“The US is concerned about Iran’s regional power and is trying to perpetuate its role as a protectorate power for the oil sheikhdoms in the Persian Gulf; and of course is concerned about the downfall of pro-US dictators as a result of the Arab Spring,” said Kaveh Afrasiabi, author and political commentator, in a Friday interview.
Afrasiabi argued that Washington and its allies have sought to undermine Iran’s proposals to ensure the regional security through the participation of all the Persian Gulf littoral states, “because they do not want Iran to be a participant in the security arrangements and to be viewed as a stabilizer [and] because they perpetuate this negative stereotype image of Iran as a source of instability for their own vested interests.”
The analyst maintained that Washington spares no effort to restrict Iran’s influence in the region, saying, “The US thinks that it is worth the price and they are hoping that by exerting such pressures combined with other pressure tactics such as sabotage, cyber warfare and so on, that they can elicit a favorable response from Iran at the negotiation table.”
“What you have is a bullying US tactic followed by a number of other Western governments that try to contain the Iranian power under the guise of a nuclear standoff,” Afrasiabi pointed out.
The US, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear energy program.
The US and the EU have used the pretext to impose international and unilateral sanctions against Iran.
On January 23, EU Foreign Ministers met in Belgium and approved new sanctions against Iran aimed at banning member countries from importing Iranian crude oil and carrying out transactions with its central bank.
The EU’s decision followed the imposition of similar sanctions by Washington on Iranian energy and financial sectors on New Year’s Eve.
Iran has repeatedly refuted the West’s allegations, arguing that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is entitled to peaceful use of nuclear technology.
ASH/PKH
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