Oh Zarif … Whoever gets bitten by a snake, lives in fear of a rope

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IRANIAN Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif announced from Baghdad the desire of Tehran to build balanced relations with its Gulf Arab neighbors and that it proposed signing a non-aggression pact with them.

The closest thing that crosses the mind in response to this announcement is the Egyptian proverb: “Your words amaze me, but I am more amazed by your actions.”

Gulf Arab nations have endured Iran’s aggressions, whether direct or through proxies; making any talk by the Mullah regime in this regard sound comical, if not sarcastic.

If Zarif’s words come today as a result of political, military and economy pressures from the United States of America and other countries; they will not write off the dark history of the past four decades of terrorism and hostility characterized with arrogance and vaunting against members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).  It is as if Tehran regards the GCC capitals as its backyards where it throws all of its problems.

Zarif’s announcement backfires on him considering many decisions and initiatives presented by Gulf nations.  All of them reached out to Iran with friendly and cooperation principles, but they were received with rejection and obscenity.  This led to total mistrust towards the Mullah regime and everything it represented in this regard.

Positions taken under pressure do not express the actual intentions of countries.  Therefore, before Iran take such mild positions, it should prove its good intentions by taking several steps such as lifting its hands from Yemen and stop supporting the Houthis and Hezbollah which focuses on destroying Lebanon on  a daily bais, let alone participating in the killing of Syrians, Iraqis and Yemenis.

Iran should stop saying that the Syrian government invited it to fight against terrorists.  It should admit being the force of occupation, destruction and demographic change in Syria.

It should also let go of dirty sectarian games in Iraq; but before doing that, it must acknowledge what it prepared for Bahrain and the eastern part of Saudi Arabia, where the Shias in the areas of Arab tribes refused to be Persian peddlers to invade their countries.

These facts should be in Iranian minds before talking about building bridges of relations with Gulf Arab nations.  This is not because the Arab governments do not trust the Mullah government.  Actually, the Gulf nationals suffered from Tehran’s terrorism, distrusting the ability of Iran to honor any agreement.

This is reflected in how Iran is violating items of the nuclear deal and how it is threatening the region.  Thus, whoever gets bitten by a snake, O Zarif, lives in fear of a rope.

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah

Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

This news has been read 18532 times!