Israel Campaign and Iran-US Negotiations

18 August 2010 | 18:07 Code : 5724 General category
Will Israel succeed in its anti-Iran campaign? By Asadollah At-hari, strategic affairs analyst
Israel Campaign and Iran-US Negotiations
Russia and China are silent on added sanctions and United States announces its decision to negotiate while a second nuclear proposal has been put forward by Iran when Israel is trying to convince U.S. to give the green light for further pressures or a military strike. The question is how Iran’s current circumstances will curb or help Israel in achieving its goals? Asadollah At-hari, strategic affairs analyst answers this question:

Israel realizes that Iran is an inherently powerful state. Adding the ideological contrast, we may appreciate Tel Aviv’s concerns over Iran’s increasing power in the region. The quest for ideological supremacy adds to the regional power struggle between Iran and Israel.

On the other hand, unlike Iran, Israel is a ’fabricated’ state, deriving its nature from nuclear weapons. Iran possesses the stock-in-trade for turning into a regional power, i.e. area, qualitative population, industrial power etc., many of which Israel lacks.

Such disparities somehow bring the ideological gulf to the fore. Tel Aviv fears losing both its regional and ideological substance with Iran’s increasing power. Hence, it is using every tool to put Iran under pressure e.g. UNSC resolution on Hezbollah’s disarmament, military raid on Gaza, and urging Five plus One to browbeat Iran.

Frequent visits of Avigdor Lieberman and other Israeli officials to the United States, Russia, Latin America and other countries are a part of diplomatic efforts aimed to isolate Iran, pave the way for release of more anti-Iranian sanctions and shorten the time for taking the final decision against Iran. Nevertheless, few countries around the world and Middle East have agreed to cooperate with Israel. For example, Iran’s northwestern neighbor Turkey has announced that not only it did not support further sanctions against Iran, but also it wanted the lift of already imposed sanctions. Russia and China are also not willing to lend a hand to Israel. Global economic crisis just lessens the chances, though Israel prefers the United States, France, Germany and Britain to help it in the anti-Iran campaign.

Iran’s Nuclear Package, Israel and the Final Decision

Iran’s state of affairs makes it difficult to predict the ultimate decision of international community. Tehran’s second nuclear package was a right move however. The package talks of negotiations but insists that the nuclear program is a finalized case. The question emerging is the issues which can be the focus of talks. One can be regional issues vital for Americans trapped in the Middle East quagmire. Iran has the stamina to get U.S. out of trouble.

As I said, Russia and China are less than willing to cooperate in sanctions against Iran. Israel may ask the U.S. for some security guarantee in case of a nuclear reconciliation between the superpower and Iran. Negotiations for which both Iran and America have announced their willingness can soothe the atmosphere in favor of Iran. Diplomacy and negotiations always preclude wars and violent measures.

With a new regional equilibrium which considers Iran’s power evolving, United States talks of a defense umbrella for Persian Gulf Arab states, France is going to construct nuclear power plants in UAE, Turkey is pondering the bids for a nuclear construction project and Saudi Arabia has signed a multi-billion dollar arms deal with Russia.

Has Iran’s nuclear program triggered an arms deal in the region? Iran does not think so since its project has does not have a military orientation. All the emphasis on negotiations is in order to assuage the anti-Iranian ambience prevailing in Middle East and across the world.