On Iran with Military Deployment ► According to Experts, Tehran Could Seek “Asymmetrical Options” by Relying on Armed Proxies in Iraq, Syria Or Afghanistan
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UK £2 Issue 205, Year 5 May 12, 2019 EU €2.50 www.thearabweekly.com Interview Hezbollah’s Sarraj’s failed Tunisian secret deals European political leader in Venezuela tour Abir Moussi Page 5 Page 13 Page 4 US ratchets up ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran with military deployment ► According to experts, Tehran could seek “asymmetrical options” by relying on armed proxies in Iraq, Syria or Afghanistan. Thomas Seibert Navy Vice-Admiral James Malloy, commander of the Navy’s 5th Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, did not Istanbul exclude sending the carrier strike group into the Strait of Hormuz. “If hile Iran threatened to I need to bring it inside the strait, I leave the international will do so,” he said. nuclear deal and send Exactly a year after Washington W illegal drugs and refu- pulled out of the Iranian nuclear gees to the West to prod European agreement, on May 8 Iranian Presi- countries into standing up to the dent Hassan Rohani announced United States, Washington is show- measures tailored to avoid an auto- ing it is ready to embark on a “path matic return of international sanc- to war” against Tehran, analysts tions. said. However, he threatened that in US officials warned of Iranian 60 days Iran could resume enrich- plans to attack US interests or al- ment of uranium beyond the level lies in the Gulf region. Washington permitted under the 2015 deal, un- said tens of thousands of US troops less the five other signatories to the deployed in the region were be- agreement — China, France, Ger- ing reinforced by the USS Abraham many, Russia and the United King- Lincoln aircraft carrier, other ships dom — protect Iran’s oil and banking in the carrier’s strike group and a industries from US sanctions. bomber wing. Rohani also threatened European The Pentagon announced May 10 countries with unhindered flow of that the USS Arlington, an amphibi- refugees from the region and illegal ous assault ship, and a Patriot air drugs from Iran’s eastern neighbour defence system battery would also Afghanistan. “You have respon- be deployed in the Gulf. sibilities, too… for keeping your Military escalation. A file photo of a B-52 Bomber of the type that the US Air Force is deploying to the youth away from drugs, the flood of Gulf. (AFP) immigrants and other cooperation Jim Risch Iran has had with you so far. If this US Republican trend continues, the cooperation was conducting a “slow-motion es- hope right now is to sit out the “The (Iranian) regime is now faced Senator will cease,” he said. calation” in an effort to buy time, Trump phenomenon and to hope with a sharp choice between its cur- Just hours after Rohani spoke, the resulting in a “gradual erosion” of for a Democratic president to take rent malign activity and behaving as “The (Iranian) regime is now US administration, in its “maximum the nuclear deal. over in January 2021 who would a responsible member of the inter- faced with a sharp choice pressure” campaign against Iran, The remaining partners of Iran return the US into compliance with national community,” Senator Jim between its current malign announced a ban on Tehran’s ex- under the agreement want to keep the JCPOA,” Popp said. Risch, a Republican from Idaho, said activity and behaving as a ports of industrial metals. “Tehran the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Trump argues that the deal, ne- in a statement. responsible member of the can expect further actions unless it Action (JCPOA), as the agreement gotiated by his predecessor Barack Suzanne Maloney, deputy direc- international community.” fundamentally alters its conduct,” is formally known, in place despite Obama, is flawed because it is not tor for foreign policy at the Brook- US President Donald Trump said. the US withdrawal. However, they permanent, does not address Iran’s ings Institution, said US officials be- However, he also hinted at a soft- have not found a way to shield trade missile programme and does not lieve that Iran “doesn’t bend under a In the lopsided face-off with the er approach, saying he was looking with Iran from US sanctions. punish Iran for meddling in the af- small amount of pressure” but could United States, Iran “possesses vari- “forward to someday meeting with EU diplomatic chief Federica fairs of other countries. change if faced with severe threats. ous asymmetrical options,” Roland the leaders of Iran in order to work Mogherini and France, Germany Critics of the president say Trump “Altogether, it is difficult to avoid Popp, a security analyst focusing out an agreement and, very impor- and Britain said: “We reject any ul- is leading the United States into a the impression that the US is on a on Middle Eastern affairs, said via tantly, taking steps to give Iran the timatums and we will assess Iran’s dangerous situation. US Senator path to war