US moves towards Gulf: Washington sends deterrence messages to Tehran
In the midst of the escalating events between the United
States and Iran and the intensification of conflicts between the two countries,
the central threat posed by Iran continues in the Middle East, and the United
States' endeavor. Meanwhile, the United States seeks a direct military strikes against
Tehran, at a time when President Donald Trump's presidential term is drawing to
an end, while sanctions have helped stop funding to Hezbollah and militias in
Iraq.
US deterrence messages
At a time when the US forces are scheduled to withdraw from
Iraq and Afghanistan in January 2021, a US defense official announced on
Friday, November 27, that the US aircraft carrier USS Senimitz will be
transferred to the Gulf region with other warships in order to provide combat
support and air cover in the region.
This step came before the news of the assassination of
Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was announced, and these moves
come under the framework of Washington increasing its deterrence messages to
Iran.
Days after the United States moved B-52H bombers to the
region, which represents a speedy return of US aircraft carriers to the Gulf
after they left in early November to India, the ships conducted naval exercises
with the Indian Navy after conducting war exercises at Washington’s Guam base
in the western Pacific Ocean.
US Central Command (Centcom) made it clear that the United
States is not trying to ignite a fire, but it is committed to preserving
freedom of navigation and trade in all parts of the region.
“The ongoing mission proves the US military’s ability to
deploy combat air power anywhere in the world within a short time and to
integrate into Central Command operations to help maintain regional stability
and security,” Centcom added in a statement.
Threats and intimidation
There have been international calls for restraint and not to
engage in actions that are currently escalating the scene, which came after the
assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, whom the West
has long suspected of being the mastermind of the Iranian nuclear weapons
program and is considered one of its most prominent nuclear scientists. He
officially held the position of head of the Organization of Defensive
Innovation and Research (SPND) at Iran’s Ministry of Defense, and he was killed
near Tehran in an attack that was followed by shooting clashes with six others.
Tehran soon took a position on Fakhrizadeh’s assassination,
as both the military advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard threatened to respond, while Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad
Javad Zarif accused Israel of having a strong role behind the assassination.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian armed forces stated
that the assassination of Fakhrizadeh was a heavy blow following the successive
strikes on Iran in recent months.
Conditions deteriorate
The Trump administration could direct strikes against Iran
if it senses a danger to the security and stability of the region, after US
intelligence officials declared Israel’s responsibility for the assassination,
which would cause a rift in relations after an expected Iranian response
against US interests in the Gulf states, directly or indirectly, through
retaliatory operations in the region or other areas by Iranian arms.
All these events may affect the Gulf region, the oil
industry and the global economy negatively. In the event of a war, the entire
region would be affected, and history would be repeated again, similar to the Tanker
War that occurred during the Iran-Iraq War.
It is noteworthy that the US State Department had included
Fakhrizadeh on the list of sanctions since 2008 due to activities and
operations that contributed to the development of Iran's nuclear program, while
Israel accused him earlier of being behind the military nuclear program, which
Iran denies its existence.
