Unfolding of events on Middle Eastern canvas was stunningly rapid after American strike on Baghdad which took the lives of Iranian General Qasim Solemani and prominent militia commander Abu Mahadi Al-Mohandis. Provoked Iran, though, reacted angrily through missile attack on American military base located in Iraq but it wasa well calculated act of face saving by all means. Despite being nowhere near to USA in comparison of military might, Iran had an upper edge on moral grounds to a great extent until downing of Ukrainian planein Tehran which took away 279 precious lives of innocent passengers. This irresponsible and unprofessional dramatic mistake of Iranian forces largely deprived Tehran from much needed support of International community and ignited a series of protests at internal front.
American arrogant attack, in a way, provided the Tehran a reason to step out of that nuclear deal which was once celebrated on roads and streets of Iran as a victory of Persian wisdom over western world’s mischievous moves.Trump, in a fiery short speech, clearly threatened that Iran would never be allowed to obtain the nuclear capability. Despite recent extra volatile optics, US – Iran tension is not a new development for the world. During the last days of December previous year, two attacks on American assets in Iraq, conducted by local militia, were attributed to Qasim Solemani and eventually compelled Washington to overtly eliminate the Iranian General who happened to be the next most powerful person in Iran after the spiritual leader Ayatullah Khamnai. Surprising killing of Solemani has sent a loud and clear message that any hostile action against American assets in the Middle East will be dealt by Washington with enormous use of force in the most unexpected manner.
Though, Iran has been standing as symbol of resistance against US’ designs in the Middle Eastern region since revolution of 1979 but its overstretched involvement in proxies seems fatally self-destructive. Shadows of uncertainty looming over the Middle East region are more than ever thicker and darker for Iran. It is the mutual feeler of threat between Iran and the Arab neighboring states which provides, in the Middle East, an extremely influential and comfortable space to USA.
Love and hate history of US-Iran relations stretched over almost six decades brought nothing to Tehran except instability and deeper disorder. In 1953, US installed the Shah by toppling down the fragile democracy in Tehran. Tyrant Shah, under Washington’s umbrella, acted as an ‘American Policeman in the Middle East’. Volcano of public anger against ruling elite eventually busted in Iran with the return of Ayatullah Khomeni which compelled the Shah to flee abroad in 1979. Iran under the Shah rule, despite being in good books of Washington, suffered manifolds on external and internal fronts. After four decades of regime change, Iran, today, is more deeply pitched in multiple conflicts. But, unlike the Shah era, now it is mostly because of being in a state of infinite hate with USA and centuries old rivalry with the Arab world.
Urge to survive against an over exaggerated fear has compelled the Arab and Persian players to pursue the dangerous game of proxies against each other
Immediately after revolution, US pitched Saddam led Iraq in war with Iran. Arab monarchs, trembling with the fear of Iranian revolution, stood at the back of Saddam during eight years long war. Same Arab monarchs obediently witnessed the destruction of Iraq in the hands of American led coalition forces during ‘Operation Desert Storm’ in early 90s. Irony of the fate is that both US and Iran conducted recent strikes on Iraqi soil. It is an undeniable fact that Iranian proxies and American military bases do exist on Iraqi soil in utter violation of universally acknowledged concept of sovereignty.
Urge to survive against an over exaggerated fear has compelled the Arab and Persian players to pursue the dangerous game of proxies against each other. It is about time for the Muslim world to re-focus on centuries old rivalries and their disastrous consequences mostly prevailing in Middle Eastern region. Decades long unrest in Middle East and unending sufferings of the Muslims around the globe warrant a well thought out unification to solve the pending issues through non-violent means. Iran and Iraq have been facing disaster for decades! Both countries could not avert disaster despite being eitherin alliance or in animosity with US. So is the case with rest of the Muslim world with no exception to Pakistan.
Islamabad’s initial decision of being neutral as supporter of peace and subsequent visits of foreign minister to explore peace probabilities are appreciable. Though, absolute resolution of Arab – Persia conflicts is not possible, however, building an immediate consensus to refrain from proxies should be pursued by Pakistan. This thought may prevail in saner minds that clash among the Muslim world especially in Middle East has eventually strengthened and benefited the rogue Israel . Unmistakable critic of American disastrous policies, Noam Chomsky in one of his articles titled ‘The Axis of Evil Revisited’ published in 2013, wrote about the Middle East “There are in fact two rogue states operating in the region, resorting to aggression and terror and violating international law at will, the United States and its Israeli client” It is about time to understand by the Middle Eastern players that Iran has been used by America as a counter weight to the Arab world.
However, Iran’s quest to gain nuclear capability will never be tolerated by Washington as it poses a direct threat to its client Israel. Let’s accept the bitter reality that Iran and the Arab world has actually made themselves weak and vulnerable by unnecessarily bleeding each other. While pursuing the peace mission as a neutral player, Islamabad should not forget that threat extended to Iran by president Trump over nuclear program equally holds good for Pakistan in the days to come. Recent escalation in the Middle East needs to be analyzed by the Muslim world in a larger context which should has to be much beyond the Iran-US bi-lateral acrimony.
The writer is a freelancer