Who's a threat to peace?

Iran's independent stance is hugely popular among Arabs

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Who's a threat to peace?
by Edalat and Wilayto
01-Dec-2010
 

The latest batch of Wikileaks revelations give the impression that, next to Israel, it's the Arab states that are most energetically pressuring the U.S. to attack Iran. In terms of the real threat to Iran, that 's definitely putting the cart before the horse.

In the first place, the Arab governments mentioned as being hostile to Iran – Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates – are all undemocratic, unpopular regimes that depend on U.S. support to stay in power. As such, they seem to have absorbed the unrelenting years of U.S. claims that Iran is the region's greatest threat to peace.

A completely different view, however, is held by these governments' own subjects, among whom Iran's independent stance actually is hugely popular. According to a recent poll (1) that asked Arab people in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates to name two countries they thought were the greatest threat to the region, 88 percent said Israel, 77 percent said the U.S. and only 10 percent mentioned Iran.

Meanwhile, governments in the region that don't hold a hostile view of Iran include those of Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey, not all of which are hostile to the U.S.

As to where the real threat to Iran comes from, it should be remembered that, despite massive US arms sales to Saudi Arabia (2), not one Arab country has the military capability of launching a serious attack against Iran. Only one country in the region has that ability in the region: Israel.

But Israel is dependent for its continued existence on its $3 billion in annual U.S. subsidies, plus the diplomatic firewall the U.S. maintains for it in the U.N. Security Council. There is almost no way Israel could attack Iran unless it were first fully confident that it would be backed by U.S. forces, either because it had already received a green light or because it calculated Washington would have no other choice.

Without a doubt, Iran does represent a threat to U.S. imperial interests in the Middle East. Thanks to its large oil and gas reserves, and the fact that those resources are controlled by its government, Iran has been able to emerge from a devastating Western-supported eight-year war of aggression by Iraq as an independent economic, military and political regional power. Iran takes no orders from Washington or London, its natural resources are off-limits to exploitation by Western corporations and it has no love for the wealthy, corrupt, pro-Western governments that dominate the area.

As such, Iran represents an obstacle to the hegemony the U.S. desires. But openly declaring hegemony to be its goal would win no friends among either local governments or populations, so the U.S. has resorted to fabricating the myth of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, much as it promoted support for a war against Iraq by creating a myth about weapons of mass destruction, ties to al-Qaeda and links to the attacks of 9/11. President Bush also authorized support for a number of terrorist organizations to destabilize the Islamic Republic of Iran. (3)

Although the U.S. has been charging for some eight years that Iran is using its nuclear energy program as a cover for the development of nuclear weapons, it has never provided the first shred of proof. And yet, U.S. charges of an Iranian nuclear weapons program have formed the basis for four sets of U.N. sanctions against Iran.

The latest, implemented in June 2010, has been based on “evidence” the U.S. provided of alleged Iranian plans to redesign a certain kind of missile to accommodate nuclear warheads. However, as revealed recently by investigative reporter Gareth Porter, the “evidence” refers to an outmoded missile Iran had stopped using years ago. It is simply a fabrication similar to the fabricated evidence against Iraq (4).

Despite some disagreement over how much of its nuclear-related activities Iran is legally required to disclose, the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency, charged with monitoring compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, reported on Nov. 23 of this year that it “continues to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear materials in Iran.”

And in the Arab poll referred to above, 77 percent said that Iran should have the right to its nuclear program and should not be pressured to stop its activities.

No, the principle threat to peace in the Middle East, at least as regards to Iran is concerned, remains the United States, which for years, prodded by nuclear-armed Israel, has declared that, in dealing with Iran, “all options are on the table.” As such, the onus is on the U.S. to remove this threat once and for all.

On Dec. 5, Iran is scheduled to begin revived negotiations with representatives of the five permanent U.N. Security Council members, plus Germany. This would be an ideal time for Washington to make the following declaration: that it will not attack Iran, will not allow an attack by Israel, will end all sanctions against Iran, will recognize Iran's right under the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty to pursue peaceful nuclear power, will return Iran's nuclear file from the U.N. Security Council to the IAEA in exchange for Iran’s stated pledge to allow the intrusive inspections of the IAEA’s Additional Protocol and will agree to discuss all outstanding differences in a spirit of mutual respect.

(1) //www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2010/08_arab_opinion_poll_telhami/08_arab_opinion_poll_telhami.pdf

(2) //www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/21/us-congress-notified-arms-sale-saudi-arabia

(3) //www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_hersh

(4) //ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=53616

Abbas Edalat is Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at Imperial College London and the founder of the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII)

Phil Wilayto is a member of CASMII's Board of Directors and author of “In Defense of Iran: Notes from a U.S. Peace Delegation's Journey through the Islamic Republic.”

A shorter version of this article appeared on Guardian's website. Another version appeared in the Guardian newspaper today.

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Niloufar Parsi

onlyiran

by Niloufar Parsi on

i have absolutely no problem condemning anyone who commits a known or proven crime. it is not a matter of propaganda or personal politics. the pictures you post prove nothing. and the biggest known attack against iran in recent history - apart from saddam's invasion that you seem to have forgotten - is the US downing of an Iranian civilian airplane during the same war.

btw, how's it going for you yanks these days? enjoying all the drama about that far off country called iran? 


Onlyiran

NP- The ONLY proven foreign attack on the Iranian people

by Onlyiran on

inside Iran has been this:

 //anger-flame.blogspot.com/2010/11/blog-post_01.html

Lebanese Hezbollah terrorists (sorry..."freedom fighters") beating and shooting Iranians on the streets of Iran.  

Now NP, since you're so much against "foreign attacks" on Iranians, I want you to specifically condemn the IRI for bringing foreign fighters to attack Iranians, AND to specifically condemn thee Lebanese Hezbollah for conducting terrorism against the Iranian people.  

Let's see if you will put your money where your mouth is. 


Niloufar Parsi

above all

by Niloufar Parsi on

learn some basic economics! and a proud nation does not live on state hand outs! there is no famine going on...

those who work for aipac

those who sit on the lap of uncle sam and suck the blood of poor nations

those who will go to any length to compromise the security of ordinary iranians\

those who have become the professional lengesh kon mob from the safety of the bossom of uncle sam

should just shut it and be ashamed of their embarrassing servitude!


Hoshang Targol

Above all , those who eliminate subsidies

by Hoshang Targol on

those who justify repression and tyranny in Iran,

those who work for gender-aparthied and supression of women in Iran,

those who support mullahs in all their deeds,

those who comeup with justifications for all the murders committed in Iran,

those who suck mullah's toes every day in and out,

are the ones  selling their motherland ( for a very cheap price).

 

Even a two year old kid can come up with better lines that aipac, that's all you can say? such a pathateic moron, as usual.


Niloufar Parsi

above all

by Niloufar Parsi on

you should stop working for aipac and get a decent job instead. stop being such a vatan foroosh. above all.


Niloufar Parsi

OI your propaganda

by Niloufar Parsi on

has no parallel. iran's national security is not up for discussion. 

in this respect you and the IRI are similar: regardless of what you say, you should not be allowed to drive iran to war.


Hoshang Targol

Above all we should expose IR's agents on IC

by Hoshang Targol on

that would include Abji Nariman aka NP, NF,....

Question of the day: What is the difference between Anji Nariman, and Reza Sadeghnia?

//iranian.com/main/2010/dec/mohammad-reza...

The latter operates with his real  name, the former uses his pen-name. Both agents of IR to the last drop of their blood.


