The Guardian view on Iran: America’s uncomfortable ally
Editorial
After years of mutual hostility, Tehran and Washington are in effective alliance in Iraq in the struggle against Isis. That’s an irony with profound implications for the future of the Middle East
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (second right) speaks in front of the mausoleum of the late Ayatollah Khomeini just outside Tehran. Photograph: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP
Friday 6 March 2015 14.27 EST Last modified on Friday 6 March 2015 19.08 EST
An ever more visible feature of the ongoing US-led military operation against Islamic State (Isis) is the intertwining of this effort with Iran’s objectives in the region. Battling the same enemy, the old adversaries have found themselves a common cause. It is a striking illustration of how fast the Middle Eastern landscape is changing. There is much irony and paradox in this US-Iran duo. After all, Iran continues to call the US “the Great Satan”. Equally, in Washington, officials are careful not to describe the relationship with Tehran as having strategically shifted from the decades of enmity. Diplomatic relations that were cut off after Iran’s 1979 revolution have not been formally restored, even though high-level diplomatic contacts are now almost routine.
Even as US and Iranian negotiators pursue talks over Iran’s nuclear programme, with a tentative deadline approaching in two weeks, the realities of the war on Isis and its extremist Sunni Salafi ideology have bound the two powers together in unprecedented ways. Iran’s regional clout is growing in parallel. It was already strong, ever since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. The US invasion of Iraq empowered the Shia community there, which Iran’s leaders see as part of their constituency and as a card in its confrontation with Saudi Arabia.
Iran and its armed forces are now playing a key role in defending Iraq’s government against the onslaught of Isis. In recent days, Iranian-backed militias have taken the lead in the fight against Isis around Tikrit, where the coalition has launched an offensive. The signs are that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are taking part. This is an organisation that has been targeted in the past by UN and US sanctions. Now it is, in effect, an entity whose role in Iraq – both in backing militias, and reportedly more directly – the US is learning to see as useful, if not necessary. After all, Barack Obama’s strategy against Isis hinges on avoiding anything smacking of direct military engagement with ground troops, increasing the effective reliance on Iran. Last August, the codependence first became apparent when US warplanes carried out missions over the Iraqi district of Amerli, thus providing close air support to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards active on the ground. Iran is today helping the Iraqis hold the line against Isis advances while American advisers are tasked with training Iraq’s armed forces.
Iran’s growing clout is also evident in the support it has been providing to the regime in Syria, without which Assad might have been toppled. Iran is a major player in Lebanon through the influence it exerts over Hezbollah. And some experts see Iran’s hands in the Houthi rebellion that has engulfed Yemen. How these regional power games and the Iran-US rapprochement will be dealt with by the Gulf Sunni states – who deeply resent the new situation – is a big uncertainty.
The US is already having trouble reassuring its Arab allies. This is one of the limitations its Iranian detente may soon run into, potentially threatening the cohesiveness of the anti-Isis coalition. The result of these uneasy balancing acts, alongside the nuclear negotiations, could reset the future of the Middle East.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/06/guardian-view-iran-america-uncomfortable-ally
Editorial
After years of mutual hostility, Tehran and Washington are in effective alliance in Iraq in the struggle against Isis. That’s an irony with profound implications for the future of the Middle East
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (second right) speaks in front of the mausoleum of the late Ayatollah Khomeini just outside Tehran. Photograph: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP
Friday 6 March 2015 14.27 EST Last modified on Friday 6 March 2015 19.08 EST
An ever more visible feature of the ongoing US-led military operation against Islamic State (Isis) is the intertwining of this effort with Iran’s objectives in the region. Battling the same enemy, the old adversaries have found themselves a common cause. It is a striking illustration of how fast the Middle Eastern landscape is changing. There is much irony and paradox in this US-Iran duo. After all, Iran continues to call the US “the Great Satan”. Equally, in Washington, officials are careful not to describe the relationship with Tehran as having strategically shifted from the decades of enmity. Diplomatic relations that were cut off after Iran’s 1979 revolution have not been formally restored, even though high-level diplomatic contacts are now almost routine.
Even as US and Iranian negotiators pursue talks over Iran’s nuclear programme, with a tentative deadline approaching in two weeks, the realities of the war on Isis and its extremist Sunni Salafi ideology have bound the two powers together in unprecedented ways. Iran’s regional clout is growing in parallel. It was already strong, ever since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. The US invasion of Iraq empowered the Shia community there, which Iran’s leaders see as part of their constituency and as a card in its confrontation with Saudi Arabia.
Iran and its armed forces are now playing a key role in defending Iraq’s government against the onslaught of Isis. In recent days, Iranian-backed militias have taken the lead in the fight against Isis around Tikrit, where the coalition has launched an offensive. The signs are that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are taking part. This is an organisation that has been targeted in the past by UN and US sanctions. Now it is, in effect, an entity whose role in Iraq – both in backing militias, and reportedly more directly – the US is learning to see as useful, if not necessary. After all, Barack Obama’s strategy against Isis hinges on avoiding anything smacking of direct military engagement with ground troops, increasing the effective reliance on Iran. Last August, the codependence first became apparent when US warplanes carried out missions over the Iraqi district of Amerli, thus providing close air support to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards active on the ground. Iran is today helping the Iraqis hold the line against Isis advances while American advisers are tasked with training Iraq’s armed forces.
Iran’s growing clout is also evident in the support it has been providing to the regime in Syria, without which Assad might have been toppled. Iran is a major player in Lebanon through the influence it exerts over Hezbollah. And some experts see Iran’s hands in the Houthi rebellion that has engulfed Yemen. How these regional power games and the Iran-US rapprochement will be dealt with by the Gulf Sunni states – who deeply resent the new situation – is a big uncertainty.
The US is already having trouble reassuring its Arab allies. This is one of the limitations its Iranian detente may soon run into, potentially threatening the cohesiveness of the anti-Isis coalition. The result of these uneasy balancing acts, alongside the nuclear negotiations, could reset the future of the Middle East.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/06/guardian-view-iran-america-uncomfortable-ally
Today at 6:56 am by Rocky
» utube 5/27/24 MM&C Iraq Dinar - IQD - USD - Exchange Rate Change Inevitable - CBI Launch National
Today at 6:56 am by Rocky
» Serious repercussions.. Al-Maliki warns against the policy of arm-twisting by choosing the Speaker o
Today at 6:54 am by Rocky
» Al-Hawi demands the formation of a fact-finding committee on “oil contracts”
Today at 6:53 am by Rocky
» Hard currency declines in Baghdad... 144,800 dinars for every 100 dollars
Today at 6:51 am by Rocky
» More than $283 million in Iraqi Central Bank currency auction sales
Today at 6:49 am by Rocky
» The Supreme Committee for Implementing Resolution 320 regarding ownership of agricultural lands begi
Today at 6:47 am by Rocky
» The Director General of Ports announces the completion of casting work on the five berths within the
Today at 6:46 am by Rocky
» Trade exchange between Iraq and China exceeds 50 billion dollars
Today at 6:41 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: Employee salaries and appointments are secured in the 2024 budget
Today at 6:40 am by Rocky
» The development road project and the energy sector are on the table of the Finance Committee and the
Today at 6:38 am by Rocky
» “Adulterated” international brands.. One of the largest commercial fraud factories was seized in Bas
Today at 6:37 am by Rocky
» {Al-Furat News} publishes the international monetary report on Iraq and praises its financial reform
Today at 6:34 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: Employee salaries and appointments are secured in the 2024 budget
Today at 6:33 am by Rocky
» Frame: Demands to change the bylaws of Parliament contradict the decisions of the Federal Court
Today at 6:29 am by Rocky
» A parliamentary vote to postpone the presidential election session until after Eid al-Adha
Today at 6:29 am by Rocky
» Barzani ambitions knock on the northern gate of the road to development
Today at 5:30 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani confirms his support for sports: a fundamental axis in Iraq’s image before the world
Today at 5:28 am by Rocky
» Independent representatives set conditions for voting on the Speaker of Parliament
Today at 5:27 am by Rocky
» A parliamentary request from the Sudanese regarding the disbursement of 100,000 Eid money to retiree
Today at 5:26 am by Rocky
» MP calls for forming a fact-finding committee on “oil contracts”
Today at 5:25 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance reveals the most prominent developments in the budget schedules
Today at 5:24 am by Rocky
