Daily Times

Unfortunately, the contradictions or differences between Arab and Iran date back 1,400 years, and both sides believe in the righteousness of their cause. They use every opportunity to put the other on the mat. In 1990, after Saddam Hussain invaded Kuwait, the US, other western powers and Arab countries were united against him. Earlier, they had fuelled the sectarian fracas by supporting Iraq in its war against Iran and, in the process, strengthened Iraq. The US and the west looked for an opportunity to weaken Iraq, as it would have posed a palpable threat to Israel. As if they were not satisfied, they attacked Iraq once again on the pretext that it had weapons of mass destruction. Their next target was Syria where they played the sectarian card and provided arms to Syrian Sunni rebels, and Arab countries actively supported these rebels to overthrow the Bashar al-Assad government.

The US had wanted Iran to abandon its plans to develop nukes. In July 2015, Iran and six major world powers reached a nuclear deal after more than a decade of negotiations. The world hailed the nuclear deal, President Barack Obama termed the agreement as a “major step towards a more hopeful world,” Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, said it was a historic deal and the European Union called it a “sign of hope for the entire world”, while Israel called it a “historic surrender”. With the lifting of sanctions on Iran, the Middle East will be transformed. Iran will get rid of its isolation, the US and the west will have Iran’s full cooperation against Islamic State (IS), as Iran is already helping Iraq and Syria in their fight against IS militants. Iran can help reduce the west’s tensions with Syria and improve the situation in Yemen.

US Secretary of State John Kerry confirms that Iran has complied with the deal and that the US will lift nuclear-related sanctions. President Hassan Rouhani has said a landmark nuclear deal has satisfied all parties except the extremists. He said the deal, which lifts economic sanctions in exchange for a limitation of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, opened new windows for engagement with the world. Under pragmatic President Rouhani, Iran has come onto centre stage whereas Saudi Arabia has felt betrayed by the US and the west, and is now facing isolation. It formed a 34-country alliance allegedly against terrorism but the objective seems to be to show that Saudi Arabia enjoys considerable influence in the region. Saudi Arabia was unhappy with the US over refusal to lend air support to Syrian rebels and also for striking a nuclear deal with Iran. But for the US there were other considerations also.

In December 2015, John Kerry reportedly told President Obama that the US had been skirting dangerously close to the possibility of accidental hostilities breaking out with Russia. In a press conference in Moscow, John Kerry said: “The US and our partners are not seeking so-called regime change.” There is a perception that John Kerry has realised that for the US to insist on regime change in Syria could result in inevitable war with Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. Yet, Saudi Arabia was hell bent to get Bashar al-Assad overthrown and still supports the Syrian rebels. On the other hand, Iran supports the Houthis (rebels) to change the elected Yemeni government. Both are to blame for their acts of adventurism and violation of UN principals that forbid interference in the affairs of other countries.

The sorriest part is that the fraternity itself is the most bleeding quarry of the rabid extremism of fanatical clans. No Muslim polity is at peace with itself. Almost all are in turbulence and turmoil to varying degrees. They are being ruined and ransacked by the ever-widening sectarian divide and blighted by confessional antipathies being whipped up stridently by divided fanatical strands. Unfortunately, most Muslim countries are deviating from the ideological track and are following the shadows of opportunism or adventurism. And the present state of affairs is the result of the profligacy of unimaginative rulers in the majority of Muslim countries, who give overriding consideration to their personal interests over the ummah’s (community) interest. One does not see a semblance of Islamic brotherhood so far as the foreign policy pursued by them is concerned. Sometimes they eye contracts and compete with each other instead of sharing with each other.

In the past, the majority of Muslim countries supported Pakistan’s just stance on Kashmir i.e. to implement UN resolutions that gave the right of self-determination to Kashmiris. Now they advise Pakistan to resolve the issue through bilateral negotiations with India, knowing that such efforts were to no avail. In the case of Palestine also, the Organistaion of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) did not put serious effort into persuading the international community to help implement UN resolutions. Unless UN resolutions bestowing on the Palestinians the right for an independent state are fully implemented, there will be no peace in the region. In fact, the OIC is divided on a sectarian basis. Saudi Arabia and the majority of Muslim countries are on one side, and Iran, Iraq and Syria etc. are on the other. Iran has come out of isolation after striking a nuclear deal with the US and five other powers, and the sanctions have been lifted.

Unfortunately, today the Muslim world faces a leadership crisis unparalleled since the advent of Islam. The OIC and Arab League have failed to provide leadership or collective wisdom to extricate the Muslim ummah from this multifaceted crisis. Al Qaeda and IS are using contradictions between Shia and Sunni sects to continue with their vile acts leading to death and destruction. The problem is that monarchies, authoritarian rulers and even democratic governments have failed to deliver. The yawning gap between the rich and the poor has given rise to extremism and disgruntled elements. In view of the current political scenario whereby Muslim countries are looked upon as places that engender terrorism, it is imperative for them to organise themselves and improve their image.

The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at mjamil1938@hotmail.com