The recent offensive posture of the United Sates against Iran, focusing on the age-old theory of ‘regime change’, reflects a dangerous American game in the region. Reports about the deployment of American aircraft carrier and B52 bombers mean sharp escalation of the conflict between the US and Iran. Attack on Saudi oil tankers and its oil pipeline is another manifestation of how the crisis in the Gulf may lead to the outbreak of armed conflict in the region.
The cover story of The Economist issue of May 11-17 states, “The drum of war is beating again. John Bolton, the National Security Adviser, says any attack on America or its allies will be met with unrelenting force. President Hassan Rouhani says Iran will no longer abide by the terms of the deal signed with America and other world powers, whereby it agreed to strict limits on its nuclear programme in return for economic relief.” While US President Donald Trump is not in favour of an all-out confrontation with Tehran, National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo subscribe to the theory of ‘regime change’ in Iran by pursuing a two-pronged strategy: first isolating Iran and then exerting military pressure on it.
Can one deny the fact that the road to war is very easy but the road from war to peace is an uphill task? The examples of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya in the recent past prove the bitter fact that the lives of common people are destroyed when foreign powers along with their local allies launch ground and air attacks and raze buildings and infrastructure in cities and towns. If the US, Israel and some Arab Gulf countries want to target Iran paving the way for ‘regime change’, their wishful thinking will turn the entire Middle East into a war zone. Why the US withdrew from the nuclear deal reached between Iran, five permanent UNSC members and Germany and how its withdrawal has impacted the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)? Why the European Union, along with Britain, France and Germany are unable to withstand American pressure on re-imposing sanctions against Tehran? Will the present escalation in the Iran-US conflict transform into a major international crisis and plunge the Persian Gulf region into a perpetual state of conflict and chaos? So far despite repeated provocations of the US in the form of sanctions and deployment of its offensive naval military force in the Gulf, Iran has acted with restraint. Only Russia and China are supporting Iran while the rest of the members of the nuclear deal have let it down, as pointed out by the Iranian foreign minister during his recent visit to Beijing. This is something that needs to be taken seriously.
Global News 
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