Syed Javed Hussain
Popular perception in the lands of Islam regarding the US stance on Iran’s nuclear programme should be very unpalatable to American policy makers who, in their own right, believe they are trying to make the world safer to live. A dominant majority perceives that America’s aggressive diplomatic onslaught on Iran seriously lacks legitimacy and is divorced from reality. It is devoid of commonsense, bereft of ingenuity and is totally biased and partial to the hilt.
The majority believes that the US completely ignores other UN resolutions on related issues on Israel and completely focuses with tunnel vision on Iran and blows hot and cold with utterly false, unjustified and groundless claims.
According to them, accusation against Iran for militarization of its nuclear programme is only a ruse to punish Iran on behalf of Israel for Iran’s stand on Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. The US seems to be on a mega plan to establish Israeli suzerainty in the Middle East and it does not want any dissenting voice in the region left unattended.
Iran on the other hand has all along been very vocal in criticizing and censoring Israel because of its occupation of Palestine and Lebanon. It has been vociferously calling for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, Golan Heights and Palestinian areas.
Iran, along with many other nations of the world, has not yet reconciled with the existence of Israel and considers it an illegitimate creation that is also incoherent with the basic realities of the region. But, does this justify US attack on Iran? Certainly it does not. Then what should be the proper course of action to move forward on the issues that involve future of people at regional level.
The US, on the other hand, is carving out a cause for some action against Iran. There are two areas the US is focusing on to win International support for future adventurism against Iran. The first is to blame Iran for its alleged support for terrorism, and the second is to develop a consensus among the nations that Iran is pursuing militarized nuclear programme.
Many previous government in the US since 1990’s have pursued the same policy and Obama administration has not changed it a bit. To cite and example from the recent past it would suffice. In a BBC interview on Feb 6, 2005 Condoleezza Rice said Iran was “the Chief funder of terrorism.” In the same programme, Breakfast with Frost, she said Iran was the key supporter of Palestinian “rejectionist groups” and the Hezbollah movement, which she said were “one of the most important barriers’ to Middle East peace.” She further said, “Iran is a destabilizing force in the international system.
Current US rhetoric on Iran is not far different it has been since 1979 when Ayatollah’s took over Iran and neutralized the US influence in their country. At that time, instead of acknowledging the change in the country the US chose to oppose it. It faltered then and it is faltering now by not rethinking its age old policy on Iran.
Information
Very popular perception in the lands of Islam regarding the US stance on Iran's nuclear programme should be very unpalatable to American policy makers.
First appeared in the Suite101 on Jan 13, 2011
Ahmedi Nijad, Iranian President
Negotiations