PGCC Archives - Iran News Daily

Iran Invited to PGCC Summit

mahla — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 21:09:18 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.

Expressing Kuwait’s determination to broaden relations with Iran, Al Sabah said his country has received positive signals from Iran after the inauguration of Pezeshkian that would open up new vistas for development and interaction with the region and the world.

Describing the neighboring states, including Kuwait and Iran, as the true owners of the region who are well familiar with the interests of the region, the crown prince invited the Iranian president to attend a meeting of the PGCC heads of state.

Pezeshkian, for his part, welcomed the invitation.

He said Iran regards Kuwait as a friend and brother and is prepared to strengthen and deepen bilateral relations in all fields.

The president reiterated that his administration’s foreign policy is based on closer ties with the neighbors and adopting the course of dialogue and understanding instead of discord.

Synergy and convergence among the neighbors will ensure sustainable peace and security in the region and pave the way for progress and development, he added.

The post Iran Invited to PGCC Summit appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Don’t Even Think of It

mahla — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 21:45:14 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) –Since the first day of the Islamic Revolution and whenever there is some internal or regional dispute, the UAE supported by its allies in the Persian Gulf begins its false and imaginary claims regarding the ownership of three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf but this itsy-bitsy state should know that Iranians will not let anybody think of separating these islands from the country and it is really really a redline for any Iranian either inside or outside the country.

The (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council, known as the (P)GCC, states every time gather, they issue a statement against Iran especially regarding ownership of three Iranian islands and they claim the islands belong to the UAE while the fact is otherwise and even there are documents in the UN which show who is the real owner of the island. It seems the PGCC suffers from a disease called Iranophobia and bad habit of wrong claim against these three islands to please the pint-size UAE. Recent riots in Iran once again have emboldened these states to issue such a statement against Iran over the ownership of the islands and this time unfortunately China joined the band in issuing the statement.

Reacting to this funny statement, Iranians warned those behind this statement. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman condemned anti-Iran remarks featured in a joint statement issued by China and the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as continuation of the council’s failed “Iranophobic policy.”

The statement was issued on Friday at the end of the council’s 43rd summit in the Saudi capital Riyadh, which coincided with the termination of an official visit to the kingdom by China’s President Xi Jinping.

Speaking on Saturday, the ministry’s spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, denounced the statement as a “futile attempt” by the council’s members “to cover up their financial, political and logistical support for terrorist groups operating in the region.”

The official referred to the enormous material and human losses inflicted on the regional people as a result of the “destructive policies” of a number of (P) GCC members, urging the council to revisit its approaches to regional issues and rather adopt a “constructive” course of action.

In their statement, the (P) GCC members affirmed their support for what they called the United Arab Emirates’ efforts to reach a “peaceful solution” on the issue of the three Iranian Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Lesser Tunb, and the Greater Tunb, to which the UAE lays an unfounded claim.

The strategically-positioned islands have always been part of Iran, the proof of which can be corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents inside the Islamic Republic and elsewhere in the world.

Kanaani reasserted Iran’s principled position on the islands, calling them “an inseparable and permanent” part of the Islamic Republic’s territory.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers any claim to the islands to be destabilizing, [and an instance of] intervention in its internal affairs and [violation of its] territorial sovereignty, and strongly condemns it,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

The PGCC statement also accused Iran of posing a threat to “the safety of international waterways and oil facilities.”

Responding to the claim, Kanaani said the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces are determined to preserve the maritime security of the regional waters, and such statements could not dent their resolve to protect the security of their country and the region.

“The islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb in the Persian Gulf are inseparable parts of the pure land of Iran and belong to this motherland forever,” Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said in a post on his Twitter account on Saturday.

The UAE and its allies, mainly Saudi Arabia, should know that Iranians will not let anyone invade their lands as we see even their lord, the U.S., does not dare to attack on Iran because of the military power and strong determination of Iran and Iranians.

The PGCC states in their statement affirmed their support for all peaceful efforts, including the initiative and endeavors of the United Arab Emirates, to reach a peaceful solution to the issue of the three islands through bilateral negotiations in accordance with the rule of international law and to resolve this issue in accordance with international legitimacy.

The strategically-positioned islands of Abu Musa, the Lesser Tunb, and the Greater Tunb have always been part of Iran, the proof of which can be corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world.

So these states are better to know that these three islands or any inch of the land of the country is considered as the red line and they will give due response to anybody who has devilish intention at any inch of the land in this country.

We also recommend the PGCC states to drink coffee and talk on their own businesses and stop thinking bad things against the Islamic Republic of Iran although we know that the Islamic Republic of Iran due to its progresses and influence in the world has turned into a nightmare for these Persian Gulf states and they try to relieve themselves by issuing such nonsense statements but the fact is that these three islands belong to Iran and nobody dares to think bad about it. So it seems issuing such a statement against the islands is turning to a boring and useless habit for the bloc to entertain themselves during the summit.

The post Don’t Even Think of It appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Persian Gulf National Day: Let’s protect precious marine environment

mahla — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 12:52:57 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Persian Gulf National Day: The Persian Gulf is a valuable water body in terms of ecosystem and biodiversity, but has been affected severely due to different depleting factors. So, let’s mind its protection on April 30, Persian Gulf National Day.

The day marks the anniversary of forcing out the Portuguese navy of the Strait of Hormuz in the Capture of Ormuz (1622).

The Persian Gulf has an area of about 241,000 square kilometers. Its length is some 990 km, and its width varies from a maximum of about 340 km to a minimum of 55 km in the Strait of Hormuz.

It has its own environmental characteristics, as it is a semi-closed sea, aging 15,000 years, with an average depth of 35 meters, while being high salty with severe heat fluctuations, and an annual evaporation rate of 140 cm.

There are 2 species of dolphin and whale in the area, in addition to 1,100 species of fish and 5 species of turtle, the Persian Gulf also host to the second largest population of manatees, and 232 seaweed species and 4 million migratory birds annually, but today 240 important species and many habitats are under threat.

Oil production is to blame

Until the discovery of oil in Iran in 1908, the Persian Gulf area was important mainly for fishing, pearling, sailcloth making, camel breeding, and date growing.

Since World War II the Persian Gulf and the surrounding countries have come to account for a significant proportion of the world’s oil production. In addition, the area has approximately two-thirds of the world’s estimated proven oil reserves and one-third of the world’s estimated proven natural gas reserves. The region thus has acquired considerable strategic significance for the world’s industrialized countries.

Oil pollution, extraction, and transportation caused the Persian Gulf to struggle with environmental issues. Out of 21 largest oil spills in the world, 7 cases occurred in this water body, which is threatening the aquatic ecosystem.

Aquatic species endangered

The Persian Gulf shores were once home to sea turtles, which migrated to the surrounding islands due to uneven development. Sea turtles have lived for 150 million years, so we must work to protect them.

Hassan Mohammadi, the coordinator of the Regional Organization for the Protection of Marine Environment (ROPME), said in December 2019 that studies show that as the current environmental issues continue, by the end of the century, about 20 percent of native species in the Persian Gulf will be extinct and 10 percent of new species that might be invasive will replace them.

However, experts believe that the situation of the Persian Gulf is critical and its survival is not possible without major changes in the management policies.

Mohammad Reza Fatemi, a marine ecologist, has said that lack of ecosystem approach, lack of a positive and dynamic relationship with maritime organizations, and related organization is the main barrier to the protection of the Persian Gulf.

Mangrove forests and coral reefs of the Persian Gulf are one of the most biodiverse habitats but are under serious threat. Oil pollution, countless ships and fishing nets floating on the sea, on the one hand, the construction of artificial islands in the surrounding countries and, most destructively, the presence of 90 percent of the world’s desalination plants in the region, on the other hand, has created an ecosystem that is losing more aquatic species every day.

