Iranian War Rhetoric On The Rise - Why Now?
Feb 10, 2014 22:34:32 GMT -5
Post by PurplePuppy on Feb 10, 2014 22:34:32 GMT -5
Iranian War Rhetoric On The Rise - Why Now?
February 10, 2014 | Tom Olago
Iranian leaders and defense officials have over the past few days begun a round of bellicose rhetoric against the United States.
This appears to be a new propaganda front against the U.S and Israel. A report by the Times of Israel states that Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Commander Ali Fadavi is quoted by the FARS news agency, as having said that the US knows that its aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf would be sunk if it launched a military strike on Iran. FARS also reported Iran’s Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan touting the Iranian military’s ability to respond to an American attack. “The Iranian Armed Forces are an intertwined and coherent complex that can give a decisive response to any threat at any level and any place under the command of the Commander-in-Chief…the enemy can never assess and think of the range of the response given by the powerful and mighty Armed Forces of the Islamic Iran.”
In the same vein, Iran’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as denouncing the Americans as liars who, while professing to be friends of Iran, would bring down his regime if they could. He also said it was “amusing” that the US thought Iran would reduce its “defensive capabilities.”
The hostile comments from Tehran have also been supported by a variety of other actions; such as circulations of computerized video animations showing Iran’s drones and missiles bombing a myriad of civilian areas, military installations and interests – all contained in Israel and U.S jurisdictions globally. The videos appear to be aimed at maximizing the psychological effect on viewers, particularly the citizenry of Israel and the United States.
In order to further send home the message, Iran commander of Iran’s Northern Naval fleet made the announcement that it was sending naval ships towards the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reaction was on Sunday 9th February captured by Al Arabiya news as follows: “…the dispatch of the warships was clear evidence of Iran's "aggression" and proof it had not moderated its policies following a landmark deal with world powers to roll back its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.”
What exactly has prompted this latest series of hostile actions or reactions towards the United States and Israel? Remarks attributed to U.S Secretary of State, John Kerry seem to have lit the fuse, or at least added fuel to the fire. According to the Jerusalem Post, Kerry, in an exclusive interview with the Al Arabiya website on Thursday 6th of February, stated that if Iran did not abide by its commitments with world powers, “the military option of the United States is ready and prepared to do what it would have to do.”
Tasnim News, a leading news agency in Iran, reacted: “In a statement issued Sunday on the eve of the 35th anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the IRGC specifically referred to the recent “disgraceful, threatening and insolent” remarks by US officials about the military option (against Iran) being on the table, and said the country’s diplomatic apparatus would offer an “unequivocal, clear and decisive” response to such absurd remarks. In recent weeks, senior American officials, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, have time and again repeated the rhetoric of military option still being on the table. Iran’s high-ranking officials have slammed the tone and described threatening the Iranian nation with the military option as a grave mistake”.
The background to these developments is largely rooted in the Geneva agreement of November 24, 2013 between Tehran and the G5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3) on Iran’s nuclear program. The breakthrough deal that took effect as from January 20, 2014 stipulates that Iran and the six countries will draw up a comprehensive nuclear deal which will lead to a lifting of the whole sanctions on Iran over a six-month period. The two parties are due to begin a new round of talks later this month to work out a final agreement on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.
Hence the reaction of Iranian leadership to comments from the U.S. viewed as disparaging and provocative. The IRGC statement saw fit to add that …“the IRGC supports the elected government (of President Rouhani) in the nuclear negotiations, adding that it is also determined to “fully safeguard the red lines and the inalienable rights (of the country) in the face of hegemonic and meddling powers…Iran has put an end to the US hegemony in the region and turned into a regional power and an influential trans-regional player “despite all-out and constant attempts (against the country) by the enemies."
Another factor likely to have angered Iran is summarized in a report released by the Tehran Times on 8th February stating that “Investors are once again flocking to Iran" - over 100 French companies descended on Tehran on February 3 to establish business connections. This has set off alarm bells in Washington, with Secretary of State John Kerry warning that the oil-rich nation is still not open for business and that French companies will be punished if they violate U.S. sanctions with Iran”. Political analyst and professor at the University of Tehran, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, was quoted as stating that the U.S. risks isolation on the issue of Iran if it is going to continue threatening countries against doing business with Iran.
Is the Iranian Republic prepared to carry out these threats? Iranian threats against the US are not new (see our recent story Iranian Commander Warns Of Attacks From Within The US), but is it all mere propaganda to attract populist support from the Arab world? After all the military superiority of the U.S and Israel combined should be a clear deterrent. Or is it possible Iran is trying to leverage the ongoing negotiations from a stronger position by showcasing their military potential? Or perhaps communicating that their nuclear ambitions cannot be stopped without their co-operation, hence they should not be dictated to? Could it be that they feel such conditions are necessary to speed up the anticipated return of the Mahdi - similar to the ambitions of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
These are some of the critical questions to watch. No doubt the declining influence of the U.S globally, coupled with the increasing isolation of Israel will be key factors to watch.
link
February 10, 2014 | Tom Olago
Iranian leaders and defense officials have over the past few days begun a round of bellicose rhetoric against the United States.
This appears to be a new propaganda front against the U.S and Israel. A report by the Times of Israel states that Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Commander Ali Fadavi is quoted by the FARS news agency, as having said that the US knows that its aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf would be sunk if it launched a military strike on Iran. FARS also reported Iran’s Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan touting the Iranian military’s ability to respond to an American attack. “The Iranian Armed Forces are an intertwined and coherent complex that can give a decisive response to any threat at any level and any place under the command of the Commander-in-Chief…the enemy can never assess and think of the range of the response given by the powerful and mighty Armed Forces of the Islamic Iran.”
In the same vein, Iran’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as denouncing the Americans as liars who, while professing to be friends of Iran, would bring down his regime if they could. He also said it was “amusing” that the US thought Iran would reduce its “defensive capabilities.”
The hostile comments from Tehran have also been supported by a variety of other actions; such as circulations of computerized video animations showing Iran’s drones and missiles bombing a myriad of civilian areas, military installations and interests – all contained in Israel and U.S jurisdictions globally. The videos appear to be aimed at maximizing the psychological effect on viewers, particularly the citizenry of Israel and the United States.
In order to further send home the message, Iran commander of Iran’s Northern Naval fleet made the announcement that it was sending naval ships towards the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reaction was on Sunday 9th February captured by Al Arabiya news as follows: “…the dispatch of the warships was clear evidence of Iran's "aggression" and proof it had not moderated its policies following a landmark deal with world powers to roll back its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.”
What exactly has prompted this latest series of hostile actions or reactions towards the United States and Israel? Remarks attributed to U.S Secretary of State, John Kerry seem to have lit the fuse, or at least added fuel to the fire. According to the Jerusalem Post, Kerry, in an exclusive interview with the Al Arabiya website on Thursday 6th of February, stated that if Iran did not abide by its commitments with world powers, “the military option of the United States is ready and prepared to do what it would have to do.”
Tasnim News, a leading news agency in Iran, reacted: “In a statement issued Sunday on the eve of the 35th anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the IRGC specifically referred to the recent “disgraceful, threatening and insolent” remarks by US officials about the military option (against Iran) being on the table, and said the country’s diplomatic apparatus would offer an “unequivocal, clear and decisive” response to such absurd remarks. In recent weeks, senior American officials, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, have time and again repeated the rhetoric of military option still being on the table. Iran’s high-ranking officials have slammed the tone and described threatening the Iranian nation with the military option as a grave mistake”.
The background to these developments is largely rooted in the Geneva agreement of November 24, 2013 between Tehran and the G5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3) on Iran’s nuclear program. The breakthrough deal that took effect as from January 20, 2014 stipulates that Iran and the six countries will draw up a comprehensive nuclear deal which will lead to a lifting of the whole sanctions on Iran over a six-month period. The two parties are due to begin a new round of talks later this month to work out a final agreement on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.
Hence the reaction of Iranian leadership to comments from the U.S. viewed as disparaging and provocative. The IRGC statement saw fit to add that …“the IRGC supports the elected government (of President Rouhani) in the nuclear negotiations, adding that it is also determined to “fully safeguard the red lines and the inalienable rights (of the country) in the face of hegemonic and meddling powers…Iran has put an end to the US hegemony in the region and turned into a regional power and an influential trans-regional player “despite all-out and constant attempts (against the country) by the enemies."
Another factor likely to have angered Iran is summarized in a report released by the Tehran Times on 8th February stating that “Investors are once again flocking to Iran" - over 100 French companies descended on Tehran on February 3 to establish business connections. This has set off alarm bells in Washington, with Secretary of State John Kerry warning that the oil-rich nation is still not open for business and that French companies will be punished if they violate U.S. sanctions with Iran”. Political analyst and professor at the University of Tehran, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, was quoted as stating that the U.S. risks isolation on the issue of Iran if it is going to continue threatening countries against doing business with Iran.
Is the Iranian Republic prepared to carry out these threats? Iranian threats against the US are not new (see our recent story Iranian Commander Warns Of Attacks From Within The US), but is it all mere propaganda to attract populist support from the Arab world? After all the military superiority of the U.S and Israel combined should be a clear deterrent. Or is it possible Iran is trying to leverage the ongoing negotiations from a stronger position by showcasing their military potential? Or perhaps communicating that their nuclear ambitions cannot be stopped without their co-operation, hence they should not be dictated to? Could it be that they feel such conditions are necessary to speed up the anticipated return of the Mahdi - similar to the ambitions of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
These are some of the critical questions to watch. No doubt the declining influence of the U.S globally, coupled with the increasing isolation of Israel will be key factors to watch.
link