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COLUMN
New war clouds hover
over West Asian region?
Middle East is on the boil as US and Iran target each other’s
ASIAN DRAMA interests in Iraq, where the two have widespread presence, with
SYED killing of senior Iranian general being the latest one
NOORUZZAMAN
The West Asian region, the Mid- nated the Islamic State (IS) of Syria and
dle-East for the Western world, is the Levant. Interestingly, the US helped
The columnist — former on the boil with the US and Iran the war against the IS with its superior
Deputy Editor of The targeting for a few months each air power. Once the IS was silenced, the
Tribune, Chandigarh — other’s interests in Iraq, where the US and Iran got fully involved in pro-
specialises in foreign I two have widespread presence. tecting their own regional interests. The
affairs. With a career The US precision drone strike near US along with Saudi Arabia did all they
spanning 41 years, he Baghdad international airport, killing could by spending billions of dollars to
keeps close watch on Iran’s key military general, Quds Force bring about regime change in Syria, but
issues related to South commander Major-General Qassem could not be successful in overthrowing
Asian countries. The Soleimani, described by the Americans the pro-Iran Basher Al-Assad regime.
views expressed are as a “terrorist”, has added a new dimen- The survival of Assad is considered a
personal sion to the escalating tensions between victory for Iran, which has been spend-
the US and Iran. ing liberally on its proxy fighters.
Iranian Ambassador to the United In the war for regional dominance
Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi has between Iran and Saudi Arabia with
termed Suleimani’s killing an “act of war the help of the US, Teheran has been on
on the part of the United States”. The the side of the mostly Shia rulers in the
slain general looked after Iran’s Revolu- region — the governments in Iraq and
tionary Guard Corps’ foreign operations Syria. Qatar, though a Sunni Muslim
arm. The US did not stop here. Again, on monarchy, joined the Iranian camp
January 4, a fresh airstrike hit pro-Iran after it faced serious differences with
fighters in Iraq as fears grew of a proxy Saudi Arabia on various regional issues.
war erupting between Washington and Iran has been behaving more aggres-
Iranian Ambassador Tehran a day after an American drone sively after it succeeded in saving the
Assad regime in Syria.
strike killed Gen Suleimani.
to the United military action against US interests, call- working in its favour for some time. If it
On January 5, as Iran warned of
Some other factors have also started
Nations Majid Takht ing President Donald Trump a “terror- has Qatar, the world’s richest country,
Ravanchi has termed ist in a suit, Trump said, “Let this serve on its side, Teheran is also being helped
as a warning that if Iran strikes any
by Turkey directly or indirectly. Iran and
Soleimani’s killing Americans, or American assets, we have Turkey, despite their denominational
an ‘act of war on the targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing differences, are found on the same plat-
form when it comes to criticising the US
the 52 American hostages taken by Iran
part of the United many years ago), some at a very high and Israeli role in West Asia.
Despite all this, Saudi Arabia remains
States’. The slain level and important to Iran and the Ira- the dominant force in the region. But it
nian culture, and those targets, and Iran
general looked after itself, will be hit very fast and very hard. faces a serious threat from Iran and its
Iran’s Revolutionary The US wants no more threats.” allies and, therefore, it does not hesitate
in seeking the help of the US, its most
The two sides have already been tar-
Guard Corps’ foreign geting each other’s interests for the past powerful Western ally. The Saudis will
few months after they together with Ira- not shed even a tear if Iran is under
operations arm qi forces and some foreign troops, elimi- attack from the US and its regional
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