(INEGMA-Dubai) Riad Kahwaji - So far, the hardliners in Iran have cautiously supported the nuclear talks in the hopes of having sanctions lifted to allow the release of billions of dollars, most of which would end up in ministries and accounts controlled by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). Tehran today feels powerful and confident because of aggressive foreign policies in which the IRGC played a leading role. The IRGC training and arming of Shiite militias in Iraq was one of the main factors that brought about the withdrawal of U.S. troops there in 2009. The IRGC's training and arming of Palestinian militias contributed to the collapse of the peace talks and the eventual emergence of Islamic factions ruling Gaza. The IRGC was also behind the birth of Hizbullah in Lebanon, which recently became a major player in the Syrian civil war. The logical conclusion is that the IRGC will remain untouchable and will continue operating without any change in behavior in any permanent or meaningful manner. The IRGC acts as a state within a state. It is much better equipped and armed than the Iranian armed forces, and has its own intelligence arm and internal security forces. The IRGC fully controls the country's nuclear program as well as the ballistic missiles program. In other words, they control all the strategic military assets of the country. So when the U.S. signs a nuclear deal with Iran, would they be signing it with the IRGC as well?
2015-06-16 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive