Page 58 - Tehelka-May18

which gives India access to Afghani- ed its airspace. Israel’s prime minister a key player in the war, mostly operat-
stan, bypassing Pakistan. Dozens of Benjamin Netanyahu is one of the most ing through pro-Assad militia spread
pacts on trade, regional connectiv- vociferous critics of the Iran deal and across the battered state. Israel says
ity and investment were signed during has even been credited with helping Iran has recruited tens of thousands
Rouhani’s India visit in February. While convince the US president to pull out of of Shia fighters in Syria. The Lebanese
the US decision may have implications the same. Netanyahu has long warned militant and political group Hezbollah
on India’s foreign policy, trade relations of an impending war with Iran, accus- has long been the tool used by its pa-
are unlikely to be impacted. After 2015, ing his arch-nemesis of attempting to tron Iran to push its agenda far from its
both nations agreed to pay for invest- establish a permanent military foothold borders. Israel and Hezbollah fought a
ments with the rial and the rupee, cut- in Syria. But, while repeatedly warning month-long war in 2006 and Israeli
ting their reliance on the dollar. of Iranian plots to attack, it is Israel that defence officials have warned that Iran
appears to have led the charge with is delivering missiles and rockets to the
Missile attacks begin several reported strikes on Tehran’s group via a land route with Syria. Saudi
Within 24 hours of Donald Trump’s forces in Syria this year. Shortly after Arabia and its adversaries in Yemen’s
announcement both Damascus and Trump announced that the US would armed Houthi movement are fighting a
Riyadh experienced missile attacks. withdraw from the Iran deal, Syria state three-year war that has unleashed one
Military analysts have warned that by media said air defences had downed of the world’s worst humanitarian cri-
leaving the agreement, the US move ses. A Riyadh-led coalition, supported
could serve to isolate Tehran at a time by the US and Britain, has launched
when it is engaged in multiple con- Military analysts air strikes that have killed scores of ci-
flicts across the Middle East. Israel has have warned that vilians. Iran does not acknowledge its
already placed troops in the area on direct military involvement in Yemen
high alert amid fears it may be targeted by leaving the but is widely believed to be supporting
by Iranian forces operating across the agreement, the US the Houthis. On May 9 this year, Saudi
frontier. Syria’s largest airbase, T-4, is Arabia said Houthi rebels fired a salvo
believed to be the focus of Iran’s drone move could serve of ballistic missiles at Riyadh that was
presence in its Arab neighbour. Idlib c intercepted over the capital city. By
has seen an increase in bloodshed as to isolate Tehran arming and training thousands of Shia
Syrian and Russian jets have bombed at a time when it is militants in Iraq, Tehran sought to push
rebel-held positions. A Saudi-led coali- back Islamic State fighters, who seized
tion is fighting the Iran-allied Houthi engaged in multiple much of the war-torn country in 2014.
movement in Yemen, morphing the conflicts across the These factions remain armed and pow-
deadly civil conflict into a regional erful in Iraq, while Tehran seeks to bol-
proxy war. Middle East. ster the country’s fragile government.
The Turkish president has said the US
Key countries affected would “lose in the end” for withdrawing
The key players in the region and the two Israeli missiles. Saudi Arabia is from the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear
regions where violence could flare in- locked into several proxy wars across agreement and warned that the move
clude Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the Middle East with Iran, which for a could create “new crises in the region”.
Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Turkey and Qa- long time were centred in Syria, where Isolated in the Gulf, Qatar clashes
tar. Iran has been accused by its en- the region’s two most powerful states with the other Arab states. Saudi Arabia,
emies of attempting to create a cres- have exploited sectarian Sunni-Shia the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed
cent of influence stretching from its Muslim splits. Last year, Iran-backed an economic and diplomatic boycott
border to the Mediterranean, through Houthi militants began firing missiles on the small but rich nation last year,
allies in Iraq, Syria and into Lebanon at Riyadh, bringing the fight to the accusing it of supporting Islamist mili-
where its proxy, Hezbollah, has consoli- kingdom’s capital, with the latest salvo tants and aligning itself with Iran. Qa-
dated power. Early in Syria’s devastat- launched on Wednesday. As part of its tar denies the accusations but relations
ing seven-year civil war, Shia Iran sent anti-Iran push, the Saudi leadership has with its neighbours remain tense, al-
tactical advisers to support President welcomed Trump’s move to re-impose though it has restored diplomatic links
Bashar al-Assad. Since then, Tehran has sanctions on Iran. The Syrian civil war with Tehran. With all this, it is obvious
entrenched its military in the country, has torn up the country as world pow- that the Trump’s decision is bound to
deploying drone operators and fighters ers have moved to support opposing open the Pandora’s Box and sure to in-
from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards factions fighting for control. In its cam- cite passions in the region.
Corps. In February, Israel said it downed paign to push back what it sees as Saudi
an armed Iranian drone that penetrat- influence, Iran has established itself as letters@tehelka.com

tehelka / 31 may 2018 58 www.tehelka.com

56-58 Bharat Hiteshi.indd 4 17/05/18 3:59 PM