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Friday, April 17, 2015
Editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat: Iran finally admits to regional interference

Opinion: Iran finally admits to regional interference
Salman Aldossary Friday, 17 Apr, 2015
http://www.aawsat.net/2015/04/article55342976/opinion-iran-finally-admits-to-regional-interference

On January 23, 2013 Yemen authorities seized the Jihan 1, an Iranian ship
loaded with huge quantities of heavy and sophisticated weaponry, off the
coast of Aden while en route from Iran. Following the incident, an official
statement from the Ministry of Interior in Sana’a said that the weapons’
shipment was intended for the Houthis. The incident provided strong evidence
for the involvement of the Iranian regime in supporting the Houthi rebel
group both politically and militarily. This left no room for doubt among
Yemenis from across the political spectrum about the truth of Iran’s
involvement in their country.

After years of deception, plotting and denial, Iran has finally revealed the
reality of its policy without prevaricating. It has admitted to having links
to several “groups” rather than one group in the region. Not only this,
Tehran also said that it can place pressures on those groups to achieve its
aims. Iran said it was ready to use its influence on all groups in Yemen and
the region to reach a peace deal. So, Iran has finally admitted, in the
words of its Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, that it does have
“influence” in the region and on “groups.” How can one understand the
relationship between one state and the political parties and militias
operating outside the framework of another state? After years of indirect
dealings with its own clients, Iran now has clearly and frankly admitted to
using proxies to extend its influence in the region, in flagrant breach of
international laws in full view of the world.

What changed the Iranian stance, from denial to attempting to legitimize its
illegal influence? It seems that Iran, following the defeat in Yemen, as
well as opposition from a world that has united against its expansionist
project, wants to play out in the open and send a message to regional
countries that it is capable of reshuffling the cards and complicating the
scene through its proxies. It may also be the case that Iran is yet to issue
other messages through different means. This unprecedented, clear rhetoric,
as well as its strenuous efforts to feed its hunger for power, indicate that
the export of revolution has become the official policy of Iran and that
Tehran is left with no option but to publicly reveal its cards and start
bargaining with regional countries. Mr. Zarif’s confession about his country’s
interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries is not a slip of the
tongue as much as a new strategy to be carried out through its proxies in
the entire region. Only a few weeks ago Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to
the Iranian Supreme Guide, said: “Iran’s influence extends from Lebanon to
Yemen,” a statement that was quickly dismissed by the government as
unrepresentative of the regime. Zarif has admitted that his country is
violating international laws. I am not sure where the US, a superpower,
stands on this. The US Department of State’s spokesman said on Thursday that
Iran is threatening the security and stability of regional countries.

Iran suffers from an ethnic crisis, deteriorating living standards,
isolation, international economic sanctions, as well as facing regional
rivalry. Iran is depleting its wealth by manufacturing weapons to support
the militias it operates in several Arab states. Tehran’s blunt declaration
of infiltrating the Arabian Peninsula is a serious escalation that indicates
Iran’s violation of international laws.

Iran’s expansionist policy in the region has been destroyed by Operation
Decisive Storm which in turn is on course to eradicate Iran’s agents and
proxies in Yemen.
+++
Salman Aldossary
Salman Aldossary is the editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

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