DIPLOMATIC statements issued by Gulf countries to Iran are no longer useful as the latter has continued its hostile practices without any religious or moral restraint. It has disregarded international and regional treaties, as well as the need to maintain harmonious relations in the neighborhood, due to lack of concrete steps to maintain stability in this sensitive region. The recent statement of Foreign Affairs Minister in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, who compared the Iranian occupation of UAE islands to the Israeli occupation of Arab lands, is true and accurate. The lingering question is: Who has given Iran right to carry out military operations in the Arabian Gulf, either by planting landmines, narrowing Hormuz Strait and inspecting boats in international waters? Iran usually performs its disturbing acts outside its territorial waters. This international seawater passage does not belong to Iran, since it is controlled by global treaties on narrow seawater paths.

At this point, we want to remind everybody on the history of the closure or narrowing of the Tehran water path, which led to the Arab-Israeli War in 1967. This also resulted in the loss of Palestinian and other land areas that were recovered later through peaceful negotiations with Israel. Other occupied territories can still be recovered even through the nonsensical slogans we hear everyday against Israel. However, Iran has no right to control Hormuz Strait as it is an important part of the region. We can consider Iran’s alleged plan to narrow the strait as piracy in the international level, similar to its global terror scheme manifested in its military exercises in the Arabian Gulf.

It is now time for the Gulf countries to take a strong and practical stand against the unscrupulous practices of Iran. They should set aside the diplomatic statements and strictly enforce international regulations and treaties, including sanctions imposed on the Iranian regime. They must join a campaign aimed at stopping the provocative attitude of Iran to discipline the regime and ensure its strict compliance with international agreements. They should thwart implementation of the destructive plans of this regime before the situation gets worse. They must not wait until the time comes when we have no power left except to talk.

The Iranian regime has violated international regulations. It has stopped taking wise and reasonable steps. It has misinterpreted the diplomatic statements of GCC nations, disregarded the importance of maintaining good relations among neighbors, and taken advantage of the Arabs’ weakness in facing its evil schemes in the region. The Gulf needs to take a strong decision immediately, especially since the Tehran regime has disappointed and irritated the international community. This regime started instigating chaos outside its territories after losing the support of its own people in the recently-concluded elections. Gulf countries have to take unified and strong measures to show that they are not markets for selling the expired products of the evil political agendas of Iran. The international community must stop the regime which has failed to address its internal problems.

The regime has always responded to peaceful diplomatic statements from regional administrations violently by conducting more military exercises. However, most of these exercises are imaginary. The illegal practices of this regime have increased international pressure on the GCC nations; thereby, instigating violence in the region and creating economic problems. If the situation in the region reaches this level, the imaginary show of Iranian weapons will no longer be useful, in the same manner that the diplomatic statements of GCC countries will be futile. Will the Gulf nations allow Iran to continue playing its dangerous and irrational games or will they finally take a strong decision in this regard?

Email: ahmed@aljarallah.com