» "Epicor" calls for holding a tripartite meeting with Baghdad and Erbil to resume Kurdistan's oil exp
Today at 5:23 am by Rocky
» International praise for the efforts of the Iraqi Central Bank: controlling inflation and strengthen
Today at 5:20 am by Rocky
» It produces 23 million tons of waste daily. Iraq is on the list of the most polluted countries
Today at 5:19 am by Rocky
» “Great news.” The US ambassador praises Iraq’s ratification of the electronic payment system
Today at 5:18 am by Rocky
» Bringing life back to hundreds of stalled projects
Today at 5:17 am by Rocky
» Initiating the formation of the “National Youth Team for Climate Change”
Today at 5:16 am by Rocky
» Transportation: Development Road trains will reach Europe in one day
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» Pressure prevents the organization of the work of private generators in Nineveh
Today at 5:13 am by Rocky
» Al-Muthanna: The governorate’s allocations are small compared to its projects
Today at 5:13 am by Rocky
» An Iraqi-Russian agreement on cooperation in the judicial field
Today at 5:11 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary services demand that the laws be returned to them
Today at 5:10 am by Rocky
» Securing the border with Saudi Arabia
Today at 5:09 am by Rocky
» Developing new river taxi stations and routes
Today at 5:08 am by Rocky
» Parliament hosts the Ministers of Finance and Planning
Today at 5:07 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi currency auction records a 90% increase in foreign remittances
Today at 5:06 am by Rocky
» House rents jump to a record level in Baghdad
Today at 5:05 am by Rocky
» Investment and its development impact
Today at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Specialists identify a number of factors to end sanctions on Iraqi banks
Today at 5:03 am by Rocky
» The National Union on the Kurdistan salaries crisis: Nationalization will end the crisis
Today at 5:01 am by Rocky
» The framework meets with Sudanese today to discuss the 2024 budget
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Oil prices begin today's trading stable, awaiting inflation data and the OPEC+ meeting
Today at 4:58 am by Rocky
» The dollar is moving down in the Iraqi market for the second day in a row
Today at 4:57 am by Rocky
» Dollar prices decline as markets await important inflation data
Today at 4:56 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Labor directs the transfer of the allocations of 37,000 protection beneficiaries to
Today at 4:54 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Planning discusses with a World Bank delegation support for the stages of the Develo
Today at 4:53 am by Rocky
» Planning clarifies the mechanism for including nomads in the population census
Today at 4:52 am by Rocky
» It revealed plans to implement the national taxi and electronic meter projects... Transport to Al-Za
Today at 4:51 am by Rocky
» He directed to expedite the completion of the registration of employees’ data in the Kurdistan Regio
Today at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s representation in Baghdad, visits the General Authority
Today at 4:49 am by Rocky
» Ministry of Planning: The governorates have 5.8 trillion dinars remaining from the Food Security Law
Today at 4:48 am by Rocky
» The framework falls into the trap of the tripartite budget: We will not vote on the 2024 schedules b
Today at 4:47 am by Rocky
» Iraq strengthens its air capabilities with Chinese combat drones
Today at 4:46 am by Rocky
» Economist on congestion relief projects: Alternative methods are the solution
Today at 4:44 am by Rocky
» Industry boom in Kurdistan... self-sufficiency, ending unemployment, and a plan to cancel importers
Today at 4:43 am by Rocky
» After Iraq's rejection, the Arab Parliamentary Union removes the principle of the "two-state solutio
Today at 4:41 am by Rocky
» The budget enters the circle of complexity and there is a possibility that it will be returned to th
Today at 4:40 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary services reveal the fate of the “Slum Law”
Today at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Stories of the Americans killed in Iraq fill American newspapers with collective remembrance... What
Today at 4:37 am by Rocky
» “People cannot stand each other.” Scientists are “concerned” about the rise in the “Gini index” in I
Today at 4:35 am by Rocky
» A foreign oil company expels one of its employees for insulting Iraqi figures
Today at 4:33 am by Rocky
» Iraq's objection to (the principle of the two-state solution) is supported by the Arabs
Today at 4:32 am by Rocky
» In the middle of them is Zidane... 3 judges who are credited with removing Iraq's name from a notori
Today at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Al-Muthanna complains to Parliament about the lack of allocations in the federal budget
Today at 4:30 am by Rocky
» Al-Sadr: I repeat my demand to expel the American “fool” from Iraq and close the embassy
Today at 4:28 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani directs the completion of the localization of the salaries of the region’s employees
Today at 4:27 am by Rocky
» utube 5/27/24 BRICS Financial Forum Today: Is BRICS Currency?
