Jumping to conclusions regarding the outcome of the recent US election, Iran has quickly become emboldened in the Middle East; Zarif: Trump’s gone in 70 days, but we’ll remain here forever…
Amid the media’s premature calling of the United States election in favor of former Vice President Joe Biden, several leaders in the Middle East are beginning to make statements concerning President Trump’s assumed absence from the White House in January. Undoubtedly, leaders of countries such as Iran and Turkey, along with the leader of the Palestinians, are already planning how they want to reshape the Middle East.
One example can be found in Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who took to Twitter stating, “A sincere message to our neighbors: Trump’s gone in 70 days, but we’ll remain here forever.” Such a statement is targeting nations like Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Sudan. All of which chose to normalize their diplomatic ties with Israel in recent weeks in deals brokered by the White House.
Zarif continued, “Betting on outsiders to provide security is never a good gamble. We extend our hand to our neighbors for dialog to resolve differences. Only together can we build a better future for all.” However, it’s tough to put stock in such a statement, especially for the Gulf States who were immediately threatened by Iran and Turkey following their decision regarding Israel. Without question, Iran’s call for unity is unity by submission – unity through fear.
Biden has already vowed to rejoin the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) should he win the presidency – a deal implemented by the Obama administration that further enabled the Iranians to advance their nuclear program.
Zarif had the confidence to state on Sunday that “The world is watching whether the new leaders will abandon disastrous lawless bullying of outgoing regime—and accept multilateralism, cooperation & respect for law.” The irony here can be seen in that the Iranians time and time again have violated the terms of the JCPOA, long before the Trump administration implemented tough economic sanctions.
