IS IRAN PLAYING FAST AND LOOSE WITH THE WEST?

By Julian Sudre

A particularly neurotic quid pro quo has triggered international tensions between Iran and Britain but the systematic recrimination has nonetheless added grist for the Iranian government's mill. In what, at root, remains to be an all-round, full-fledged diplomatic issue over the persistent British meddlesome move on Iraqi soil, has categorically infuriated its neighbouring country: Iran.

The captivity of 15 Royal Marines sailors in allegedly Iranian waters perceived as a bold affront to the West shows that nose-thumbing and obstinacy from Iran are only translated into a dish best eaten cold. And for a lack of interpreting Iran's mindset, both Bush and Blair are aptly served some diplomatically cold dishes.
Britain has been denounced for going hurriedly to the UN Security Council for a condemnation of the Iranians, maladroitly reporting the issue with downright boorishness only inflamed diplomatic ties with Tehran.

Iran is cocking a snook at the British government and its tactical propaganda has ridiculed the infantile demeanour of a self-centred, almost immature British Prime Minister.
Blair has reproached Iran of breaking international laws for detaining his sailors but in turn the UK breached the will of the UN when it invaded Iraq. As a result Mr Blair wields very little moral authority when it cites international law and the sabre-rattling of both the US and the UK over Iran's nuclear programme has with no question exacerbated the stakes, too.

The silver line in all of this remains the EU, which has more leverage and diplomatic links with Tehran; the economic leverage is an important asset knowing that the EU is Iran's biggest trading partner accounting for more than 40 per cent of its imports.
Much of this trade is underpinned by export credit gurantees from European governments.

As Robert Frisk put it in The Independent, it is a war of humiliation, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad must be sniggering now with delight over a humiliated Blair that voiced he would move to the "next phase" if the Marines are not released.
The bangs and fizzes of Blair theatrical stage have come home to roost because of soit-disant sailors who pen spurious missives to the British goverment for being spotted in faustian Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf 11 days ago have come to demonstrate a follow-the-leader style that soon may have opened the floogates for further misunderstanding of Iran's hard-lined stance over the West.

That said, the political game has been played to fare-thee-well, and the Iranians must have taken a liking to it. Ten of thousand of Iranians were killed in the clutch of Saddam's regime, so perhaps the captivity of 15 British souls may have rendered Blair hot under the collar for having his plans stymied by a contrarian, holocaust-denying President but he should realise now that it is high time he withdrew his troops from Iraq before he falls from graces good and proper.