Crossfire War – TEHRAN WATCH – Red Sea Theatre: Tehran – Djibouti/Cairo – Rome; Iran Strategic Reach Extends into Djibouti – Pres. Guelleh Ends 4 Day Visit – Cooperation on Regional – International Issues Established
Night Watch: DJIBOUTI – With the conclusion of Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh’s four day visit to Iran, in which Tehran-Djibouti solidified their positions on regional-international issues, Tehran now has another base along the Red Sea to attack international shipping. The meetings and agreements, that were mentioned by both heads of state, mirror the understandings and arrangements Tehran has with Khartoum and San’a, Yemen’s capital. [IRNA]
During his four day visit, that began Saturday, President Guelleh met with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Defense Minister Mustafa Mohammad Najjar and Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri Hamaneh. Guelleh was at the head of a high level political-economic delegation and since his visit included a meeting with Iran’s Defense Minister, indicates that more than just economic cooperation was discussed. I suspect they discussed the mutual benefits of the Islamic world controlling the global energy market and therefore they would benefit if more attacks took place on international shipping in the Red Sea, Strait of Mandab, Gulf of Aden, between Djibouti and Yemen, as against the oil tanker a few years ago.
Ahmadinejad stated that the meetings marked a “turning point” in Tehran-Djibouti relations. “Ties between Iran and Djibouti are new and have no historical background but they are on the upward trend.” Both governments and their economies will benefit when the upward trend on oil prices resume, caused by attacks against international shipping and some of those attacks could be launched from Djibouti. Allied forces in the area could also be attacked as was the USS Cole off Yemen. Pres. Guelleh stated that the talks were “very constructive” and that both governments share the same positions on regional and international issues. In other words Djibouti is in complete agreement with Tehran’s planned military response to threats to Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
What Tehran has achieved is the further isolation of Cairo, Egypt President Hosni Mubarak, who has never shown the slightest inclination to support the Muslim world’s positions against the West and its ability to influence events in the region. Mubarak has always hated Islamic fundamentalism since its followeres assassinated his predecessor Anwar Sadat in 1981. Iran named a street after the assassin. Tehran’s economic and military cooperation with virtually every Islamic capital is a major threat, not only to the West’s last Islamic ally, but also to the West’s ability to retain control over its own economic future with the continued loss of decision making influence in the strategic energy region.
The assassination of former Lebanon Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, by Tehran Feburary 2005, was just one example of the West losing one of its main contacts in the region. The inablility of the West to remove Syria President Bashar al-Assad, through “regime change” is another example of the West’s ability to determine or “call the shots” in the area. Rome is attempting to lead the West back into its prominent military presence by leading Europe and the West into Lebanon through the United Nations UNIFIL force. Rome is emerging as Washington-London’s influence is receding due to the debacle in Iraq.
Tehran is of course monitoring the military forces Europe is committing and they will be attacked during the next round of fighting soon after Iran completes its five week wargame maneuvers during the third week of this month. Through Hezbollah and Lebanon’s armed forces, Tehran will know the exact location of every European unit.
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