Crisis in the Arabian Gulf

Iranian FM Expected in Baghdad
25 May, 2019


Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sits for an interview with Reuters in New York, New York, US April 24, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Baghdad - Hamza Mustafa

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will reportedly visit Baghdad on Friday amid plans by Iraqi Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi to travel to Tehran soon.

Zarif seeks to inform Iraqi officials about Tehran’s vision on the future of its conflict with Washington, mainly after the US and Iran accepted that Baghdad plays the role of mediator following a request made by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on his recent trip to the country, informed Iraqi sources said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi recently said that delegations would visit Iran and the US to play a mediating role between the two sides.

Sources also said that Halbusi would visit Iran soon to explain the Iraqi point of view from the current crisis.

However, no official statement was made by the Speaker’s office to confirm or deny the visit.

Iraqi leaders and officials have converging viewpoints from Iraq’s decision to balance its relations with regional rivals and mediate between Iran and the US.

Former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Baghdad should not be shoved into the current conflict between Washington and Tehran. However, leader of the Iraqi National Alliance for Reform and Reconstruction Ammar Al-Hakim called for the government to take on a mediating role, arguing that the consequences of a confrontation between Tehran and Washington will be dire for his country.

“The problem is where our priorities should be in this. We cannot stand with Iran by sacrificing the interests of Iraq,” Abadi told Al Sharqiya television this month.

However, Hakim said: "We are very aware of the dangers that surround Iraq as a result of the US-Iran conflict.”

Dr. Naim Al-Aboudi, a member of the parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee, told Asharq Al-Awsat, “Iraq is able to play a mediation role in the current crisis because Baghdad holds good relations with the two sides.”

He said it is in the interest of Iraq that no war takes place in the region.

Eagle1 said:

2) I dont think there will be an all out war, but selective air strikes are possible. Just my personal opinion.

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I agree. The problem with this is what would it achieve for the US? 100 cruise missiles like in Syria in response to a specific action wouldn't topple the regime or destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, it would be more symbolic. Iran might try to say now that they will respond very harshly in response to any action against them, but I don't think the regime is stupid enough to risk a full scale war that will topple them (and destroy the country too), so I don't agree with some people who say that this will lead to Iran closing strait of hormuz (a disaster for Iran anyway) or attacking KSA and Israel etc, that would be suicide.

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Nashab said:

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May I inquire, as to the cause of your amusement?

Saudi Air Defenses Destroy Houthi Drone Flown towards Najran
Thursday, 23 May, 2019 -


Arab coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki. (Reuters)

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed on Thursday a drone flown by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen towards Najran airport, said the Saudi-led Arab coalition.

Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki said that the Houthis launched the explosives-laden drone towards the airport, which is used by thousands of people on a daily.

The attack completely disregards International Humanitarian Law, he added.

He stated that the Houthis deliberately direct attacks towards civilians and civilian facilities.

He warned the militias against maintaining such a policy, saying the coalition will retaliate with firm deterrent force in line with International Humanitarian Law.

Bin Alawi: We Seek to Ease Tension Between Washington, Tehran
Friday, 24 May, 2019


Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi (Asharq Al-Awsat)

London - Mustafa al-Dasouqi

Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi said that his country was striving to ease tensions in the current crisis between the United States and Iran, adding that “the danger of war ... could harm the entire world.”

He stressed that the US and Iranian sides “are aware of the seriousness of sliding into a war.”

In an interview with Majalla magazine, Bin Alawi did not deny or confirm the existence of an Omani mediation between Tehran and Washington, but noted that his country, along with other sides, was deploying all efforts to ease tension between the two parties.

He emphasized intensive contacts in this regard and called on the international community to launch a joint initiative involving the Sultanate of Oman to prevent risks before they occur.

The Omani minister stopped in Tehran on Monday on his way to London and met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif. On his meeting, he said: “They do not want to go to war.”

Bin Alawi and his British counterpart Jeremy Hunt signed a cooperation and partnership agreement in London on Monday to develop bilateral ties in political, economic, scientific, cultural, developmental and technological fields.

Bin Alawi, who has been Oman’s foreign affairs minister since 1997, said his country’s relationship with the British side was “deeply rooted” and that the agreement was “a formal endorsement of the firm friendship” between the two sides.