Onlyiran

NP- IRI's "foreign threat" mantra does not fool anyone

by Onlyiran on

It's the oldest trick in the book.  Who has been creating the foreign threat (if it exists) for the past 31 years?  I wrote a blog about this some time ago:

 //iranian.com/main/blog/onlyiran/iran-will-be-attacked-if

This whole notion of creating a foreign enemy (real or imaginary) and then: 1) linking the opposition to it, and 2) using it to suppress opposition is the oldest trick in the book.  It has been used by every dictatorship in the history of human civilization.  The trick is to keep a perpetual enemy alive (like the IR has been doing for the past 31 years with the U.S. and Israel) and then saying "if you do anything to weaken us, the government, you will be attacked.

Not gonna fall for it.  Sorry.  Take the propaganda somewhere else. 


Niloufar Parsi

iran's national security

by Niloufar Parsi on

considerations are above the regime. we should support iran against foreign threats.


dingo daddy En passant

seems rather common sense to me

by dingo daddy En passant on

from the number of comments, I thought they may have made some bold claims, but it is supported by the evidence. Unless I'm not seeing something.

Edalat and Wilayto: Does your organization have chapters in Australia?


siavash1000

Sovereignty, Natural resources and Iranian alret

by siavash1000 on

This trick by stinky mullahs are getting old. They made such a illusion that if they are no longer in power Iran will lose it's sovereignty or control over it's natural resources. It is all B.S. we can do it without these Islamic bastards to be in power. History shows how our great king Shah Abbas kick Brits and Portugues out of Persian Gulf. He was a king and we had full control of our natural resource. Mullahs had huge propaganda machine. Spending our Persian Gulf oil money just to stay in power and make it sound like if they leave we wouldn't have sovereignty. Bullshit. We will keep our sovereignty without these half breed Arab bastards so called "Sayyid". They just try to stay in power and continue to suck the blood of our Aryan nation like a parasite.

Payandeh our Aryan land Iran.


Afshin Ehx

Edalat and Wilayto

by Afshin Ehx on

Thank you for posting this. You make great points in your article.


siavash1000

A valid point

by siavash1000 on

"Yes, Iranian government does have internal problems, bad human rights record and limitations of freedom"

so these Islamic bastards should leave our Aryan land and let an establishment which doesn't have "bad human record and limitation of freedon"  like crown Reza Pahlavi and his adminstration run the country. Our history has been intimated with kingdom and monarchy over 5 thousands years. Any Persian should respect our ancestors and their wil which was shahanshahi. Main objective is to overthrown stinky mullahs and their hegemoney throughout Middle East especially south of Lebanon. The remaining issue (if any) should be addressed once we get rid of these dirt bags.


Harpi-Eagle

Safedjamegan ...

by Harpi-Eagle on

You gotta be kidding me, using the words sovereignty and Akhoond in the same sentence is an oxymoron in and by itself.  Now I understand you being from Afghanistan, you don't have a good grasp of Iran history, so let me suffice to say that most of the greatest treasons in our recent hostory has been commited by Akhoond (From Safavieh on, all the way to the master traitor Ruhollah).  Furthermore, they've had a most intimate and diabolic relationship with Buckingham Palace.  Also, do some research about the recent contracts these bastards have made with the National Chinese Oil Company before you make ridiculous claims.  Sure, the shah wasn't the most independent statesman of his time, but he was leaps and bounds beyond these traitors.

Payandeh Iran, our Ahuraie Fatherland


Roozbeh_Gilani

"your beloved shah"

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

 "safedjamegan", I know you have been on this site only a few days and probably have not read my previous comments, but that is no excuse for being so naive. A quick glance at my avatar would have told you that shah was not my beloved! As for the rest of your response you are only repeating yourself. We all know the meaning of the words "soverignity" and "resources". the question is what the "soveriign" does with the resources and it's powers of the soverignity. Does it use them in service of the nation or steal the resources and oppress the people. I know where the islamist regime stands there. What people are telling you here is not moaning, these are statement of facts. If you dont like what you read here, that is your problem.

Over and out.

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Arab

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

Most Arabs I know admire Iran because "it stands up" to America. No just that but also Pakistani and other local people feel the same. Therefore I am not at all surprised of the BBC viewer poll. 

Bushtheliberator: Yes the same Arabs who worshiped Saddam. They are desperate. They feel no one represents them. Specially they hate their own governments. So they grab at straws including IRI. I am not surprised; the reasons are very much obvious. 

Once the IRI is gone it would behoove Iran to not squander this good will.  Of course we should not be idiots and pick fights with the West. But the good will of local Arabs is a benefit that we might as well keep. Maybe we can teach them "Persian Gulf" :-)

VPK


Darius Kadivar

Strange cause Figures at the Doha Debate Suggest the contrary...

by Darius Kadivar on

 

The Doha Debates hosted by BBC Analyst Tim Sebastien takes on Iran's nuclear program and asks if it is peaceful ( December 2009):

With two Iranians participating in the debate : Ali Reza Nourizadeh opposed by Muhamad Marandi ...


The Doha Debates - Iran's nuclear program

Motion: "House Trusts Iran's Nuclear Program" 

For 48 %

Vs

Against 52 %  

 

Doha's Conclusion: It seems that Nourizadeh's Arguments convinced the majority of the viewers. But nothing suggests that there is an overwhelming majority endorsing either group. Hence an Arab opinion which seems far more divided on this question than meets the eye ! ...  


 

 


Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Safedjamegan

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

Oh please the Shah had to make the best of a bad situation. He was playing from a position of weakness and kept as much for Iran as possible. Of course he was far from perfect. But compared to Islamist trash the Shah did a great deal for Iran.

For one he had 8-9 billion of Iranian funds in the West. That money got "frozen" thanks to the hostage taking moron "students" of your revolution. The greatest natural resource of Iran is its people. The same people that YOUR dear Islamists are murdering right and left with no regard for anything just for sport.

The day of reckoning is getting near. I truly hope that not just IRI but specially its West residing apologists are made to pay. 


G. Rahmanian

Bulletproof Camels!

by G. Rahmanian on

Of course, it's not the Iranian people having any control over Iran's natural resources. It's the government. And it's the top brass of the Revolutionary and Basij corps that enjoys enormous control over the state coffers(beitol maal) and can afford sending a truckload of cash--$18 billion-- to be stashed away in banks in Europe. Yes, we all agree the government has full control of the cash flow or "legalized" heists to private accounts in banks in Europe and elsewhere. AND they deserve enriching themselves because they were the only people who fought against Iraqis. With such "heroes" controlling everything I don't think anyone should worry at all about what happens to Iran. By the way, did they happen to have bulletproof camels 1400 years ago?


Demo

64 Millions Dollars Questions

by Demo on

If what the authors are claiming is "true" then how in the world not a single Arab country leader has denied any of the "leaked" disclosures of "Wikileaks" to this moment? Are not the authors ignoring the "facts" that the neighbring Arab countries of Iran consider the "Shias" minority as "Moshreks" in religion & the "Persian" race as "Majoos" per their historical treatment of Iran? Do not those countries forget the killings of their Iraqis Arabs counterparts by Iranians in 8 years-long war by Iran? Do not they also question Iranian government's "betryal" policy in over night recognition of the US installed government in the "foreign occupied" Arab country of Iraq? Has any of the Arab leaders ever called the "Persian Gulf" by its real name & not calling it the "Arabian Gulf?"     


Safedjamegan

What's true nationalism? Incessant moaning? You're fine then

by Safedjamegan on

When I said sovereignty I meant independent aouthority over it's territory. Calling it islamist, jihadist, molla-ruled, crazy, stupid or whatever the hell you want to call it, doesn't change this fact.

When I mentioned resources, I meant natural resources. The ones that your beloved shah handed over to his British friends.


Roozbeh_Gilani

A completely invalid point "safedjaegan"....

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

You are making here. on issue of "full soverignity", or "control of resources". The soverignity of the islamist regime is limited to maiming, killing, jailing, torturing of it's own citizens. As for " control  of resources " (i.e. oil, primarily in Iran), the swiss and london bank account details  of Young Mojtaba khamenei (the prince, vali ahd!!) would tell any fool who controls the "resources' of iran.

So keep your fake nationalism for ahmad bi mokh's hojjatieh crowd. You are fooling no one here but yourself.

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


zuruz

Please Don't Forge the Ancient Persian Gulf

by zuruz on

President Obama!

I am a US citizen and father of a Persian Gulf Navy Veteran and long time taxpayer who was voluntarily helping your election campaign and other Democratic campaigns during sevral elections as an e-group leader and voted for Democratic Party for about 30 years, I'd like to ask  you regarding our  Department of Navy officials and Foreign Secretery assistans who I voted for them as I voted for you Mr. Obama this question: What kind of rights do we have to tamper with a 7000 years historical landmark of the PERSIAN GULF that has been recognized internationally and registered by the UNITED NATIONS which we host and are a significant member of that world body as the Persian Gulf? By us breaking the international law and call it an illegal term of a.r.a.b.i.c gulf, we are making a horrible mistake? I always thought America’s founding father established our constitution and governing system based on law and order and honesty and fairness and promoting democracy around the world, but unfortunately today I see the opposite side of it. For over 300 years of American existence, this is the first attempt by our government to unlawfully and illegally forging an ancient LANDMARK which left from the PERSIAN EMPIRES who ran the world for thousands of years and the Cyrus of Great left the first DECLERATION of HUMAN RIGHTS ever "please refer to the UNITED NATION CHAPTER and the world ancient history or even Jewish Torah and Bible or other ancient religion books". By doing this act, we are hurting, insulting and injuring the hearts of 75 millions Iranians/Persians at home and abroad who are mostly pro America and pro West. They have been struggling to free Iran from Arab Mullahs regime for 31 years and the Persian Gulf has nothing to do with Iran’s present regime what so ever. Iranians are not Arabs they are Persians and they will remain for ever with Persians cultures and identities and they love democracy as well. With the decision like this forging the Persian Gulf, American government is actually helping Islamic Mullahs regime to get support from all the 75millions of Iranian/Persian population and the same time America is loosing trust, support, prestige and respect among those majority of Iranians/Persians who trusted and cared for America's democracy and Americans way of life for many years. Some figures show about one million of the American/ Iranian people are law obedient citizens who live, work hard and vote in American society. Although we have not forgot 9/11 attack on WTC and Pentagon by Saudis, Arabs hijackers who murdered more than 3000 of our innocent Americans and the same day as we watched it on TV, Arabs all over the Arab world specially in Saudi Arabia and little sheikdoms around the Persian Gulf region celebrated and danced in the streets passed candies and cookies around and called the attacks punching to the nose of Imperialism of America. They also called their newborn boys Osama while they called Osama an Arab hero and the same day I heard in the news that Iranian people in Iran and abroad used candle lights vigil to commemorate Americans deaths. We all know Al-Qaida is rooted and established, financed by Saudi Arabia royal family and we found out about money transferred to some Saudi hijackers by them. Osama is an Arab from Saudi Arabia who architected almost all the recent attacks on American soil and Americans abroad. As I remember our late Democratic Presidential Candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy assassinated in 1968 by an Arab from Jordan named Sirhan. Sirhan, few months ago, Major Hassan an Arab killed some American soldiers, Africa’s duel Embassy bombing by Arabs which killed Americans, USS Cole attack by Arabs killed 17Americans and WTC attack in 1993 by Arabs killed Americans and many more as well. I’d like our Foreign Ministry and Navy Department to read some ancient history and history of terrors and destructions in American soil and abroad. We should not just forge the ancient history to appease Arabs who never had identity from their own and have been stealing the Persian and others identities many ways previously. We can’t change the historical facts because of some little Arab kingdoms with no democracy and human right values around the Persian Gulf region which never existed 50 years ago or they were parts of Persian Empire before. Simply because we do business with Arabs, that does not mean they like America and Americans. Arabs are opportunists mostly Sunni Muslims and always believed Americans and Westerners are infidels and nonbelievers and must die or convert to Islam’s Sunni Wahabi branch. Only their cruel dictator leaders who are not popular among their own people desperately need our present and protection in order to stay in power, not their population. The US Foreign Ministry and Department of Navy should instead of hurting and insulting Iranian/Persian population they could provide them with political and moral support to fight back the dictator Arab Islamic regime of Iran and free Iran. They are fighting constantly and perishing daily to save their Iran/Persia and the Persian Gulf as well as bringing back the Persian values and democracy not Islamic Arabic values.  Thank you for your time.