Urban and industrial effluents from desalination plants increase the salinity of the Persian Gulf, in addition to climate change, which has destroyed coral reefs as seawater gets warmer, while the habitat and breeding ground of three-quarters of marine species is among the coral reefs, he explained.

Many species are on the verge of extinction, facing a constant and growing threat, and the main victim of which is humans.

No collective effort yet to safeguard marine life

The enclosed water basin shares boundaries with Iran, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.

There are tens of international conventions and protocols to protect the Persian Gulf marine environment, however, despite the fact that the Persian Gulf is of utmost importance economically, environmentally, and socially for the littoral cities, there is no collective effort to safeguard its marine life.

Faced with a strange catastrophe, a comprehensive operational plan is highly needed to deal with the development measures, effects of climate change and to preserve coasts and species.

The post Persian Gulf National Day: Let’s protect precious marine environment appeared first on Iran News Daily.

PGCC Reacts to Iran’s Stance on UAE, Israel Deal

reporter 1222 — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 07:17:33 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – The (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) reacted with outrage to Iran’s strong opposition to a recent deal between the UAE and Israel to normalize relations.

In a statement on Sunday, the regional grouping’s Secretary-General Nayef Falah Mubarak al-Hajraf alleged that the position adopted by various Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, amounted to a “threat”.

Such remarks, Hajraf claimed, served to foment instability and insecurity in the Persian Gulf region and ran counter to the standing diplomatic customs, according to Press TV.

The UAE and Israel announced the deal that laid the groundwork for the full normalization of their relations on Thursday.

The agreement was met with uniform condemnation of all Palestinian factions, who called it a stab in the back of the Palestinians and sheer betrayal of their cause.

The Emirati Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires in Abu Dhabi in reaction to the Iranian president’s remarks, which it alleged amounted to “interference” in the UAE’s internal affairs and an ”assault” on its sovereignty, the Emirates’ official WAM news agency reported.

The Iranian envoy was served with a “strongly-worded memo” over the “unacceptable” and “inflammatory” remarks, echoing the GCC’s allegations that Rouhani’s words carried “serious repercussions” for the security and stability of the Persian Gulf region, the agency added, citing the ministry.

Lambasting the move, President Rouhani warned Abu Dhabi about the consequences of allowing the Israel regime to secure a foothold in the region and wield influence.

He said Emirati rulers had taken a wrong path to think that their security and economic growth would be ensured if they sided with the United States and the Israeli regime, similarly denouncing the deal as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said normalization between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv served to further galvanize regional people against the occupying regime, thus bringing its ultimate disintegration closer.

The PGCC official suggested though that by assuming such stances, the Islamic Republic was avoiding a “peaceful” resolution of the existing differences with its fellow Persian Gulf littoral states, and neglecting the principles of good-neighborliness.

Tehran has repeatedly expressed readiness for participation in a dialog aimed at ironing out the differences.

It, however, has cautioned against foreign meddling, including by the US and its allies, asserting that the region’s problems have to be sorted out by its own members. Tehran has invited the regional states to join their efforts to ensure security without any foreign interference.

The post PGCC Reacts to Iran’s Stance on UAE, Israel Deal appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Iran Blasts PGCC Call for Extension of Arms Embargo

reporter 1222 — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 03:54:45 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran on Sunday strongly criticized the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) for its “irresponsible” call for extending an arms embargo on the country.

The PGCC council’s secretariat on Sunday asked the UN Security Council to extend the arms embargo on Iran, which will expire in October.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said the six-member council has issued a “unilateral and dictated” statement while some of its members are among the biggest purchasers of Western arms in spite of grappling with economic problems.

Regretting “the unproductive approach taken by some of the members” of the PGCC, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi added, “Unfortunately, it appears the so-called Persian Gulf Cooperation Council has become the representative of certain narrow-minded members inside the council or outside the region and its secretariat influenced by wrong and destructive policies and behaviors of some of its members has turned into the mouthpiece of anti-Iran hawks.”

“PGCC has reached its inefficiency climax,” the spokesman said, adding the council has become useless due to its “internal divisions and unrealistic policies and its recent move indicated that it has ignored regional realities and turned a blind eye to the regional realities and priorities under current sensitive circumstances.”

The UN arms embargo against Iran is to expire on October 18 based on the nuclear agreement which is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The US is pressing ahead with plans to push for the extension of the UN arms embargo on Iran, but it is likely to face stiff opposition from other nations, including Russia and China.

The post Iran Blasts PGCC Call for Extension of Arms Embargo appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Iran Condemns PGCC Accusations

reporter 1222 — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 13:08:13 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismissed as groundless the anti-Iranian accusations leveled by the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) regarding Yemen.

In a statement on Tuesday, Seyed Abbas Mousavi dismissed as a “blame game” the unfounded allegations made by Secretary-General of the P(GCC) Nayef Al-Hajraf.

“We recommend the new PGCC secretary-general focuses his attention on the need to stop attacks by the (Saudi-led) coalition aggressors against Yemeni women and children and help settle the Yemen crisis through intra-Yemeni talks rather than pursuing the blame game trend and leveling groundless accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is in line with the destructive role of some PGCC members,” Mousavi said, according to the Foreign Ministry’s official website.

“On behalf of the US and the Zionist regime of Israel, some PGCC members have, against the will of Arab and Muslim nations in the region, sealed their lips, in an intimidating atmosphere, in the face of issues and main threats to the Muslim world and the oppressed Palestinian nation,” he added.

“Those PGCC members are pressing ahead with their violent bombardments of the resistant and patient Yemeni people and their unjust blockade of the country and preventing food, fuel, and medicine needed to combat coronavirus from reaching the country.

“The Saudis and resigned Hadi administration’s stance on the initiative proposed by the UN secretary-general to stop conflicts across the world, including in Yemen, indicate the hypocritical position of these aggressors, who, despite claiming to be observing a ceasefire, push ahead with their fierce bombardments, and while rejecting the Yemen peace plan floated by the UN chief, still insist on trying to settle the crisis militarily, and seek to blame others in order to deflect the world’s attention from their acts of aggression,” the Iranian diplomat concluded.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the devastating war on Yemen in March 2015 in order to bring former president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi back to power and crush the Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, estimates that the war has claimed more than 100,000 lives over the past five years.

More than half of Yemen’s hospitals and clinics have been destroyed or closed during the war by the Saudi-led coalition, which is supported militarily by the UK, US, and other Western nations.

At least 80 percent of the 28 million-strong population is also reliant on aid to survive in what the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

The post Iran Condemns PGCC Accusations appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Too Soon for Progressive Talks with Saudi; Qatari FM

reporter 1222 — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 12:42:28 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Qatar’s foreign minister stated it was premature to talk about real progressive talks with Saudi Arabia over the blockade but opening channels of communication between Doha and Riyadh was a step forward.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said it will take time to rebuild trust and have progressive talks between Qatar and its [Persian] Gulf neighbours, including Saudi Arabia, after the two-and-a-half-year air, sea, and land blockade was imposed.

“We are still at a very early stage,” he stated, adding, “There is some progress … because we have [broken] the stalemate with the Saudis.”

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting “terrorism”. Doha has denied the allegations and accused its neighbours of seeking to curtail its sovereignty.

Sheikh Mohammad noted that the terrorism accusation has been proved to have “no basis at all” by the international community.

The blockading nations have demanded that Qatar cease interactions with their rival Iran, shut down Al-Jazeera Media Network, and close a Turkish military base.

The foreign minister said Qatar will not offer any concessions that will “affect our sovereignty and interfere with our domestic or foreign policy”.

“From our perspective, we want to understand the grievances and we want to study and assess them and look for the solutions that can safeguard us in the future from any other potential crisis,” added Sheikh Mohammad.

In recent weeks, there have been signs pointing to a possible thaw in relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Sheikh Mohammad met senior Saudi officials in October in a bid to end the rift.

In November, the three [Persian] Gulf blockading countries took part in a regional football tournament in Qatar, reversing at the last minute an earlier decision to not participate.

Last Tuesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani attended an annual [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) summit in Saudi Arabia, its highest representation at the meeting since 2017.

The closed-door gathering lasted less than an hour before a final communique by the six-member bloc emphasised the need to increase military and security cooperation to maintain regional cooperation.

Sheikh Mohammad also stressed the need for the [P]GCC to return to its role of representing the building blocks for any fruitful dialogue between the [Persian] Gulf states and Iran.

“The work of the [P]GCC has been affected by this crisis, and we hope to overcome many challenges next year,” he stated.

“This situation has no winner,” he added, noting, “We want to see a solution, a settlement that saves the dignity of all countries and declares them as owners of unity.”

Asked whether Qatar was ready to sever ties with the Muslim Brotherhood group – which the blockading countries consider a terrorist organisation – the foreign minister said, “We are a country, we are not a political party.”

“Qatar has never supported the Muslim Brotherhood and it has never had a direct relation with the Muslim Brotherhood as a political party. As long as they participate in governments that are elected by their own people, we have to deal with those governments,” he added.

The post Too Soon for Progressive Talks with Saudi; Qatari FM appeared first on Iran News Daily.

PGCC Interference in Iran Affairs is condemned

reporter 1222 — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 12:34:50 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismissed a statement issued by the Gulf Cooperation Council, known as PGCC, that has raised allegations against Iran and had interference in Iran affairs, and flatly rejected the council’s baseless claims on the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.

In remarks on Wednesday, Seyed Abbas Mousavi dismissed the statement issued at the 40th summit of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council, known as PGCC, and certain anti-Iran comments made at the summit in Riyadh.

“The repetition of groundless allegations in that statement results from the political pressures from a few members of the council, which have made every effort during the past couple of decades to prevent promotion of multilateral cooperation,” the Iranian spokesperson said.

“With their short-sightedness throughout these years, not only have they (certain PGCC members) allowed for the plunder of the neighboring countries’ wealth, but they have also paved the way for further interference from aliens in this region, especially Iran,” Mousavi deplored.

“A small number of the council’s members are willing to ruin opportunities for cooperation, provided by our country for the purpose of creating security and stability in the region, by keeping up their unwise policies,” the Iranian diplomat said, urging other regional countries to stand against such policies.

Highlighting the Islamic Republic of Iran’s responsible behavior over the past years, Mousavi referred to proposing a non-aggression pact, the Regional Dialogue Forum, and ultimately the Hormuz Peace Endeavor as just part of Iran’s efforts for materialization of regional cooperation.

The spokesperson then called on the few countries supporting the continuation of unwise policies in the region to explain to the region’s public opinion what measures they have taken to ease regional tensions other than creating and strengthening terrorist and Takfiri groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, or allowing aliens in the Persian Gulf.

“The countries whose irresponsible meddling in other countries has led to the massacre of innocent citizens, from women and children to the elderly, and has resulted in the spread of insecurity and terrorism in the region, are attempting to evade the consequences of and international punishment for the blatant violation of international laws and their war crimes by pinning the blame on others,” Mousavi said.

The spokesperson further underlined that the three islands of the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa are indispensable and eternal part of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s territories, adding, “Our country regards any claim on those islands as interference in its internal affairs and its territorial boundaries, and strongly condemns it.”

“All activities by the Islamic Republic of Iran on the (three) islands have been in line with the country’s inalienable rights and in compliance with its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stated, adding, “Repetition of such meddlesome stances in any shape is categorically rejected, and has not had and will not have any impact on the legal and historical realities on the ground.”

Slamming the PGCC’s reaction to a reduction of Iran’s JCPOA commitments as a “historical irony”, the spokesman said, “The countries that invested all of their efforts and capital in the failure of the JCPOA are now opposing Iran’s legitimate measures.”

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also strongly condemned the PGCC statement’s brazen support for the US economic terrorism against the great Iranian nation, saying such support runs counter to the policy of good-neighborliness.

“Many of the bogus and repetitious claims in that (PGCC) statement do not merit a response,” Mousavi went on to say, expressing hope that those PGCC members would shift their policies and opt for cooperation instead of making such provocative remarks which only result in the continuation of the current destructive trend and which steer the region towards a vague future.

The post PGCC Interference in Iran Affairs is condemned appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Iran Presidential Letters to PGCC States Confirmed

reporter 1222 — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 08:41:04 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi confirmed that President Hassan Rouhani has sent separate letters to the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) Member States and Iraq.

Asked by journalists about the reports of Rouhani’s letters to heads of the PGCC States and Iraq, Mousavi confirmed the reports on Saturday, then saying, “After the honorable President of the Islamic Republic of Iran put forward the ‘Hormuz Peace Endeavour’ in this year’s United Nations General Assembly, he sent its full text to the heads of the aforementioned countries, and in the letter, he called for collective cooperation among all of them in processing and implementing it (the initiative).”

“This shows the Islamic Republic of Iran’s seriousness and that it cares about the regional countries. Also we care when it comes to ensuring stability and security in the Persian Gulf region,” he added.

The spokesperson also said that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will soon send a letter. A letter to Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres about Iran regards for PGCC states.

The post Iran Presidential Letters to PGCC States Confirmed appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Forming alliance among PGCC member states an illusory idea: Prof. Entessar

reporter 1222 — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 05:30:26 +0000

Professor of political science says the “Arab world” today is a patchwork of competing countries and forming an enduring alliance among the Arab states of the Persian Gulf is an illusory idea concocted by the US.

The United States is quietly pushing ahead with a bid to create a new security and political alliance with six Persian Gulf Arab states, Egypt and Jordan in part to counter Iran’s expansion in the region.

The White House wants to see deeper cooperation between the countries on missile defense, military training, counterterrorism, and other issues such as strengthening regional economic and diplomatic ties.

To know more about the issue we reached out to Professor Entessar, who is the Chair of Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at the University of South Alabama.

Here is the full text of our interview with him:

Why is the US trying to form such an alliance?

The United States is manically obsessed with Iran and is throwing darts in different directions with the hope of undermining Iran and its national security. We have to see the idea of forming a broad anti-Iran alliance against Tehran in the context of Washington’s overall policy in the Persian Gulf and beyond.

Considering the differences among these Persian Gulf Arab states, to what extent you think these states will be able to form such an alliance?

The Arab world, in general, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, in particular, are more fractious today than they have been in decades. What used to be called the “Arab consensus” does not exist today. What is euphemistically referred to as the “Arab world” today is a patchwork of competing countries. Forming an enduring alliance among the Arab states of the Persian Gulf is an illusory idea concocted by the West, especially the United States.

Despite all differences, if such an alliance be formed, will it be able to materialize its goals while even a bigger alliance lead by Saudi Arabia in Yemen has not been able to reach its goals after years of fighting?

As I alluded to in my previous answers, the experience of forming alliances among Arab states in recent decades has been marked by failure. This has been especially true in the case of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. However, as Karl Marx has stated: “History repeats itself, the first as tragedy, then as farce.”

What is the best security architecture for the Persian Gulf? Is it possible to provide the security of the region without the presence of all states?

The best security architecture for the Persian Gulf is one that is structured on regional arrangements that guarantee the security and national integrity of all states. Functioning security arrangements cannot be seen as zero-sum games in which the goal is to eliminate or sideline one state. In the Persian Gulf, security arrangements that have been formed or talked about in the past 40 years have had one thing in common: containing and/or damaging Iran’s national interests. That is why such arrangements have been failures.

Interview by Payman Yazdani

The post Forming alliance among PGCC member states an illusory idea: Prof. Entessar appeared first on Iran News Daily.