LONDON: Iran wields more influence in Iraq than the United States and has established itself as Washington’s chief rival in the Middle East, a London-based think tank said in a report issued on Wednesday.
Chatham House’s report, ‘Iran, its Neighbours and the Regional Crises’, depicts a country whose influence is expanding in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Chatham House attributed Iran’s success to diplomacy, charitable efforts and the removal of two of its chief regional rivals from power: Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The ease with which Iran now operates in the region has ‘severely compromised’ US ability to confront Iran, the think tank said.
“While the US has been playing poker in the region, Iran has been playing chess,” said Nadim Shehadi, a report contributor. “Iran is playing a longer, more clever game and has been far more successful at winning hearts and minds.”
The report asserts that President George Bush’s administration has shown little ability to use politics and culture to pursue its strategic interests while Iran’s knowledge of the region, its culture and historic ties have given it a strong advantage over the West.
“Western policy toward the Middle East shows a complete lack of imagination. There is a world of opportunities between neglect and military action which has yet to be fully explored,” said Ali Ansari, a Middle East analyst with Chatham House.
Iran’s strong regional standing is partly responsible for the belligerent and dismissive attitude it has shown toward the West, the report says.
The Chatham House report also claims that a rift has developed between Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
As evidence, the report points to Ayatollah Khamenei’s recent decision to form a foreign relations council _ which has been tasked with making strategy and thinking broadly about foreign policy, as opposed to undertaking the day-to-day business of the foreign ministry and to appoint a moderate, the former foreign minister, Kamal Kharrazi, as its head.—AP