with Iran,” said Popp. e-mail. “US troops in Iraq, Syria and future it deserves.” compliance on the basis of Iran’s Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Afghanistan could well be targets Rohani’s statement meant that performance regarding its nuclear- Connecticut, said on Twitter: Thomas Seibert is an Arab Weekly for retaliation in case of an air attack Iran had taken “minimum retalia- related commitments under the “Trump’s Iran strategy is blind es- correspondent. Kelly Kennedy on Iran’s nuclear facilities.” tory measures against US maximum JCPOA.” calation. There is no endgame. No contributed to this report from Tehran could seek help from its pressure,” Ali Vaez, director of the Iran’s leaders are hoping for an overriding strategy.” Washington. armed proxies in those countries. International Crisis Group’s Iran end of Trump’s presidency in US Others in Congress said the pres- In a sign of mounting risks, US Project, wrote on Twitter. Tehran elections next year. “Their main sure campaign was working. P2-3,6-7 Recurring political shakedowns in Jordan as crown prince comes to the fore Nazli Tarzi fend off rivals and allegations of mis- his growing visibility. guard and fast-track reforms. King governance. The increase of the crown prince’s Abdullah warned against “exploita- Against the backdrop of the re- public activities and his higher pro- tion by various parties that seek to London shuffles, Jordanian Crown Prince file came as King Abdullah ordered destabilise the country and tamper Hussein bin Abdullah is seeing his changes in the country’s sensitive with security,” the Jordanian Times ordan has been gripped by a public profile boosted as his visits security positions. reported. political shakedown following a throughout the country become A week prior to the reshuffle, King Recent Jordanian history shows royal court reshuffle and chang- more regular and are reported across Abdullah appointed Major-General that political reshuffles have been J es in sensitive security and in- state media. Ahmad Husni as director of the Gen- useful in curtailing domestic insta- telligence positions. Jordanian Prime Prince Hussein, the oldest son of eral Intelligence Department, replac- bility. Minister Omar Razzaz on May 9 an- King Abdullah, drew attention with ing Lieutenant-General Adnan Jundi. King Abdullah was said to view Back in the spotlight. Jordanian nounced the appointment of eight a tour of various provinces on La- The king praised the intelligence the measures as necessary to counter Crown Prince Hussein bin new ministers across key portfolios bour Day. He visited start-ups and department but added that abuses domestic threats and other adverse Abdullah in Amman. and the merging of other posts. local businesses providing job op- were taking place in the agency by a factors, including spillover from the (www.alhussein.jo) It was Jordan’s third cabinet re- portunities to young Jordanians. small minority that placed personal conflict in Syria and an economic shuffle since June 2018 when Razzaz The 24-year-old crown prince high- interests above the country’s. slowdown due to regional develop- of the reshuffle as residents wonder replaced Hani Mulki, who resigned lighted the need for home-grown The king also restructured his own ments. The unemployment rate in whether the government is merely because of tax protests. The develop- businesses to reach the international office in the royal court, bringing in Jordan has spiked to 18.6% and the reshuffling an old deck of cards. ments exposed the limits of reform market. new senior advisers and dismissed Jordanian public debt has ballooned and political indecisiveness in the Prince Hussein has emerged as Faisal Jibril al-Shoubaki as an adviser to $40 billion. Nazli Tarzi is an independent country. an important ambassador for the to the king. Observers will be watching domes- journalist whose writings and films The changes buy Razzaz time and country’s youth but his role in The moves were viewed by ana- tic manoeuvres — big and small — in focus on Iraq’s ancient history and allow Jordanian King Abdullah II to politics remains unclear despite lysts as an attempt to purge the old Jordan to assess the effectiveness contemporary political scene. 2 May 12, 2019 Cover Story Iran Mixed reactions in Washington to escalation in US-Iran showdown Kelly Kennedy 10% the country’s exports, and put States ended a programme that al- other countries “on notice that al- lowed Iran to exchange enriched lowing Iranian steel and other met- uranium for unrefined yellowcake Washington als into your ports will no longer be uranium with Russia. It said that if tolerated.” no deal was in place in 60 days, it ne year after US President The European Union said in a would increase its uranium enrich- Donald Trump pulled out statement that while it remained ment past the threshold needed for a of the Iran nuclear deal, US “fully committed” to the nuclear nuclear power plant and potentially O pressure and Iranian ma- deal, it rejected “any ultimatums” to that needed for a weapon.