As for his country’s relationship with Israel, the minister said: “It is normal ... in an interconnected world,” noting that Benjamin Netanyahu was not the only Israeli Prime Minister to visit Oman, and was preceded by Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, and other officials.

“Those visits were happening in sensitive times and during crises in the region,” he underlined.

Bin Alawi continued: “Netanyahu’s visit to Oman came upon his request, and was preceded by President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit... Talks revolved around helping the Palestinian and Israeli parties to get out of their crisis.”

“We have heard Netanyahu’s view and he heard our opinion,” he stressed, adding: “We believe that providing the Palestinians with a recognized independent and sovereign state is the basis for any initiative or plan for peace... Anything that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state will not be acceptable,” he affirmed.

On the new US peace initiative, Bin Alawi said that the “Palestinians cannot not give up their statehood 70 years after the establishment of the State of Israel.”

“The Sultanate of Oman has not seen the plan… but we must take into consideration that there will be heated debate around it,” he remarked.

The Omani foreign minister did not rule out his country’s participation in an international economic "workshop" to be held in Bahrain on June 25 to announce the economic aspect of the US peace plan.

On the Yemeni file, Bin Alawi called for securing a favorable atmosphere for the UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, and to enhance mutual trust in order to reach adequate solutions to the crisis.

Nashab said:

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This is no joke. War can have devastating consequences. Sure the US and its allies have an edge over Iran, but the later can do a noticeable damage in the region. I wont be surprised if Iran has sleeping cells inside the US.

Sudan Supports Saudi Arabia Against Iran’s Aggression
Saturday, 25 May, 2019


FILE PHOTO: General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo delivers an address in Khartoum, Sudan May 18, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

Jeddah - Khartoum - Asharq Al-Awsat and Ahmed Younis

Deputy Head of Sudan’s Transitional Council General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has vowed to back Saudi Arabia against "all threats and attacks" from Iran and Yemen’s Houthi militias.

He made his comments after meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in Jeddah.

A statement released by the Sudanese Transitional Council said Daglo expressed Sudan’s condemnation of the attacks on two Saudi oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and the repeated launching of missiles by Houthi militias.

According to the statement, the Crown Prince thanked the Sudanese delegation for its visit, asserting that the Kingdom supports the Sudanese people.

Prince Mohammad bin Salman praised the efforts exerted by the Transitional Council to reach a political agreement in the country capable to avoid strife and that would pave the way for the transfer of authority to the people through a civil government based on democracy.

The Crown Prince also announced the Saudi unlimited support for Sudan at all levels in order to achieve stability in the country.

“The meeting discussed bilateral cooperation between the two sisterly countries in addition to the latest developments in the region,” said the Saudi Press Agency.

Iranian FM meets Iraqi PM as part of regional tour
Updated 15 sec ago
SUADAD AL SALHY
May 25, 2019

• During his his two-day visit, Zarif will also meet the Iraqi president and Iraqi prime minister
• Discussions will mainly focus on the current crisis and its impacts on the two countries

BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdulmahdi met with the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who arrived in Baghdad on Saturday.

Abdulmahdi and Zarif have agreed on the importance of the stability of the region and how to revive the US-Iran nuclear deal to maintain the interests of the two countries and the region.

Zarif earlier on in the day held talks with his Iraqi counterpart.

The two sides have discussed the bilateral relationships and the latest regional developments and the impacts of the US imposed sanctions on Iran and the region.

During his his two-day visit, Zarif will also meet the Iraqi president. On Sunday morning, Zarif will meet several senior politicians before he heads to
Najaf to meet some clerics, sources told Arab News.

The discussions will mainly focus on the current crisis and its impacts on the two countries in addition to possible options to reinforce the attempts to start dialogues with the related sides to reach a compromise or solutions for the current standoff between Iran and US.

The Iranian official will leave Iraq on Monday. Zarif's tour also includes trips to Turkey, India and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Iran's deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will begin a separate tour on Sunday which will see him visit Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, according to Iranian news sources.

Eagle1 said:

May I inquire, as to the cause of your amusement?

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Secret weapons ended in World War II

Scorpion said:

This is no joke. War can have devastating consequences. Sure the US and its allies have an edge over Iran, but the later can do a noticeable damage in the region. I wont be surprised if Iran has sleeping cells inside the US.

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The point of strength of the Iranians is their own militias in many countries!

Nashab said:

Secret weapons ended in World War II

The point of strength of the Iranians is their own militias in many countries!

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I guess it depends on your definition of “secret”. Before it was tested no one knew North Korea was capable of the Hwasong-15 ICBM. Even after it was tested most missile experts thought it was a Hwasong 14 until NK released footage of the missile. Would you class that (the development of the Hwasong-15) as a secret?

I think the biggest strength of Iran (with respect to a prospective US invasion) is its size and terrain, not the militias. Hezbollah has a truce of sorts with Israel and won’t destroy that just because Iran tells it to (in my opinion). PMU might, but they’d get obliterated by US airpower. Houthis didn’t listen to Iran in 2012 but it’s possible there is some relationship of control with Iran now, but Houthis already launch missile and drone attacks against Saudi on a weekly basis.

Just my opinion.

US ‘not looking for regime change’ in Iran: Trump
AFP
May 27, 2019

• Trump said they are looking for “no nuclear weapons”
• US deployed 1,500 additional troops in the Middle East to counter what they called threats from Iran

TOKYO: The United States is not seeking regime change in Iran, President Donald Trump said Monday, as tensions between the two countries rise with Washington deploying troops to the region.

“I know so many people from Iran, these are great people, it has a chance to be a great country, with the same leadership,” Trump said at a press conference in Tokyo where he is on a state visit.

“We’re not looking for regime change, I just want to make that clear. We’re looking for no nuclear weapons.”
“I’m not looking to hurt Iran at all,” added Trump.

The United States on Friday said it was deploying 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter “credible threats” from Tehran, the latest step in a series of military escalations.

Tensions have been rising between Washington and Tehran since Trump’s decision last year to withdraw from an international nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions on the oil producer.

The US president reiterated Monday his criticism of that “horrible Iran deal” but said he was open to new negotiations.

“I think we’ll make a deal,” he said at the press conference alongside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Hours earlier, Trump had insisted: “I do believe that Iran would like to talk, and if they’d like to talk, we’d like to talk also.”

Trump sounded a similarly conciliatory tone on North Korea, a key topic of his discussions in Japan, which views Pyongyang as a major threat.

The US leader, who has had two rounds of talks with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, described him as a “very smart” man who knew he needed to denuclearise.

“He knows that with nuclear... only bad can happen. He is a very smart man, he gets it well,” said Trump, who repeated that North Korea has “tremendous economic potential.”

And he once again dismissed missile launches earlier this month by Pyongyang that National Security Adviser John Bolton has said were a violation of UN resolutions.

“My people think it could have been a violation... I view it as a man who perhaps wants to get attention,” Trump said.

Abe reiterated his willingness to meet with Kim himself, in particular to raise the issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by Pyongyang, and said Trump backed his push to hold direct talks.

In addition to North Korea, Trump and Abe have been focused on trade, with Washington and Tokyo locked in negotiations to reduce what the US president calls an “unbelievably large trade imbalance.”

Trump has said a final deal will not come until after Japan’s upper house elections in July, but said he expected an agreement that would “benefit both of our economies.”

He also said that Japan has “just announced its intent to purchase 105 brand new F35 stealth aircraft.”

“This purchase would give Japan the largest F35 fleet of any US ally,” Trump added.

The US president said he there was a “very good” chance of clinching a trade deal with China, despite recent retaliatory measures between the world’s top economies.

“I think sometime in the future, China and the US will have a great trade deal and we look forward to that,” Trump said.

Iraq offers to mediate in crisis between US and Iran

AP
May 27, 2019

• ‘We are trying to help and to be mediators’
• The crisis takes root in President Donald Trump’s withdrawal last year of the US from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers

BAGHDAD: Iraq offered to mediate in the crisis between its two key allies, the United States and Iran, amid escalating Middle East tensions and as Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers steadily unravels.

Iraqi foreign minister, Mohammed Al-Hakim, made the offer Sunday during a joint news conference in Baghdad with visiting Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

“We are trying to help and to be mediators,” said Al-Hakim, adding that Baghdad “will work to reach a satisfactory solution” while stressing that Iraq stands against unilateral steps taken by Washington.

