Iran cannot be trusted, it's time for world to act

Iran has long considered itself unaccountable in terms of international norms of behavior. In 1979 it discovered that it could get away with the greatest outrage. Ever since its 444-day kidnapping of American diplomats from the US Embassy in Iran, it has rarely moderated its active belligerence toward the international community.
The latest manifestation of this evil was the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and Saudi Consulate in Mashhad. During this crime, security guards looked on impassively. They were equally unconcerned in 2011 when the same sort of rent-a-mob of Basij militia thugs stormed the British Embassy.
The Iranian government has plotted and schemed. It has actively supported terrorism and terror regimes. Its involvement in Syria, help to Houthi rebels against the legitimate government of Yemen and its support to Hezbollah to create chaos are some of the examples of its machinations.
In 2011, the FBI discovered that Iranian agents were plotting to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington. The Kingdom’s response to this outrage was typical of its policy of quiet diplomacy. And all along, Iran’s drive toward nuclear weapons has been an open secret. International sanctions appeared to bring the regime to its knees. But the P5+1 deal agreement last July in Switzerland was yet another failure by the international community to bring this rogue state into line. It allowed Iran to dishonor its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
There are likely to be major consequences. Why should any other signatory now bother to stay with the program? The agreement also limited to 15 years the relatively weak restrictions on the creation of nuclear grade uranium. International inspectors were denied the right to see whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. And almost incredibly, international inspectors are already being obstructed.
Meanwhile Iran continues to pump out bile-filled propaganda. The Kingdom, as the leader of the Arab world, is the principal target alongside its allies. The media campaign has become more strident since Saudi-led forces checked the Houti rebellion in Yemen. This Iran-backed insurrection has caused massive destruction to a country that was already struggling to prosper.
Iran is intent on interfering in its neighbors’ business. It launched a virulent media campaign following the execution of 47 convicted terrorists, including Nimr Al-Nimr. This was a clear intrusion into the affairs of another state.
Iran itself has been quick enough to protest outside criticism from the likes of the Europeans and North Americans. It thrives on hysterical rhetoric. By contrast the Kingdom’s thoughts on Iran have always been expressed diplomatically. It has been made clear that tensions with Tehran are regrettable. Saudis bear the Iranian people no animosity. Indeed there is a hope that a stable and prosperous Iran will assume its proper, neighborly regional role.
But none of this matters to the current Iranian leadership. There was a foolish notion that in President Hassan Rouhani, the international community had someone with whom they could do business. There was a desperate need to believe this. The unfortunate truth however is that real power rests with “supreme leader” Ali Khamenei. Nothing happens without Khamenei’s sign-off. The hard-liners have the absolute say.
The United States was quick to condemn the attack on the Kingdom’s Embassy. It needs to go further. It needs to recognize that the P+5 were suckered in the nuclear deal. Even before it was inked, the Iranian regime was fully-embarked on its meddling in Yemen. It was still fostering terrorism in Eastern Province and Bahrain. It was still seeking to undermine a cohesive and united Iraq. It was backing Bashar Assad’s criminal Syrian regime. It was arming and training the Hezbollah terrorist group.
Yet the international community chose to believe that Iran could be expected to honor the nuclear deal. The world chose to believe Iran would not use the end of sanctions to increase its deadly meddling among its neighbors.
It is time the international community realized how wrong it has been.
The nuclear deal needs to be suspended. The sanctions must not yet be lifted. Iran finally has to learn that there are real consequences for its unprincipled behavior. It can no longer play the world for a patsy.

Source : Arab News