Arab states must unite against interference

Iran, and to some extent Turkey, are impacting regional dynamics and political security in alarming ways

The UAE has ruled out dialogue with Iran, and for good reason. The constant interference by Iran, and to a lesser extent Turkey, in the internal affairs of Arab states, is impacting regional dynamics and political security in alarming ways. “It is unlikely we will have a dialogue with Iran in light of Tehran supplying missiles to Al Houthis to launch attacks on Saudi Arabia,” Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said.

Iran’s roots run deep in four Arab countries: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. In these countries, Tehran funds and sustains brutal regimes like Bashar Al Assad’s in Syria, or arms proxy militias — Hezbollah in Lebanon, Al Houthis in Yemen, the Popular Mobilisation Units in Iraq — to spread sectarian discord and weaken the Arab state. Besides that Iran continues its attempts to play a negative role in the Gulf countries.

Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has made every effort to export its political system to neighbouring countries. Towards this end, it has employed a variety of measures, including outright terrorism, development of weapons of mass destruction, dissemination of sectarian ideology and nuclear blackmail. Its primary goal is regional hegemony.

On the other hand Turkey, in tandem with countries like Qatar, continues to support groups like the Muslim Brotherhood, which are spreading extremism in the region and eroding the Arab character in the Middle East. The region has suffered enough as a result of extremist ideology and has had more than its share of terrorism, which this ideology breeds.

In the face of the current regional provocations and interference, it is imperative that Arab countries present a united front, uphold the concept of Arabism and resolve their issues, differences and disputes through the main Arab forum, the Arab League.

The machinations of non-Arab regional powers in the affairs of Arab states have gone on too long. Unfortunately, this would not have been possible without the connivance of governments or political parties or militias in these states.

The Arab world’s best hope in the face of these twin threats is a regional alliance that comprises the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Egypt. This bloc needs to be strengthened further, and to do so more Arab states should join this endeavour. It will certainly help ward off the threats and inimical designs of Iran and Turkey.