Experts Say Foreign Powers Source of Tension in Persian Gulf
February 24, 1999 - 0:0
TEHRAN Experts believe that the presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf is the main source of tension in the region. Talking to the TEHRAN TIMES, Jalil Roshandel, a university professor, said, there are regional as well as extra-regional problems which lead to tension in the region. The utilization of the resources as well as differences on the borders are among the regional problems, he said.
A few decades ago some of the Persian Gulf countries did not exist. They were created by the British and from the very beginning, the demarcation of the borders was in a manner that became a source of tension in the region. Referring to the baseless claims of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the Iranian Island of Abu Musa, he said, once and for ever the issue was settled before the British leave the region in 1971.
But relying on some documents which are mainly British, the UAE tries to bring its unfounded claim to the fore. Some of the regional regimes are sources of tension, he said adding, some of these regimes lack popular base and hence they are always worried about their legitimacy. He said Iraq is a clear example. As for the extra-regional factors, he said, big powers are the main factors who try to aggrandize regional problems in order to justify their intrusive presence in the region.
Some of the small regional countries with a small population, fearing bigger neighbors the fear has been aggrandized by big powers allocate considerable part of their incomes to arms purchases. Hence there is an arm race in the region, Roshandel said. The United States tried in the past to justify its presence in the region through such notions as balance of power or dual containment, he said.
In order to remove the tension from the region, the regional countries must take confidence-building measures. In the first instance the problems that seem insoluble should be frozen. They can be solved in the light of commonalties. Due to it cultural, historical characteristics, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a regional power that can play a crucial role in this regard.
Iraq with in the future and Saudi Arabia are other countries that can play a crucial role in this regard, he added. Iran and Saudi Arabia can play the role of two preeminent regional powers and prepare the ground for a regional unity, he said. Also talking to the TEHRAN TIMES, a London-based Iranian professor, Pirooz Mojtahedzadeh said, regional factors are not new and they cannot create tension by themselves.
Since these factors are potential sources of tension, others abuse these factors, he said. In the past Britain used to resort to the policy of divide and rule, today the U.S. is using the same trick for its global domination. The presence of foreign forces in the region is among the extra-regional factors which create tension in the region, he said.
A few decades ago some of the Persian Gulf countries did not exist. They were created by the British and from the very beginning, the demarcation of the borders was in a manner that became a source of tension in the region. Referring to the baseless claims of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the Iranian Island of Abu Musa, he said, once and for ever the issue was settled before the British leave the region in 1971.
But relying on some documents which are mainly British, the UAE tries to bring its unfounded claim to the fore. Some of the regional regimes are sources of tension, he said adding, some of these regimes lack popular base and hence they are always worried about their legitimacy. He said Iraq is a clear example. As for the extra-regional factors, he said, big powers are the main factors who try to aggrandize regional problems in order to justify their intrusive presence in the region.
Some of the small regional countries with a small population, fearing bigger neighbors the fear has been aggrandized by big powers allocate considerable part of their incomes to arms purchases. Hence there is an arm race in the region, Roshandel said. The United States tried in the past to justify its presence in the region through such notions as balance of power or dual containment, he said.
In order to remove the tension from the region, the regional countries must take confidence-building measures. In the first instance the problems that seem insoluble should be frozen. They can be solved in the light of commonalties. Due to it cultural, historical characteristics, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a regional power that can play a crucial role in this regard.
Iraq with in the future and Saudi Arabia are other countries that can play a crucial role in this regard, he added. Iran and Saudi Arabia can play the role of two preeminent regional powers and prepare the ground for a regional unity, he said. Also talking to the TEHRAN TIMES, a London-based Iranian professor, Pirooz Mojtahedzadeh said, regional factors are not new and they cannot create tension by themselves.
Since these factors are potential sources of tension, others abuse these factors, he said. In the past Britain used to resort to the policy of divide and rule, today the U.S. is using the same trick for its global domination. The presence of foreign forces in the region is among the extra-regional factors which create tension in the region, he said.