Saudi Arabia recently sent an official letter of protest to the United Nations, complaining about encroachments by Iranian boats into its territorial waters near oil installations. Surely, these actions are neither surprising nor a serious threat as Tehran is only trying to project an image of power and defiance. In reality, Iran is under increasing international pressure to curb its ongoing and detrimental regional meddling. The United States administration under President Donald Trump has pulled out of a nuclear accord with Iran earlier this year that many critics say has only empowered Iran. The lifting of sanctions against it, in exchange for scaled-down nuclear enrichment, has only filled Iran’s state coffers with more money to fund its regional proxies wreaking havoc in Arab countries.
Since then, the US has renewed sanctions on Iran, hurting the government and threatening other economic deals with western powers.
Earlier this month, protests erupted in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over the deteriorating economic situation in the country. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in a desperate attempt to maintain relevance, later threatened to disrupt oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts were quick to point out that the threat carried little weight as Iranian leaders have repeatedly made such empty threats, but could never dare carry them out.
However, whether or not Iran is serious in its current threats, what is evidently clear is that it has no intention of curbing its meddling in the region where it supports proxy militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. The nuclear deal reached with world powers under the administration of former US president Barack Obama only served to empower Tehran to boost its malign activities. This is especially seen in Yemen where its support for Al Houthi militants has further prolonged the three-year war that has wreaked havoc on the country and caused sufferings to millions of innocent people. Its arming of the militants in Yemen defies international conventions and UN resolutions, yet, the country stubbornly and proudly flouts such norms.
However, the tide seems to have turned as there is now a growing international consensus that these malign actions will no longer go unpunished. Already many European firms have pulled out from deals with Iran, KLM airlines has halted flights and an Iranian diplomat was recently arrested in Germany for his alleged involvement in a terror plot against Iranian opposition in Paris.
The world’s patience with Iran is running thin and if it does not re-evaluate its choices soon, it will be a decision that they will come to regret.
