In a February 7, 2022 article titled "Shame on You, America!" in the Saudi daily Al-Madina, journalist Talal Al-Qashqari directs harsh criticism at the Biden administration for its decision to lift sanctions imposed on Iran by the previous U.S. administration. He states that even the Trump administration did not take sufficiently forceful measures to put an end to the Iranian evil in the region, except in the case of its elimination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and the deputy commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis. The fact is that neither of these administrations was or is truly interested in finding a thorough solution to the problem of Iran's military nuclear program, he says. This feebleness, he adds, enables Iran to continue promoting this program and also manufacturing long-range missiles aimed at anyone who opposes its regional expansion.
Talal Al-Qashqari (Source: sabq.org)
The following are translated excerpts from Al-Qashari's article.[1]
"After the present U.S. administration has announced that it [intends to] lift sanctions that were imposed on Iran by the previous administration, on the grounds that this will keep Iran from [attaining] a nuclear weapon, I have nothing left to say except 'ar 'alayki, ya Amrika, or in English: shame on you, America!
"In practice, the present and previous [U.S.] administrations are identical in terms of their desire to find a thorough solution to the problem of Iran's production of a nuclear bomb. The previous administration sufficed with imposing painful economic sanctions, which were not enough to deter [Iran] from [continuing] this production, and in fact only increased its determination. It seems that the previous administration wanted only to maintain a foothold in the region, and to remain present in it, so it would be able to impose sanctions on countries that threaten the regional stability. But [despite being] the only superpower with the ability [to do so, the U.S.] did not free the region of the Iranian evil.
"In my opinion, the best thing the previous American administration did, which was more effective than the sanctions, was to eliminate Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Qods Force in [Iran's] Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Units, who were the main figures [responsible] for planning and carrying out terrorism and sectarian [violence] that threatened the security of the countries in the region…
"The current [U.S.] administration also wants to maintain a presence in the region, but does not do anything with [this presence]… In order to create the impression that it opposes the policy of the previous administration, the current administration plays a seemingly more moderate role, characterized by softness and lenience towards its 'supposed' Iranian enemy. Notice that the word 'supposed' is in parentheses, because [Iran] is not [really America's] enemy. The two sides are not enemies. They are anything but.
"So what is the result? Sadly, the result is that Iran continues its nuclear program, whose purpose is military rather than peaceful, and [also continues] to produce thousands of long-range missiles which it provides to its proxies so they can attack anyone who opposes [Iran's] expansion and the spread of its Persian influence. But, with Allah's help, the Saudi resistance is lying in wait [for Iran], and nobody will blame me for saying once again, shame on you, America!"
[1] Al-Madina (Saudi Arabia), February 7, 2021.
