suffering from the destruction of the
continuing political instability and civil war since the 2003 American
invasion, is now bloodied because of another bloody war. The war that has
erupted this time - its destructiveness has a much deeper impact than that
of the previous one. This new face of civil war has practically divided Iraq
into several parts on the basis of sects and nationalities; and the
participation of international players in this war theatre has plunged the
whole region into a massive turbulence.

"The biggest and most important reason for Iraq's current situation is
undoubtedly foreign interference. At this stage, Iraq has become a war
theatre of America and Iran, which ostensibly are archrivals on the
international political chessboard. Both [America and Iran], for their own
objectives, have united in the name of fighting the Islamic State [ISIS].
America has taken the command of the air strikes, whereas the leadership of
the ground war is at this time in the hands of the regular army of Iran. Not
only this, Iran's interference in Iraq's affairs under American patronage
has become so much that it appears as if Iraq is part of Iran.

"The international intervention in Iraq is such that several influential
countries including America, Britain, and France have become entrenched
there in the name of protecting their interests, which cannot be termed
acceptable. Nevertheless, Iran's interference is making the situation
frightening and horrible. On the one hand Iran is clothing the war against
the Islamic State in the black garb of sectarianism by instigating the Shia
prejudice in Iraq. On the other hand, it is also trying to entrench its feet
[in Iraq] by employing different tactics."

"Deriving Advantage Out Of The General Climate Emerging Due To The Islamic
State's Terroristic Activities… [Iran] Has Planted Its Black Claws In Iraq,
Syria, Yemen And Lebanon"

"Other nations of the region are rightly feeling that this black role of
Iran is a serious threat to their existence. They fear that Iran, under the
guise of [fighting] the Islamic State, in fact wants to establish its empire
in the region on a sectarian basis and they would not be able to escape its
reach.

"This threat is not a hypothesis played up as a political stunt. Deriving
advantage out of the general climate emerging due to the Islamic State's
terroristic activities … [Iran] has planted its black claws in Iraq, Syria,
Yemen, and Lebanon; this has made the danger real. This is the reason that
Kurds, who wholeheartedly welcomed and supported the Arab countries and
international powers against the Islamic State … have given indications of
withdrawing their support after having witnessed its role in Iraq and
[having realized] that Iran is reaping all the benefits of this war.

"Seeing Iran's unnecessarily increasing role in Iraq, the important neighbor
of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, raised its voice first. Pointing towards Iran's
increasing influence in Iraq, the Saudi foreign minister clearly told his
American counterpart: it is happening under your [American] patronage.

"The way the leaders of Iraq's autonomous province Kurdistan had openly
supported the international alliance against the Islamic State, the whole
world is aware of that. Seeing the deepening foundations of Iran's
interference in Iraq under the pretext ending the Islamic State and
destructiveness of its sectarian influence, they [the Kurdish leaders] too
have said that Shia militias active under the patronage of Iran are more
dangerous than the Islamic State."

"Due To Iran's Increasing Interference In Iraq, There Exists … The Danger Of
Its Division On A Sectarian Basis And Great Bloodshed There "

"Raising alarm of such dangers by the neighbors is a natural outcome. As an
individual has a legal right of pre-emption with regard to his neighborhood
to stop some stranger or undesirable person coming to his neighborhood,
similarly a country has the right to express its doubts and apprehensions
when a third country is increasing its role in its neighboring country. If
the country feels threatened by the interfering country, it becomes
necessary to make efforts to stop the interference.

"Due to Iran's increasing interference in Iraq, there exists not only the
danger of its division on a sectarian basis and great bloodshed there, but
because of its [Iranian] expansionist instinct, other countries in the
region also face the real dangers of instability.

"In these circumstances, it is necessary that the OIC [Organization of
Islamic Countries], the World Islamic Forum, Rabta Alam-e-Islami, and
international and local organizations like the Arab League should come
forward to correct unpleasant situations created due to internecine warfare
among the Muslims of the Middle East. If the practice of looking for a third
force to settle internal disputes continues, it will have very disastrous
consequences."



Source: Roznama Islam (Pakistan), March 19, 2015.

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