Nuclear pact and Iran’s increasing meddling in the Middle East

September 2015

How can we analyze the general policies pursued by the regime ruling Iran vis-à-vis its neighboring countries, especially Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Lebanon following the July 14^th nuclear agreement signed in Vienna? Will Iran’s meddling in these countries decrease, as hoped for by US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry? Or will Tehran get a hold of an influx of billions of dollars, and consider the deal a green light to actually increase its interferences?

 We will be seeking the answer to this question from those sitting on the throne in Tehran. A senior official of Iran’s presidential office said recently in a private meeting:

1. Iran has separate policies on each Middle East country, and each state has its own operation room.

2. For example, the strategic depth of a country such as Iraq is very different from that of another country, such as Yemen. However, what can be said with the utmost certainty is that popular and religious forces supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran will double their abilities, military powers, intelligence and security following the reached nuclear agreement and billions of dollars Iran’s assets being unfrozen.

3. Two months after the nuclear agreement it has become crystal clear now that there has been no change in Iran’s policy, and to this end Tehran is actually pursuing its policies in Iraq full speed ahead.

4. Saudi Arabia is considered one of the losers following the nuclear agreement. Riyadh is very displeased about the pact, knowing its policies regarding the region, Iraq, Syria and Yemen have failed in the face of Iran to that point.

5. Following the agreement Iran assured its proxies across the region of its endless backing, and actually increasing its support to prove its positions have not changed after the nuclear pact.

6. One other issue that must be taken into consideration is that this nuclear agreement will relieve segments of the arms embargo imposed on Iran, providing additional support to Tehran on importing and exporting arms.

Conclusion:

- The billions of dollars pouring into Iran as a result of this nuclear agreement will allow the Iranian rulers to hire terrorists, create havoc and take steps to escalate its meddling across the Middle East.

- The fact that Obama and Kerry attempted to advertise the nuclear agreement by expressing hopes of Iran actually rethinking its policies across the Middle East and ending its meddling in these countries, were nothing but hollow words aimed at selling their agreement to the American people and international community.

- The truth is that the Iranian regime is continuing its very existence by launching war and calamity in other countries, literally feeding from the chaos. The regime ruling Iran considers obtaining nuclear weapons as a guarantor of its ultimate survival, and that is why it placed all its investments and assets into this project. With the nuclear agreement it has currently lost any chance of reaching a nuclear weapon. Therefore, it has no choice but to increase its meddling in the Middle East to fill the void of a nuclear bomb and ultimately maintain its rule.

- However, in my opinion, Iran’s meddling in regional countries are far more dangerous than its nuclear program. Unfortunately, the United States and European countries are only seeking their short-term economic interests, and actually believing they can tame this criminal dictatorship through appeasement and rapprochement. Experience shows that Tehran only understand the language of force. One such example is seen in the Saudi-led Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen, responding with an iron fist to Iran’s expansionist policies.