The United States was never happy with Iran ever since the Revolution of 1978 which ended the monarchy. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled for 37 years, was its best friend and policeman in the region. He fled to the United States. It has been trying to effect ‘regime change’ ever since.
The United States taking advantage of recent civil unrest in Iran, mainly on account of economic and social causes such as rising unemployment, high cost of living is engaged in meddling in the internal affairs of Iran. This made Iran to complain to the United Nations Secretary General that “The current US administration has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations.”
US President Donald Trump has openly stated that America would support the opposition protests. It is possible that the United States is pinning its hopes in effecting a colour revolution. Of course, it is not averse even to supporting a coup de ‘tat. It was with the assistance of the United States that progressive regime of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq was overthrown in a coup in 1953.
However, opposition protests have now died off but massive pro-government demonstrations are being held throughout Iran protesting against US interference in the country and in the Middle East in general.
Having overrun Iraq and Libya and openly supporting the Islamic insurgents in their efforts to topple the Syrian regime the United States has set its eyes on Iran as the next target for it has been an obstacle to the realization of US colonial ambitions in the region. Its support to the Syrian regime and its cooperation with Russia has irked Washington.
Iran with its rich petroleum, natural gas and other natural resources and its strategic location is tempting Washington to take it under its control.
Iran with a territory of 1.648 billion square kilometres and a population of 80 million has shorelines on the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and the Caspian Sea. It has land borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iraq.
The United States is coordinating its policy towards Iran with its ally Israel. It was on December 12 last that the two countries signed an agreement on cooperation on dealing with Iran. It was signed by US National Security Advisor H R McMaster and his Israel counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat.
US-Pak relations nose-dive
Relations between the United States and Pakistan, which for long housed the regional headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), have nose-dived recently.
It began with a twitter message from President Trump complaining that Pakistan is supporting terrorism in Afghanistan. He said: “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley accused Pakistan of playing “a double game for years” and confirmed the administration will withhold $255 million in aid to the country.
“They work with us at times, and they also harbour the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan,” Haley said on Tuesday at a news conference. “That game is not acceptable to this administration.” She further said that President Trump is willing “to go to great lengths to stop all funding from Pakistan as they continue to harbour and support terrorism”.
The Pakistani government said earlier on Tuesday that recent comments from US leaders were “completely incomprehensible” and could damage the trust between the countries.
Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi responded stating “US spokespersons should not shift the blame for their own mistakes and failures onto others”.
The National Security Committee (NSC) Chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shavid Khaqan Abbhasi which met to consider President Trump’s remarks issued a statement which expressed “deep disappointment” at US leadership comments, which it said were “completely incomprehensible as they contradicted facts manifestly, struck with great insensitivity at the trust between two nations built over generations, and negated the decades of sacrifices made by the Pakistani nation.”
Interestingly Pakistan the following day replaced the dollar with the yuan in its bilateral trade and investment with Beijing.
With China’s ascendancy in the world economy and substantial increase in Sino-Pakistan economic and trade co-operation. The latter is now less dependent on the United States. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under China’s Belt and Road initiative alone provides nearly $60 billion in investments.
According to an editorial published by Chinese state-owned Global Times “China and Pakistan enjoy an all-weather strategic partnership of cooperation, Beijing will without doubt not give up on Islamabad.”
Inter-Korean dialogue
On New Year’s Day North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un proposed talks to consider participation of North Korean athletes in the Winter Olympics to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea from February 9.
South Korean President Moon Jae –in welcomed the offer as a “positive response” and a “ground-breaking opportunity for peace”.
South Korea has suggested holding high-level talks on January 9th at Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas. North Korea has confirmed the meeting. It would be the first direct negotiations between the two states since December 2015.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang in a statement welcomed and supported the two Koreas “taking earnest efforts to treat this as an opportunity to improve mutual relations, promote the alleviation of the situation on the Korean peninsula and realize denuclearization on the peninsula”.
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