deev

sounds great only from distance

by deev on

The staunchest communists always live in America instead of Cuba and these gents provide their lip service from London, I say spend a year under that repressive regime then praise them.


default

Iranian regime is weaker than the Soviet Union under Gorbachev!

by ihateiri on

Oh hell no! This is IRI terrorist rapist propaganda! The Revolutionary Guards are not a military organization. It is a criminal/terrorist organization. They pimp, they sell drugs, they steal and the harm innocent unarmed civilians. They couldn't fight people who can defend themselves. Remember, they couldn't do jack shit against Saddam's third class army. Revolutionary guards my ASS!

The Arab nations of the Persian Gulf have more modern and better equiped forces. Iran is under sanctions and all they have is out dated American weaponry and shitty assed Russian/Ex USSR weaponry. Hah! Pimps can't fight! Reality and karma are unforgiving bitches y,all.

Just wait, this regime is going down for the count! The next uprising will be HUGE and there won't be any of this Yaaaaa Hussein Mir Hussein shit. That creep dropped the ball and that is why the poor Iranians are in this mess. Zendebad e Iran! Down with Munafiqs! Down with false Mullahs.


Safedjamegan

A valid point

by Safedjamegan on

Yes, Iranian government does have internal problems, bad human rights record and limitations of freedom. But it also does have its full sovereignty, it doesn't take orders from any power and it does have full control over its resources. And neither of your comments disprove those fundamental points made in the article. All you did was moan and complain like you usually do, with a habitual recourse to anti-arabism and islamophobia.

I personally would rather have this government, than no government, same level of poverty, no control over resources and a puppet "Shah of the Aryan land" who is even more detached from his people than the current regime.

 


bushtheliberator

"Arabs" ?. the KKK sends much love to the IRI,also

by bushtheliberator on

Aren't these the same "Arabs" that loved Saddam Hussain ? While CASMII is worrying about the threat of American hegemony,the Theo-Thugs are worrying that their  own citizens might rise up,and deliver THEM Saddam's fate. 


siavash1000

Mr.Edalat

by siavash1000 on

It has been 31 years that our Aryan nation was occupied by bunch of the rag head, stinky Islamic gangs who has no mercy for human lives and kill any voice of freedom under the name of God. Now, Mr. Edalat is suffering from Grandiose delusion that these Islamic thugs are superpower plus he is writing these garbages that make even childless mothers laugh. Screw Arab nations. Our brothers and sisters were being tortured, raped and executed in cold blood during last 31 years by these Islamic bastards. Who cares what the Arabs are thinking. We don't like them at first place anyway. Payandeh our Aryan land IRAN.


maziar 58

About Arabs

by maziar 58 on

I think they hope for the instance that Iran And Israel go to war so: 1- there will be peace for the palestinians .

2- they'll all back up the Israeli to get rid of the persians once and for all !!.

that's why they praise antari nejad for his j... bashings.  Maziar


Bavafa

Who's a threat to peace? Greed

by Bavafa on

Now ask yourself who are the greediest in the world?

Mehrdad