In recent weeks, tensions between Washington and Tehran soared over America deploying an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Arabian Gulf over a still-unexplained threat it perceives from Tehran.

The crisis takes root in President Donald Trump’s withdrawal last year of the US from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers that capped Iran’s uranium enrichment activities in return to lifting sanctions. Washington subsequently re-imposed sanctions on Iran, sending its economy into freefall.

Trump has argued that the deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons or halt its support for militias throughout the Middle East that the US says destabilize the region, as well as address the issue of Tehran’s missiles, which can reach both US regional bases and Israel.

Zarif, who was been on a whirlwind diplomatic offensive to preserve the rest of the accord, insisted that Iran “did not violate the nuclear deal” and urged European nations to exert efforts to preserve the deal following the US pullout.

Speaking about the rising tensions with the US, Zarif said Iran will be able to “face the war, whether it is economic or military through steadfastness and its forces.” He also urged for a non-aggression agreement between Iran and Arab countries in the Gulf.

The mediation offer by Al-Hakim, Iraq’s foreign minister, echoed one made Saturday by Mohamad Al-Halbousi, the Iraqi parliament speaker. Al-Hakim also expressed concern for Iran’s spiraling economy.

“The sanctions against sisterly Iran are ineffective and we stand by its side,” Al-Hakim said.

Iran must stop supporting militias for peace offer to be taken seriously: Expert
by Hani Hazaimeh
May 26, 2019

• Iran has for long pursued a policy of outsourcing its meddling to external militias
• Among these are the Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen

JEDDAH: Iran needs to dismantle its proxies and end its interventions in Arab affairs before seeking to normalize relations with its Gulf neighbors, a political expert told Arab News on Sunday.

“The Gulf countries have been calling for normal relations with their neighbors for years, but their calls have fallen on deaf ears on the Iranian side,” Hamdan Al-Shehri, a political analyst and international relations scholar, said.

Accusing Tehran of “playing games,” Al-Shehri described Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s suggestion that Iran wanted to improve relations with its Gulf neighbors as worthless “as long as it continues meddling in the affairs of other countries, and fails to halt its evil militias from sabotaging and destabilizing regional security.”

Iran has for long pursued a policy of outsourcing its meddling to external militias, which indirectly supports, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

Zarif, who is on a two-day visit to Iraq, told a joint news conference in Baghdad with his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed Al-Hakim that Iran wants to build balanced relations with its Gulf Arab neighbors and had proposed signing a non-aggression pact with them.

However, Al-Shehri said that Tehran needs to address three key issues — its nuclear program; its terrorist militias, which have been spreading chaos in the Gulf region and beyond; and its ballistic missile program — before making any such proposals.

“The question is, would Iran be ready to give up all three files? If they want their neighbors to accept them and normalize relations with them, they have to be honest and stop playing games,” he said.

Al-Shehri described Zarif’s regional tour as an attempt to rally support and send a false message that Iran has friends and allies who would stand by them in their crisis with the US.

“Where were these countries when Iran’s terrorist proxies in Yemen, the Houthi militias, launched missiles and drones attacking the holiest Islamic site in Makkah and other Saudi facilities?” Al-Shehri asked.

Zarif said Iran will defend itself against any military or economic aggression, calling on European states to do more to preserve a nuclear agreement his country signed.

“We will defend (ourselves) against any war efforts, whether it be an economic war or a military one, and we will face these efforts with strength,” he said.

Strains have increased between Iran and the US following this month’s sabotage attack on oil tankers in the Gulf. Washington and other regional allies have concluded that Iran is most likely behind the attacks.

Tehran has distanced itself from the bombings, but the US has sent an aircraft carrier and extra 1,500 troops to the Gulf, sparking concerns over the risk of conflict in the volatile region.

U.S. sanctions policy threatens Middle East security: Iran deputy foreign minister
May 27, 2019 / Updated 8 minutes ago


GENEVA (Reuters) - Washington’s sanctions policy threatens the security of the Middle East, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday, according to a statement on the ministry’s website.

Araqchi, while on a visit to Kuwait, also said Iran was ready for dialogue with other countries in the region.

Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh