O J's Corner : Reflections

Iran’s intransigence

The revolution in Tehran in 1979 had distanced the US from Iran, whoever came to power in Washington, DC, or Tehran.

Therefore, in the Iran-Iraq war, the US had supported Saddam Hussein by all means. Saddam out-did the US in politics and invaded Kuwait in 1990. The US, under the-then President George Bush, Sr, recaptured Kuwait and handed it back to the Emir, with the help of Saudi Arabia. From then on it was operation Armageddon to dislodge Saddam Hussein.

In Afghanistan, the US had assisted the Taliban regime to deal with the erstwhile Soviet incursion. Ultimately, the Taliban hit back at the US by helping Bin Laden and company.

Many Saudis had helped Laden in his terrorist activities against the civilized world.

The world had gone topsy turvy for the US after the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

After tackling Afghanistan and Iraq, the US had identified Iran and North Korea as the “axis of evil”.

Hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has been elected recently as the President of Iran, has gone ahead with uranium enrichment plan, disregarding the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The US has been unwilling to talk to Tehran directly. Its friends and allies have been doing the service all these past weeks. Russia offered enrichment facilities in its terrain exclusively for Iran, but the Islamic nation would have none of it.

Now the European Union and the Nuclear Suppliers Group have assured Iran that they would help the country meet its energy needs, but there should be no weapons-grade enrichment.

The latest is reassuring, for the US has expressed its willingness to talk to Tehran directly.

Iran had warned the US that it would not brook any attack from outside, for it will destroy the oil facilities. The US would not take the bait. It wants solid action.

Iran should perceive the new line pursued by the US. It has come round to abandoning its three-decade-long unwillingness to deal directly with Iran.

Iran should grab this opportunity to improve its image before the civilised world.
Iran cannot afford to remain a rogue state. Pakistan, which has nuclear capability, has accepted the US line of thinking and obliged its mentor in its fight against terrorism.

The US knows that Pakistani territory has been harbouring terrorists. If Pakistan had not obliged the US, it would have faced the music. Pakistani nuclear scientist A Q Khan’s clandestine propagation of nuclear technology to rogue states and individuals has already been acknowledged. This had taken place with the blessings of the rulers. When everything is transparent before the world, no one can hide behind a façade of fiction and hide-and-seek.

In the prevailing circumstances, underscored by the fact that Iran’s nuclear bomb, if any, would be used as an Islamic bomb, the US and its allies are not going to leave it alone.

Iran should, therefore, shed its intransigence and co-operate with the big powers to enrich its energy needs. Other countries are now willing to go all the way to help Iran. Loud-mouthing will not lead anyone to live peacefully.

In the wake of the US having suffered attacks from terrorists, it will not deal kindly with threats. The US’ offer of direct talks with Tehran is the last resort to sort out the issue. Everyone has his limits. Iran is no exception. For the sake of posterity, it should listen to reason. Oil is there for bargaining only for a few more years. Mankind has to go on living.