Saudi’s Effrontery

Recently, Prince Saud al Faisal, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, tried to convince President Vladimir Putin that the strengthening of Iran could seriously destabilize the Middle East. Saudi Arabia said that if Russia cut ties with Iran, primarily in the nuclear and defense spheres, and not to protect Iran from Western pressure in the UN Security Council and other international organizations, it promised to make large arms orders and boost bilateral cooperation to $50 billion within five years.
We are witnessing this kind of bargaining during a period, in which Iran is trying to upgrade the level of its interactions with the Arab world, especially the Persian Gulf Cooperation Countries (PGCC). Iran counts a lot on its relations with Saudi Arabia, the main Arab state in the region. Because of that Faisal-Putin negotiation to curb Iran, Without doubt, would have a significant political implications to Iranian-Arabs relations. As the Arab states well know, Iran is not a threat to them and a status quo power in the region. They understand that radicalism in the Middle East is not rooted from Shia and does not support from Iran, instead the Israeli occupation in Palestine has been fueling radicalism among Sunni and Wahhabis.
Due to the close relations with the United States, these Arab countries unrecognized the real enemy of them and enter into the game in which the United States defines the rule of it. Through this game they’re expending billion of dollars to buy weapons from the U.S and deteriorating their relations with Iran. Obviously, the main winner of this game is the west, who got back the petrodollars from the Persian Gulf counties and defined Iran as threat for them to insure the long-term military presence in the region.
Saudi Arabia should understand that it is not Iran which destabilizes the Middle East, instead, supporting from radical Sunnis in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and outsized Military build up which lead to an arm race, supporting the U.S policies in the region etc destabilize Middle East. As a leader of Arab world, Saudis should understand that their irresponsible behaviors can create Cold War-style politics of uncertainty which does not ensure the interest of Arabs.
Iran should send a clear diplomatic message to the Saudis, asserting its right to respond to such measures and reminds them of their destabilizing actions in the region. Saudis must not forget the time which America after the September 11th terrorist attack pointed an accusing finger at them for supporting the terrorists and some of no-cons at the White House talked about attacking Saudi Arabia. Bear these in mind; it is better for the countries of the region to create and support a regional security initiative and not to play in a way that great powers want.

Islamic Revolution or Revolutionary Islam?

Islamic republic of Iran is the only country in the world which is established according the pure Shia thoughts, in 1979, 29 years ago after toppling down the U.S. supported shah’s regime. Iranian Islamic revolution invalidated the thoughts of political thinkers who believed that there won’t create a religious- driven state in the new era. But it happened and has lasted since 1979 and it's in strongest positions after the revolution. Since then Iran has been a target of many accusation from the West camp. From the beginning of the Iranian revolution, West labeled Iran as fundamentalist, terrorist, etc. the crux of the matter is that the West does not differentiate between Islamic revolution and revolutionary Islam.

Islamic revolution means an uprising to eradicate cruelty, corruption, discrimination, etc according to Islamic thoughts which do not preach violence and terror in their essence. In better words in this school of thought war or jihad is one of the tenth branches of the religion, which will be necessary if its conditions prepare. Islam has many instructions which jihad is one of them. Islamic revolution is a way in which its goal is Islam and Islamic values and jihad is only a tool to establish Islamic values, in better words jihad is not the end but a means.

Contrary to this school, in revolutionary Islam or militant Islam, war is considered to be the base of the religion and indispensable part of it. This school of thought purses its goal by violent actions. So they think jihad is the core of Islam. For them jihad is an end, and Islam is a tool for war. Wahhabis, bin laden and Taliban mostly think like that. But Shia basically belongs to the first school of thought. Islamic Republic of Iran is a Shia state in which revolution comes from Islam and Islam defines its borders, characteristics and features, instead in militant Islam, Islam is lessened to an instrument to achieve the goals of some radical Muslims.

All Muslim’s actions should not be attributed to Islam. Having good relations with Islamic nations, west must differentiate between these two approaches of Islam. Even this distinction can promote the west interests better as America to some extent, has done in Iraq.

Security Dilemma in Persian Gulf?

In the aftermath of President George W Bush's recent tour of the Persian Gulf, coinciding with a similar trip by France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, culminating in a deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a small French base, region’s security has been changed.
Although Persian Gulf has been witnessing foreigners’ presence since 16th century, but after the withdrawal of British troops from the east area of Suez Canal, including Persian Gulf, in early 1960s and replacing of United States troops in this gulf the security situation of this sub-region has been dramatically changed. The U.S. Military presence in the Persian Gulf has had several purposes from curbing Soviet Union during the cold war, to dual containment of Iran and Iraq and securing the oil flow from the region. After the cold war, the U.S fifth fleet located in the Persian gulf and this country has been the only power which has military bases in the region.
Without doubt, France diplomatic efforts to obtain military base in the United Arab Emirates has a significant geostrategic effects on the region. Sarkozy’s new foreign policy which has many things in common with the United States causes France to request establishment of a base in the Persian Gulf without U.S. disagreement. Meanwhile, Recently Russian deputy of foreign minister mentioned that Persian gulf needs to build a new security arrangement with cooperation of global powers. Although Russia has a long desire to dominate Persian Gulf, but we are witnessing the new trend of inclination among great powers to cooperate or to be in this strategically important region of the world.
It’s a dangerous desire for the regional state and of course, for the great powers. If the White House shows green light to the French president for his request of UAE, the U.S administration had been made a grave mistake because establishment of French base in Persian gulf will cause another states to request such a thing .In the short run, there will be a new kind of rivalry and also a new arm race in the region. China and Russia are the most strategic adversary of the United States which certainly react to such an action and will pursuing to gain new advantages in the region. In better word, there will be a new kind of security dilemma.
On the other hand, from the point of view of the states of the region, it’s unacceptable to change the region into the scapegoat of the great powers instead of making security. In this regard, Iran’s basic strategy for Persian Gulf security which is “Security Without Foreigners” would turn at stake. Iran is pursuing the line of confidence building with Arab states of the region and trying to insure them that Iran is not the threat for them and it wants the stability of the region. Of course the new rivalry of powers to obtain new bases in the region would compel Iran to enter and strengthen another security arrangement for example with Russia and China through the Shanghai Security Organization.
It is obvious that us military presence in the region for any reason which they declare, not only does not strengthen the security but also it makes instability in the region. In this regard entering new powers into security arrangements will increase the cacophony and exacerbate the situation. We all know that this presence is because of region’s resources and they do not care about security or other matters of the region. So the states of the region should be carful about increasing of the foreign troops and their rivalry in the Persian Gulf.