14 August 2012 By Tariq Alhomayed It would be absurd to say that
participating in the forthcoming summit of the
Non-Aligned Movement in Iran is part of diplomatic
protocol, or that this is in order to promote the
concept that this movement is based on. The
Non-Aligned Movement was established in 1961 in order
to confront the hegemony of the superpowers on the
international scene. It would be particularly absurd
if the regional powers and Arab leadership attended
this summit for the above reasons, especially under
the current circumstances facing our region. The Non-Aligned Movement summit is set to take
place in Iran, which for its part is primarily
non-aligned with the notion of regional stability and
security; this is not something new, but has been
present over the past decades. This summit is also
taking place at a time that Iran is non-aligned with
the Syrian people, instead supporting the criminal of
Damascus, Bashar al-Assad. This is no secret, for here
we can see Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi
announcing that Tehran has a proposal regarding the
situation in Syria, and that it will announce this
during the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. He
added "we believe that the proposal is acceptable,
rational and principled" and "it will be very
difficult to oppose." This means that Iran wants to
exploit this summit to defend al-Assad, under the
cover of the Non-Aligned Movement, at a time when more
than 4,000 people have been killed in Syria this month
alone at the hands of the forces of the criminal al-Assad.
So after all this, can we say that the Tehran summit
is truly a non-aligned one? This is absurd, of course.
Even Vali Nasr – an American of Iranian origin –
said that the Tehran summit is "Iran's way of breaking
the diplomatic embargo". This is the embargo that has
been placed on Tehran over its ambitions to possess
nuclear weaponry, something that threatens the
security of the region as a whole, and places the
interests of Arab states at risk, politically,
economically and socially. More importantly, this is
something that would strengthen Iran's chances of
influencing and controlling the Arab states, including
Iraq, Lebanon and Syria! As for the claims that the
Non-Aligned Movement summit aims to confront the
superpower's hegemony over the international scene,
this is pathetic! For what must be confronted today in
our region is the Russian, Chinese and – firstly –
Iranian alignment with Syria, against the unarmed
Syrian people. What we must confront is Iran's
extending influence in our region, not to mention
Iranian nuclear arms. Indeed confronting the
superpower's hegemony is something that cannot happen
today, particularly as the presidents of all Arab
Spring states, without exception, are looking for
Washington to recognize their election victories, or
looking for the International Monetary Fund [IMF] to
provide them with aid and support. Therefore they
cannot seek to gain legitimacy from the US or Europe,
and then go to Iran to confront American and western
influence – this is a political lie in the same manner
as the "resistance", "pan-Arabism" and [Muslim
Brotherhood slogan] "Islam is the solution". For
reality and facts tell us that there is no such thing
as non-alignment in politics, for non-alignment is an
alignment in itself. Security, stability, social peace
and preventing bloodshed are duties, and we cannot
deal with this based on non-alignment. Therefore, merely participating in the forthcoming
Tehran summit represents non-alignment with the
unarmed Syrian people, and support for Iran, which is
a partner in shedding the blood of the Syrians and
supporting the criminal of Damascus, Bashar al-Assad.
Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq
Al-Awsat, the youngest person to be appointed that
position. He holds a BA degree in Media studies from
King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, and has also
completed his Introductory courses towards a Master's
degree from George Washington University in Washington
D.C. He is based in London. Comments 💬 التعليقات |