Yesterday at 12:16 pm by Rocky
» Mr. Al-Hakim: The importance of implementing the agreements with Türkiye according to specific work
Yesterday at 7:54 am by Rocky
» Head of Al-Karkh Appeal: Recovering hundreds of billions of corruption money, most of which was for
Yesterday at 7:53 am by Rocky
» Sudanese advisor: Oil prices are still higher than their budget estimates and we are trying to keep
Yesterday at 7:51 am by Rocky
» {Al-Furat News} publishes the international monetary report on Iraq and praises its financial reform
Yesterday at 7:50 am by Rocky
» Anbar Alliance: Al-Halbousi’s party still controls the governorate’s capabilities
Yesterday at 7:47 am by Rocky
» Central Bank: The issuance of new monetary denominations will not affect the dinar exchange rate
Yesterday at 7:44 am by Rocky
» Representatives’ objections embarrass the government. Will the budget be passed or re-included?
Yesterday at 7:42 am by Rocky
» 5 Kurdish parties call for the UNAMI mission to remain in Iraq
Yesterday at 7:40 am by Rocky
» Iraq is ranked eighth in the Arab world in the crime index for the year 2024
Yesterday at 7:39 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi currency auction records a 90% increase in foreign remittances
Yesterday at 7:38 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi Central Bank sells more than $275 million during today's auction
Yesterday at 7:35 am by Rocky
» The “ambiguity” of the budget worries Parliament’s finances and there are assurances that amendments
Yesterday at 7:34 am by Rocky
» Iraq is turning to digital banks.. What does it offer to the banking sector?
Yesterday at 7:31 am by Rocky
» International praise for the efforts of the Iraqi Central Bank: controlling inflation and strengthen
Yesterday at 7:25 am by Rocky
» A government advisor reveals a plan to reduce the budget deficit
Yesterday at 7:23 am by Rocky
» The Housing Fund denies its connection to any office or association that promotes borrowing transact
Yesterday at 7:19 am by Rocky
» The President of the Republic assures the Chinese Ambassador of his keenness to strengthen bilateral
Yesterday at 7:18 am by Rocky
» Iraq and Russia sign a memorandum of cooperation in the judicial field
Yesterday at 7:17 am by Rocky
» The International Monetary Fund praises the Iraqi government's monetary policy measures
Yesterday at 7:16 am by Rocky
» Unpleasant" news regarding salaries and appointments in Iraq
Yesterday at 7:14 am by Rocky
» The region deposits more than 85 billion in the account of the Federal Ministry of Finance
Yesterday at 7:11 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Legal: There are notes on the budget tables
Yesterday at 7:09 am by Rocky
» Petroleum products: Citizens are increasingly interested in purchasing a vehicle gas system
Yesterday at 7:08 am by Rocky
» The President of the Republic receives the Chinese ambassador to Iraq
Yesterday at 7:07 am by Rocky
» Carrying a picture of Zaha Hadid.. The Central Bank clarifies the truth about issuing the “100” thou
Yesterday at 7:05 am by Rocky
» A foreigner accused of forging entry visas for foreign workers was arrested in Baghdad
Yesterday at 5:33 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Committee: Ambiguity in the budget schedules and a need for government clarification
Yesterday at 5:31 am by Rocky
» A bloated public sector and a depleted budget... the consequences of arbitrary employment policies
Yesterday at 5:29 am by Rocky
» The ambiguity of the Ministry of Planning swallows Iraq's trillions
Yesterday at 5:27 am by Rocky
» Financial advisor: The financial tables conform to the principles of the tripartite budget
Yesterday at 5:26 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Economy: The Ministry of Industry failed miserably to revive the "national industry"
Yesterday at 5:25 am by Rocky