Rouhani Compares Tensions with US to 1980s-era Iran-Iraq War

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani compared the regime’s current economic and diplomatic predicament with the Iran-Iraq War, which killed millions on both sides. “Today, it is not possible to say if conditions are better or worse than during the imposed conflict [against Baghdad in 1980-88], but at the time, we did not have problems with banking, selling oil, imports and exports, and our only problem was a weapons sanction,” Rouhani was quoted as saying by Iranian media. He was referring to current US sanctions on the Islamic Republic that have put an enormous strain on numerous vital sectors of its economy. In this respect, Iran’s vice president suggested that the government could reinstitute a rationing system like the one that existed during the war with Iraq, or begin distributing goods paid for with vouchers and coupons. In the latest tit-for-tat maneuver, US President Donald Trump – who withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal a year ago – imposed new sanctions on Iran after the mullahs announced a decision to forego some of their “voluntary” commitments stipulated in the pact. Tehran also sent letters to the remaining parties to the deal – namely, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China – outlining steps the regime would take within 60 days unless those countries find a way to help alleviate the financial pinch. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported over the weekend that the Mossad spy agency had passed along intelligence to Washington about an alleged Iranian plot to attack Saudi Arabia-owned oil production facilities. In response, the White House directed the Pentagon to send an aircraft carrier to the Gulf and a fleet of B-52 bombers to a military base in Qatar, and to deploy additional Patriot missile batteries in the region. The report also noted that Israel’s military brass was increasingly concerned about the prospect of a confrontation between the US and Iran, in which case the Iranians might target Israel through its proxies in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip.