TEHRAN, July 16 (MNA) – Commenting on Biden's West Asia tour to create an anti-Iran alliance, Ibrahimov says all US anti-Iran initiatives are stillborn adding that Arab NATO can face China, Russia and Iran's immediate reactions.US President Joe Biden landed in Saudi Arabia on Friday on the second leg of his four-day regional tour, welcomed in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah by Prince Khalid Al Faisal, a senior member of the royal family and the governor of Mecca.
Biden’s first trip to Saudi Arabia comes amid efforts to reset Washington’s relationship with Riyadh, and as the world grapples with soaring energy costs.
The Biden administration appears to be eager to show that its relationship with Saudi Arabia has benefits far beyond oil, with Biden making strenuous efforts to mend fences with the kingdom's leadership.
Biden is looking to strengthen ties with a country that has been a key regional ally of Washington for decades, a major supplier of oil and a buyer of weapons.
Analysts believe that Biden wants the world's largest exporter of crude to increase production to bring down soaring fuel prices, which threaten Democratic chances in upcoming mid-term elections.
Since the beginning of Russia's military operation in Ukraine and the ensuing spikes in oil prices, the US president has made great efforts to control fuel prices as well as isolate Russia.
Many analysts believe that Biden's visit to the Middle East is in line with these issues, among others.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden and the Zionist Prime Minister Yair Lapid have reiterated their anti-Iran positions in a joint declaration.
Noteworthy that before the beginning of Biden's regional tour there were reports on the Joint efforts of Tel Aviv and Washington to create an anti-Iran regional alliance with some Arab states.
The statement said that the US will use “all elements of national power” available to it to deny Iran the ability to arm itself with nuclear weapons.
To shed light on the issue, Mehr News has reached out to Farhad Ibrahimov, a Russian political expert and member of Valdai discussion club.
Here is the full text of the interview with him:
We have never seen a successful alignment among regional Arab countries during the past decades. For example, Arab League was created to defend Palestine but failed to do so. Why?
She did not influence anything, she only made certain decisions on paper.
The League of Arab States throughout its existence, unfortunately, has not been able to really resolve certain conflicts in the region.
Moreover, she was unable to defend the rights of Palestine, which are spelled out in the UN In order for the organization to survive, some Arab countries are looking for an external enemy, against which they call on all Arab states to defend themselves.
However, they will not be able to do this, since there is no consolidation among the Arab countries and there is no single position on this or that issue.
Great Britain and the USA are actively occupied with this problem.
It is in their interests to make the League of Arab States a structure under their control, with the help of which they will be able to put pressure on certain Arab countries that pursue an independent foreign policy or intend to establish relations with the major powers of the Middle East region - Iran and Turkey.
Now, with the help of the US, Tel Aviv is trying to create an anti-Iran alignment with some Arab countries. Don’t you think that this initiative is stillborn? Why?
First, Israel is now opposed to the Biden administration, they demand that the Americans refuse any dialogue with Tehran.
In addition, Israel will be ready to join the American initiative to create an anti-Iranian alliance only if the United States refuses to negotiate a "nuclear deal", approximately the same position is held by some Arab countries in the region.
As long as the issue of the "nuclear deal" exists, the US will not be able to do anything really against Iran, since they have used all their levers of pressure on Tehran and there is simply nothing left for them to do.
It is also difficult to find allies in this matter due to disagreements with Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Nobody believes Biden and his administration.
The United States has already failed to isolate Iran from the outside world, so all Washington's initiatives are initially stillborn.
As Iran considers any alignment with Israel a threat, do you think that some regional Arab countries are ready to antagonize Iran? Biden is making this Middle East tour to convince the Arab countries not to go through this scenario of talks with IranArab countries are now in a rather difficult situation.
Despite the contradictions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, there are still politicians in Riyadh surrounded by the crown prince who is interested in establishing and normalizing relations with Iran.
I must say that this is a rather sensible and sober position that can bring peace to the region and establishment of cooperation.
That is why Biden is making this Middle East tour to convince the Arab countries not to go through this scenario.
Moreover, the US is confident that if they put pressure on the Arab countries, then the monarchies will agree and unite with Israel against Iran.
All that the Americans are doing now is blackmail, and they no longer have any other mechanism.
In fact, the Arab countries are tired of the conflict and want normal relations.
Therefore, Riyadh decided to establish contacts with Turkey, and a number of Arab politicians are already declaring the need to improve relations with Iran.
Based on this, I can assume that there will be no consolidation in the Arab world to fight Iran.
Generally, can such a provocative move help maintain regional security or it can aggravate the fragile stability in the region? Any American initiative proposed to the Arab countries is carefully studied in RiyadhOf course, if the Americans still manage to put pressure on the Arabs and the entire Arab world agrees to create the so-called "Arab NATO" and if Israel joins this initiative, then the fragile peace in the Middle East region will be destroyed instantly.
Everyone is well aware that the initiative to create an "Arab NATO", headed by the Americans, is aimed at destroying Iran.
Naturally, an immediate reaction from Russia and China will follow, which can lead to unpredictable consequences not only for the region but for the whole world.
Therefore, any American initiative proposed to the Arab countries is carefully studied in Riyadh.
They are well aware of what direct intervention in the United States and the complete loss of sovereignty by the Arab monarchies can lead to.
Can't such a move lead to an arms race in the region? Biden will not be able to achieve anythingIf the Arab countries agree with Biden's initiative to isolate Iran in the region, this could lead not just to an arms race, but possibly to war.
I think that the Americans, through the hands of the Arabs, will again loosen the situation in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, and this is certainly a blow to Iran's interests in the region.
Thus, Iran will simply be able to stand aside and will be forced to respond to the challenges and threats that will follow from the Arab coalition.
However, I still believe that Biden will not be able to achieve anything, because he did not win the trust among the leaders of the monarchies, so the scenario we have painted will be unlikely.
It all depends on whether the Americans will be able to put pressure on the Arab monarchies and what conditions the Americans will agree to Riyadh.
Interview by Payman Yazdani