By : Mshari Al Thaydi

Few hours before Lebanese President Michel Aoun arrived in Cairo on an official visit, Al-Ahram newspaper aired an interesting interview with him. Several issues were tackled and I will address one of them.

When the daily’s editor-in-chief asked Aoun about the future of Arabs’ relations with Iran and Turkey, Aoun said: “These countries must maintain special relations because there are many mutual interests.”

Aoun was then clearly asked whether Lebanon, under his command, will serve as a “bridge for a Gulf-Iranian or Arab-Iranian understanding.” I don’t know why they differentiate as such between the Gulf and Arabs when asking questions about being harmed by Iran! Anyway, Aoun, who was elected in October last year, replied and said: “Why not? Trying is better (than doing nothing) as at least there is the honor of trying.”

The way they – whether it’s Aoun or some Egyptian media outlets – depict the situation with Iran is wrong. What’s happening between Arab countries – including those in the Gulf – and the Khomeini republic is not a temporary political dispute or a media battle and more importantly, it’s not a sectarian, a Sunni-Shiite, division or a nationalistic struggle between Arabs and Persians. This is what some media outlets, which do not have a clear understanding of the entire situation, try to show.

If it hadn’t been for Iran’s invasions and interventions, there wouldn’t be any problems for Bahrain, or Saudi Arabia or Morocco, which expelled Iran’s envoy at some point. The same applies to Sudan or to Yemen’s government or to the majority of the Syrian people whom al-Nusra Front and ISIS do not represent like the Assad regime’s propaganda machine claims.

The Iranian regime is governed by the ideological precepts of a man who is obsessed with control over the Islamic world in an Imam-like manner

Mshari al-Thaydi

Dangerous doctrine

No, the problem with the Khomeini republic is with the ideological regime with its dangerous doctrine that first subdues the Shiite Iranians, like the Arab Ahwaz, and other ethnic and religious groups. It even suppresses the Shiite Persians who support the republic but call for reforms. I am here referring to the suppressed Green Movement.

The Iranian regime is governed by the ideological precepts of a man who is obsessed with control over the Islamic world in an Imam-like manner. He views himself as the guardian of Muslims and he is not just an extremist cleric, like thousands others across the world, but he established for a republic that possesses money and weapons and that has gangs to promote his ideas. Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon are nothing but mere arenas to this ideological Khomeini invasion.

The Lebanese Party Hezbollah is not a party of resistance. It’s not acceptable to have such parties in normal countries. Hezbollah is an authentic organic extension of Khomeini’s Revolutionary Guards. This is what Hezbollah is no matter how much any Lebanese official tries to embellish its image.

It is the duty of any president of any country to control arms, maintain the state’s control over them and subjugate everyone and not just some to the authority of law.

Just a reminder… It’s been previously said: Let’s wait and see how President Aoun performs. Has he changed?

Saudi journalist Mshari Al Thaydi presents Al Arabiya News Channel’s “views on the news” daily show “Maraya.” He has previously held the position of a managing senior editor for Saudi Arabia & Gulf region at pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat. Al Thaydi has published several papers on political Islam and social history of Saudi Arabia. He appears as a guest on several radio and television programs to discuss the ideologies of extremist groups and terrorists.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in the Column section are their own and do not reflect RiyadhVision’s point-of-view.

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