Al-Arab, London, October 10
Some commentators have noted that the regime in Tehran is finally beginning to understand the magnitude of the Iranian crisis; a realization that might push the mullahs to accept the American terms and renegotiate the nuclear deal. I am not convinced this is true. The most important issue on the table is actually not the nuclear program itself, but rather Iran’s belligerent behavior outside of its borders. One of the main issues to be discussed is Tehran’s ballistic missile program, which, if completed, would undermine the stability of the entire region. Iranian missiles have already been used against Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Yemen. Therefore, these capabilities must be addressed within any framework or deal reached with Iran. Thankfully, we are living in the day and age of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been committed to calling things as they actually are without political correctness. The 12 points posed to Iran by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are a clear interpretation of this vision. It is no coincidence that they explicitly refer to Iran’s military involvement outside its borders, as well as its ballistic missile program, as pre-condition to negotiating a new deal with Tehran. Trump’s administration tore up the terrible deal signed by former president Barack Obama, and changed the rules of the game. It sent a clear message to the mullahs that the millions of dollars funneled into their economy thanks to Obama will no longer continue to flow into Iran. The economic sanctions have already hit the Iranian economy in a comprehensive way, moving the battle between Iran and the West deep into Iranian territory. This is what the mullahs fear most. Their battles have all historically taken place away from Iran’s borders. Now, Trump’s policy has brought the battle back to the Iranian home turf. These are all reassuring developments, but anyone who has ever studied Iran’s history knows that the mullahs will do whatever they can to escape the repercussions of their actions and avoid reconciling with America. They will again try to win time in order to enhance their sinister projects. Most importantly, they are looking at the upcoming U.S. elections and hoping that their biggest enemy loses his majority in both houses of Congress, allowing them to return to the terrible deal proposed by his predecessor, Obama. –Kheir Allah Kheir Allah