Crossfire War – Tunis – Tehran – Tripoli Watch – Central Mediterranean Theatre: Tehran – Tripoli – Tunis/Barcelona – Marseille – Toulon – Rome – Naples – Tarento; Iran Strengthens Position in Central Mediterranean with Operations Agreement with Tunisia
Night Watch: TUNIS – Iran has increased its position in the central Mediterranean by establishing an operations arrangement between Tehran and the Tunisian government with a meeting on Saturday between Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and Iran Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
Ostensibly they only signed an agreement on economic cooperation. President Ben Ali stated, “We call on Iranian companies and experts to help our country in implementing the five year development plan.”
This disguises the real meaning of the meeting. Both governments are actually saying they expect Iran and the Islamic world to be the main economic presence in the Mediterranean economy for at least the next five years and whatever Western corporations are currently involved in economic operations in Tunisia can expect to have their operations and installations attacked. [IRNA]
Ben Ali also mentioned how proud the Islamic world is of Iran, especially in regard to its nuclear program, which of course he is aware is by no means for peace. Both officials also announced complete agreement on regional issues like; Palestine, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq. Mottaki briefed the President on the latest developments and I suspect also on the arrival of cruise missiles to Tunisia unless they are already there. Nor would I be surprised if Tunis allows Tehran to position Shahab missiles here.
Islamic terrorist units have been based in the country with one of the leading groups being the Tunisian Combatant Group whose leader is unkown to the outside world. Tunisia is of special importance to Tehran because it has one of the most strategic locations in the world, in the middle of the Mediterranean, on its southern coast and exactly where the sea is at its most narrow, within easy ballistic missile range of important European ports and bases like, Barcelona-Marseille-Toulon-Rome-Naples-Tarento.
The cruise missiles can be used to target international shipping. On any given day no maritime area has as many frieghters and tankers as the Mediterranean.
