by Dr. Edy Cohen
Iran's efforts and attempts to destabilize Arab states with subversion and aid for Shiite groups (but not only) have been a great source of tension.
As Iranian diplomats
invest immense efforts into striking a deal with the West over Iran's
nuclear program, it seems the nuclear issue is only one of many on the
ayatollah regime's plate. In fact, the Iranian nation is facing a
plethora of challenges at the moment, coming mainly from the direction
of Arab states.
Iran's efforts and
attempts to destabilize Arab states with subversion and aid for Shiite
groups (but not only) have been a great source of tension. Iran views
itself as a regional superpower and has adopted a strategy that has
allowed it to amass much power and influence in the Persian Gulf and the
Middle East. It is with this power that Iran believes it will be able
to protect the Shiite minorities in Arab states while simultaneously
sticking it to the "Zionist entity." The fall of Iraqi dictator Saddam
Hussein's regime and the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq presented
Iran with a rare opportunity to expand its influence to other nations.
The "Iranian octopus"
operates both out in the open and covertly in a number of Arab
countries. It brands its activities "exporting the [Shiite] revolution"
to the Arab world, and is especially active in countries with Shiite
populations like Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq. Iranians provide aid in the
form of money and weapons to Shiite groups in those countries. They are
helping the Houthis take power in Yemen, for example. It is no secret
that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard trains Houthi fighters on Eritrean
soil for a lot of money, which flows into the coffers of the country's
corrupt leaders under the guise of bilateral treaties.
Iran created Hezbollah
in Lebanon and provides the group with its most advanced weaponry. It
brought the Shiite population from being oppressed to being one of the
most organized communities and having the most powerful militia in
Lebanon, one which poses a threat to the Lebanese army and to Lebanon's
stability. Today Iran is a central player and has immense influence in
Lebanon. Over the last eight months, Lebanese parliament members
belonging to Hezbollah have been sabotaging efforts to appoint a new
Lebanese president. Michel Suleiman, the previous president, completed
his term in May. The aim is to stall until a candidate who would be
agreeable to the Shiites and to Iran can be found.
Iranian involvement in
Iraq includes funding, training and arming of Shiite militias. The
political, economic and religious influence Iran has in Iraq has
effectively turned it into a sponsor state. The shared border and the
rise of Islamic State have increased Iran's involvement in Iraq. Syria
and Hamas are Iran's non-Shiite allies. The Iranians are helping the
Syrians fight Islamic State and other rebels in efforts to bring Syria's
embattled President Bashar Assad, Iran's natural and preferred partner,
back into full control. That is why, in the war against Islamic State,
Iran admitted for the first time they were bombing Islamic State targets
in Iraq and were helping the Syrian regime fight rebels and Islamic
State. With regard to the Palestinians, Iran sees a moral obligation to
support Hamas in its fight with Israel and provides the terror
organization with weapons and funding.
Iranian involvement
also stretches to the Persian Gulf. Iran in 1971 captured the islands of
Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa, which the United Arab Emirates
saw as theirs. The takeover underscored the danger Iran poses to its
Arab neighbors. Despite Arab League involvement, the dispute has not yet
been resolved.
Iran also operates in
neighboring Bahrain and is exerting efforts to increase its influence on
the small kingdom. Iran actually claims ownership over Bahrain, no
less. The Shiite majority in Bahrain provides legitimacy to the Iranian
claim. The kingdom in Bahrain accuses Iran of subversion. Iran has said
on more than one occasion that Bahrain is one of the Islamic republic's
provinces.
With Iran's military, economic
and religious influence posing a national security threat to Arab
states, blocking the Iranian nuclear program is those countries' highest
priority. A nuclear Iran would pose a much greater threat to Arab
nations than it does today.
Dr. Edy Cohen
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=11033
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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