Regional Peace the Rivalry between America and Iran:
Historic Perspective
Iran and America had been bitter rivals for decades. There have been sanctions, hostage-taking, proxy wars and major assassinations in the region. These events have not just shaped the relations between Iran and America but, much of the middle east. So, what’s behind the tension and could president Biden help ease decades of tensions?
If one wants to understand the bitter relationship background between Iran and America, you need to go back to the 1950s when it all started a fight on oil, the Persian oil crises (1951–1953). At that time Iran was home to the biggest oil refineries in the world located in Abadan. But problem was most Iranians didn’t benefit from this vast oil wealth, as the oil sector was controlled by the Britishers. There was a growing concern to nationalize the oil industry. A campaign started to nationalize the oil sector, on the flip side of a coin this national campaign brings tsunami to the power and political elites of the British and American establishment, as their control over the vast wealth of the oil industry was now in danger, the whole campaign was led by a nationalist leader Mohammad Mossadegh-who later become prime minister of Iran.
‘’Mossadegh tries to nationalize the oil industry, the Britain’s perceived this as a theft’’.
The Britishers and their allies also felt threat as they were now in a constant mode of fear that if they allow Iran to nationalize their oil industry, how will we then stop Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and many countries to do so?
When Britain’s tried their diplomatic channels to solve the tensions but talking alone didn’t work. They were now in search of someone who helps them out from the tensions with Iran -they, therefore, approached America a close ally of Britain. They both agree that without deposing Mossadegh it is not possible to prevent this nationalization policy. The CIA classified documents show that America and Britain were involved in the deposition of the Iranian prime minister. The CIA initiated violent protests against the Iranian prime minister. The Britishers were able to persuade the CIA and American political establishment to dethrone prime minister Mossadegh in the 1953 coup to protect their oil empire.
The British and American spies created an environment of violence against Iranian nationalization policy. In protests, Mossadegh was swept from power. That event was a watershed event in the modern history of Iran. With Mossadegh gone –The Americans and Britishers needed a leader they could control easily, so in doing so they installed again Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. In 1978 American president jimmy carter regards Iran as an important strategic location as it provides an important buffer zone to counter Soviet influence and will also provide oil on cheap bases. But despite US and allies support, shah could not escape from domestic problems.
The shah was perceived as a person who was given power by the west and America. Now shah was suffering from the crises of legitimacy, thank you very much-coup.
The shah goes through some sweeping reforms, he gave and increases access of women to education and also gave the right of vote to women, but in doing reforms he went so far. The shah was setting and supporting his own business, was corrupt and this led the dominant Shia community to protest against shah-it was clear that shah’s days are numbered, till the Iranian revolution of 1978–79 begins.
The protesters filled the streets and violent clashes with authorities begins. The protesters and revolutionary movement were embodied by one man-Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The Khomeini returned from Paris and was greeted as a mass ayah, his presence will give the final push to any revolutionary movement needed in the meantime.
The world was shocked by the massive popularity of the revolutionary movement, Khomeini and his lieutenants were also in shock because of the popularity they achieved in no time. After several months, Iran was declared as an Islamic republic, which remain to this day. This situation was a bitter blow for the Americans, but soon hostile situation will follow Khomeini and his followers.
During the revolutionary movement, the shah had left Iran before Khomeini returns during revolution. America allowed shah into the united states for council treatment, which creates an outrage in Iran, this paved the way for one of the worst geopolitical tension America has ever suffered.
The shah fled to America and American asylum outraged Iranian students who invaded and occupied the US embassy in Tehran and held American’s hostages. The American hostages were regularly paraded in front of the embassy by students’ occupiers. This has put the American political establishments in trauma.
The America and western media termed it as Islamic fundamentalism. The hostage crises last over 440 days, a rescue attempt was made but went wrong and jimmy carter failed to win the next election. In the meantime, due to political instability in Iran, the Iraqi president took advantage of the situation and invades the western province of ‘’Khuzestan’’ home to the Abadan oil refinery. The Iranian retaliated, the war became so long that it last for 8 years from 1980–1988.
Americans also took advantage out of this and provide weapons to both sides to prolong the conflict, but they mainly used a balance of power against Iran. Iran and Iraq both attacked each other naval assets suffering heavy casualties. The US navy step in to protect the oil fields. On one occasion the US navy shot an Iranian passenger plane in which both Iraqis and Iran’s nation lost the precious ones, thanks to this conflict which further toughens the Iranian policy against the US which still is going on today.
On another occasion, Israel invaded Lebanon to remove the existence of the Palestine liberation movement. Iran was unable to fight against the US and Israel the only way Iran was able to fight is asymmetric warfare, proxies, and radical Shia groups particularly to outclass Israel.
In 1983 to take revenge from the Israel and USA. They went on suicide bombing and bombed the US embassy and US marine corps camps, killing hundreds of marines. The organization involves in the bombing was operated under different names but the final was Hezbollah-party of God. Hezbollah is both a militia and political party-over the 1980’s and 90’s Hezbollah targeted the US and Israel interests around the world. But with the drastic event of 9/11, everything changed.
The Iranians have nothing to do with 9/11, nor were they responsible for it. But despite that Iran came to experience repercussions. The American’s were worried about the Iraq’s WMD’S pretends that Iraq is an existential threat to American society and propaganda campaign was launched against Iraq, and America and allies invaded Iraq in 2003 but WMD’S were never found because it was never meant to destroy WMD’S nor were they there. After the invasion of Iraq -with threat again now at the Iranian border, Iran accelerate Nuclear missiles program.
Iran from day one is claiming that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, with the Iranian nation with slogans chanting for ‘’Nuclear energy is our right’’. But America suspicious of Iran’s ambitions-imposed sanctions over Iran, which didn’t stop Iran from enriching its uranium, but do cripple its economy pushing the Iranian leadership to negotiating table, the Obama administration went on to the negotiating table with Hassan Ruhani of Iran.
They together reached a deal JCPOA-2015 (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) in 2015. From both sides, some moderate leaders realize that ‘’You cannot tell others to do everything’’ and they together adopt the policy of harmony. Both sides reached a deal on 02 September 2015 known as ‘’The Nuclear Deal with Iran’’.
The deal says that “IAEA, WEST and America will inspect the Iranian Nuclear sites’’, but with trump in the arena dubbing that ‘’Never have I seen any transactions so incompetently negotiated as a deal with Iran’’ and soon president trump withdrew from the JCOPA-2015 In 2018 shifting again the American policy towards the attitude of maximum pressure. The American withdrawal from the JCPOA-2015 convinced the Iranian leadership ‘’You cannot trust America’’.
But as joe-Biden win overtrump, Biden said that
‘’The only way to come out of this crisis is through diplomacy’’ which is a soft and peace gesture towards the regional future. But the Iranian nation will vote for the new president in 2021, and the new president will likely adopt a hardcore approach towards America due to the damage done to the Iranian nation and in particular to the Iranian nuclear capabilities in the form of Qassim Soleimani and its nuclear scientist which is going to make the Iranian and regional peace uncertain in near future.