A year in retrospect: Trump & team tremble as Iran’s power & prestige grow

The Islamic Republic is clearly the paramount power in the region which the US has failed to undermine despite its feverish attempts after exiting from the nuclear accord and trying in vain to curtail Tehran’s growing might and influence.

Here’s a Viewpoint Column that appeared in this regard in Iran’s English language ‘Kayhan International’ on May 9, Wednesday.

Kayhan International pointed out: “The 8^th of May marked the full failure of the quixotic policies against Iran of the economic terrorist Donald Trump and his team of thugs, which are jumping like scared and harebrained rabbits, as the Islamic Republic gathers strength.

“This is evident by the gangster Mike Pompeo’s abrupt cancellation of his visit to Germany in the midst of a European tour and stealth surfacing on Wednesday in Baghdad to pressure Iraq against continued cooperation with Iran, and to beseech his reluctant hosts to protect the life of the American occupation troops, whom the Iraqi people and popular mobilization forces consider as justified targets that should return in body bags to the US if they prolong their filthy presence on the sacred soil of Mesopotamia.

“A couple of days earlier, the bewildered John Bolton had frantically announced dispatch of an aircraft carrier, along with a fleet of B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf region to assure the shivering milk-cows in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Manama of US protection so that they can yield more milk as possible – rather than scaring Iran with his bombastic words of “unrelenting force” if US interests are attacked, since he very well knows that Tehran is the least scared of Washington’s threats.         

“A year ago, Donald the Dotard, had officially announced US’ violation of the 7-nation international accord ‘Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) on Tehran’s right to use of peaceful nuclear energy, and with it re-imposition of the illegal sanctions to try to cripple Iran’s economy, bragging that this would force the Islamic Republic to beg him to renegotiate the “flawed” accord by agreeing to dismantle its missile defence project, and withdraw support to countries and popular forces that had defeated the macabrely murderous takfiri terrorists and checked the devilish designs of the Zionist regime in the region.”

According to Kayhan International: “Many in Iran also consider JCPOA a “flawed accord” since the negotiators – by ignoring the wise statements of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei – were duped into reducing Iran’s enrichment of uranium from 20 percent to a mere 3.5 percent, accepting unnecessary years-long limits, and handing over veto power to archenemy, the US, for periodical reaffirmation of an international pact, which the unprincipled and opportunistic Trump fully exploited to push Iran into a corner.

“Yet, since the Islamic Republic, which considers production of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction as “haraam” (religiously forbidden), had given its commitment to JCPOA, it honoured its words and signatures by abiding by this “flawed” accord, which the other signatories – France, Germany, Russia, China, and Britain – also regard as valid.

 “Iran, however, made it clear that whenever it feels it has been cheated by the big three European powers who have practically done nothing to offset the illegal US sanctions, it has the right to withdraw from the JCPOA.

“The passing of 365 days and the dashing of the eccentric expectations of Trump despite his constant increase of pressures on countries doing business with Iran and threats to change the system of government in Iran, warrants a look in retrospect, especially after the decision of President Hassan Rouhani on 8 May 2019 to suspend certain clauses of the JCPOA for a 60-day period in order to test the sincerity of its European signatories in defying the illegal US sanctions.”

Kayhan International noted: “The Islamic Republic of Iran, with complete trust in Divine Assistance and the blessings of the month of Ramadhan, speaks from a position of strength against both American lawlessness and European deceit, and use its right to increase uranium enrichment.

“Trump and his team of thugs know that the missile defence and aerospace technology of the Islamic Republic has grown by leaps and bounds, along with its prestige and power in the region and beyond.

“Trump had vowed to roll back Iran’s influence from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Bahrain, Yemen, Arabia, and Afghanistan.

“Yet over the past year the Islamic Republic’s cooperation and coordination has remarkably grown in these places.

“For instance, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria paid an official visit to Tehran to strengthen the joint campaign against terrorism and American meddling, as well as participation in reconstruction projects.

“President Hassan Rouhani, in sharp contrast to Trump’s stealth trip in the dead of night to a remote American occupation airbase and refusal by Iraqi officials to meet the uninvited US president, was warmly welcomed by the various political and religious leaders of Iraq.

“Besides, he hosted in Tehran during the past year both Iraqi president, Barham Salih, and Iraqi premier, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, to finalize important political, economic, industrial, trade, cultural, academic, and religious accords.”

Kayhan International said: “Rouhani also made formal visits to other neighbours, such as Turkey, Russia, China, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, for finalizing vital trade and political deals, while hosting in Tehran, President Vladimir Putin, President Rajab Tayyeb Erdoghan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, and recently, Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan – all of whom concluded important agreements to the dismay of the Americans.

In view of these undeniable facts, it would be naïve of the enemies to think that JCPOA is a perennial pact to keep Iran constantly bound, or that the CENTCOM terrorists would be allowed by the Islamic Republic and its growing number of allies to stay unscathed for long in the region, or that the illegal Zionist entity would hold on forever to Palestine – as the hour of its doom is fast approaching.”

AS/EA