Iran in no doubt - they are a target for the USA

In further signs that Iran believes that the Bush Administration does still consider the Islamic Government in Tehran to be a major potential target, the Deputy Commander of the elite Islamic Revolution's Guard Corps, Brigadier Mohammad Zolqadr has accused the United States of planning to besiege his country and to carry out hostile intelligence operations from newly acquired bases in Afghanistan

"One of the objectives of America and the CIA behind their presence in Afghanistan is to tighten the siege around the Islamic Republic and build bases in that country (Afghanistan) to spy on Iran and conduct their plots against the Islamic Republic from Afghanistan".

Zolqadr continued that Washington's long-term aims were less to defeat terrorism than to secure complete control of the regions energy resources and to dominate both China and Russia.

"Given the fact that oil production will stop in the Persian Gulf in the few forthcoming decades after all energy resources are overstretched, America is intending to ensure its dominance on oil in the region with its presence in the Central Asia," he said.

"America sent its army to Afghanistan and the Central Asia under the pretext of fighting terrorism. But, it has not left and will never leave the region after the Taleban fell".  The Brigadier, one of Iran's leading soldiers added,

"The United States is using confrontation with Taleban and Al-Qa'ida as a pretext to have a permanent presence in Central Asia and overshadow the policies and activities of Russia, China and the Islamic Republic of Iran".

Judged on the basis of Brigadier Zolqadr's comments and other reports from sources in the Gulf, Iran believes it will eventually become a target for US military action and is busily dispersing and hardening command, control and other important elements of its defence infrastructure. Iran has also embarked on a major upgrading of its air defence systems with considerable help from the Chinese and possibly the Yugoslavs, in an attempt to develop a reasonably effective anti-Stealth defence capability.  Iranian defence analysts have tried hard to learn the lessons of the successful US campaigns in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan. They can expect the full support of Russia, despite the apparent warming of relations between Moscow and the West, and indeed supplies of advanced Russians weapons have increased markedly in recent months.

The US will have to target Iran - eventually

Iran has played a very quiet game since September 11th. It has ensured that its preferred Afghan tribe established control of the area around Herat and has managed to deflect Western media attention away from its involvement with international terrorism and even the probable part played in the attack on the United States by Iran's own sponsored terrorist group, Hezbollah. Iran is also aware of the growing disenchantment amongst Middle Eastern countries with the prospect of a major and permanent US military presence in the region. Support may indeed grow quickly for a tough stand by Tehran against any US demands to stop its support for the Lebanon based terrorist group, particularly as suggestions surface that a joint US-Israeli assault on Iraq may be discussed with the Israeli Chiefs of Staff when General Richard Myers, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff of the US armed forces visits the region on January 15th.

The United States has largely, though not publicly accepted that they can expect little or no positive support from any of the Middle East States barring Turkey and of course, Israel. Any effective action against the major supporters of terrorism will need reliable regional support and if that means alienating much of the Muslim world then that must be accepted and catered for.

The United States may soon see these two regional powers, plus India, Japan, Britain and some Commonwealth countries as its only true allies when it really matters.
 
 
 

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