Adil Rasheed replies: Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, relations between the United States (US) and Iran have remained adversarial. Therefore, it might not be correct to single out Donald Trump’s presidency as being particularly ‘hostile’ towards Iran, as several US administrations in the past have imposed sanctions and threatened to go to war with the theocratic state.
The uncertainty brought about by the pandemic would at best have a limited and short-term impact on the US-Iran hostilities. For the time being, the chances of escalation may be limited but the rivalry is here to stay.
Adil Rasheed replies: For the Islamic Republic of Iran to have named its elite offshore military force ‘al-Quds’, which is the Arabic name for Jerusalem, is understandably disconcerting for the United States (US) and Israel as it clearly points to Iran’s extra-territorial military ambition of “liberating” Islam’s third holiest city from the Zionist state.
The situation in Persian Gulf has been on the boil with several tit-for-tat actions raising the chances of a direct confrontation. However, Iran will be cautious in choosing an all-out war given its vulnerabilities against the US military might.
As concerns over a potential conflict in the region grow, the pressing issue of what a conflict would mean for the price of international crude oil needs to be addressed urgently.
S. Samuel C. Rajiv replies:Donald Trump, even prior to assuming office in January 2017, held that the Iran nuclear deal – formally the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – negotiated by the Barack Obama administration along with Russia, France, Germany, United Kingdom and China (the P5+1) in July 2015, was a ‘disastrous deal’ and one of his first tasks after taking over as president would be to dismantle it.
While India is likely to meet the shortfall in its crude oil imports, the Trump administration’s sanctions on Iran have the potential to either seriously damage India’s ties with Iran or hinder the strategic partnership with the United States.
Trump’s new policy statement on Iran has enveloped the UNSC-approved Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in a shroud of uncertainty that could lead to further instability in conflict-ridden West Asia.
The Iran nuclear deal should not be seen in isolation. There has been a clear realisation in the West, especially in the US, that Iran needs to be brought out of international isolation and into the mainstream.
US-Iran Hostilities in Times of Pandemic
The uncertainty brought about by the pandemic would at best have a limited and short-term impact on the US-Iran hostilities. For the time being, the chances of escalation may be limited but the rivalry is here to stay.