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Someone in Washington Is Scared of Iran

(Israel Hayom) Prof. Eyal Zisser - Every time an explosion is reported at an Iranian nuclear facility or a senior Revolutionary Guards official meets their end in the heart of Tehran, senior anonymous officials in Washington let it be known that the U.S. was not responsible for the act and insinuate responsibility lies with and the resulting act of vengeance should be directed at Israel. The same thing happened last week when Pentagon officials anonymously said that Israel had ramped up its activities against Iran without asking for U.S. authorization or informing Washington of its actions. There is something unhealthy about these repeated leaks that insinuate Israel is behind regional tensions. When the Iranians attacked Saudi and Emirati oil facilities in 2019, the Americans did not respond at all, despite the fact that these two countries are close U.S. allies. Even when U.S. bases were attacked by Iran's emissaries in the region, the U.S. response was minor. Yet American concerns over Iran are neither understandable nor justified. There is no need to exaggerate its power. Iran is in a state of serious financial crisis, and its military is not as powerful as Tehran would have us believe. Israel has proven over the last decade that one can set red lines for the Iranians and thwart their activity. It has also proven that Tehran is limited in its ability to retaliate and is deterred from conflict. In this region, those who turn the other cheek are guaranteed to get struck once again. It is inappropriate for officials in Washington to try to place the blame on us. The writer is a lecturer in Middle East history at Tel Aviv University.
2022-06-30 00:00:00
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