TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency) – The United States is pressuring Iran in order to force the Islamic Republic to give it concessions and as a prelude to a military attack on the country, Dr. Emad Fozi al-Sho'aibi, the head of the Political Science Department of Damascus University told the Mehr News Agency.

Al-Sho'aibi said the U.S. is trying to take advantage of the current situation to increase the pressure on Iran, despite Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Due to the longstanding animosity of the U.S. toward the Islamic Republic, which it has included on its axis of evil list, Washington is trying to convince the IAEA to approve the toughest possible resolution against Iran, he added. Al-Sho'aibi stated that the European Union, the U.S., and the Non-Aligned Movement all have different positions on Iran's civilian nuclear program, adding, "No doubt, there are differences of opinion among countries around the world, especially the U.S. and the European countries, and these differences which first arose with the U.S. attack on Iraq will continue for some time."

On the ability of the IAEA Board of Governors to withstand the political pressure of the U.S. and the Zionists, he said that it depends on the balance of power, which currently is in favor of the U.S., adding that under such circumstances, the EU might have to back off from its position and the pressure on Iran might continue.