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Imperialist Iran Imitates Ambitions of Ancient Persia
[New York Post] Amir Taheri - Although presented in religious terms, Ahmadinejad's ambition to restore Iran's position as the dominant regional power has deep roots in Persian nationalism. Ever since it emerged as a state over 25 centuries ago, Iran has always tried to extend its western frontiers and reach the Mediterranean. With the shattering of the balance of power in the Middle East, partly thanks to U.S. intervention that destroyed Iran's enemies in Afghanistan and Iraq, such moves are no longer regarded as a fantasy in Tehran. Iran is already present in Iraq and hopes to dominate the county once the U.S. has abandoned it. Iranian influence is also expanding in Syria, where Iran maintains a major security presence while thousands of Syrians are converting to the Khomeinist brand of Shiism. Iran is also trying to seize control of Lebanon through its Hizballah proxies, who have declared war on Premier Siniora's democratic government. Ahmadinejad has claimed that the U.S. was already defeated in the Middle East. "They are like rubble, and we are like the flood," he said. "That kind of talk can only lead to war," says Sami Faraj, an expert in regional security. "Ahmadinejad feels that, with the U.S. wavering in Iraq, nothing can stop him. The region may have to pay a high price to prove him wrong."