(National Interest) James S. Robbins - As Iran celebrates the 36th anniversary of the return of Ayatollah Khomeini from exile in 1979 and the advent of the Islamic Revolution, in speeches, rallies and state-sponsored television shows Tehran is reaffirming messages of the destruction of its enemies, particularly Israel and the U.S. The celebrations remind us that Iran is not just a state with dreams of regional hegemony. It is a revolutionary regime seeking to reshape the map of the region and the belief system of the world. Iran is not seeking nuclear-weapons capability simply to preserve its regime; it is also doing so to extend its revolution. Arms-control agreements, verification regimes and international inspections cannot guarantee that Iran is not still secretly developing nuclear weapons. The writer is Senior Fellow in National Security Affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council.
2015-02-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive