Joschka Fischer, the former Germany’s foreign minister and vice chancellor from 1998 to 2005, has given a bold view on Iranian nuclear crisis which can give some clear clue of how the Europeans perceive the challenge behind the closed doors. Answering to the question of “what should be done?� Fischer says, “There remains a serious chance for a diplomatic solution if the US, in cooperation with the Europeans and thus certainly with the support of the Security Council and the non-aligned states of the Group of 77, offers Iran a “Grand Bargain.�
The Iran crisis is moving fast in an alarming direction. There can no longer be any reasonable doubt that Iran’s ambition is to obtain nuclear weapons capability. However, at the heart of the issue lies the Iranian regime’s aspiration to become a hegemonic Islamic and regional power and thereby position itself at eye level with the world’s most powerful nations.
It is precisely this ambition that sets Iran apart from North Korea: whereas North Korea seeks nuclear weapons capability in order to entrench its own isolation, Iran is aiming for regional dominance and more. Iran is betting on revolutionary changes within the power structure of the Middle East to help it achieve its strategic goal.
To this end, it makes use of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but also of Lebanon, Syria, its influence in the Gulf region, and, above all, Iraq. This combination of hegemonic aspirations, questioning of the regional status quo, and a nuclear programme is extremely dangerous. Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear bomb - or even its ability to produce one - would be interpreted by Israel as fundamental threat to its existence, thereby compelling the West, and Europe in particular, to take sides. …
»»» Continued@The Financial Express
