Arabs should demand concrete assurances and measures

Arab countries have every right to worry in the aftermath of the US-brokered agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme. However, what they need to do now, rather than cry over spilled milk, is to ask for concrete, documented assurances and measures with respect to their security needs and peace in the region.

In principle, the agreement with Iran is good news. It is far better to place Iran’s nuclear programme under strict and constant inspection rather than let it develop it in secret — as Israel has been doing with respect to its own programme for some time now.

In principle also, it is a lot better to engage Iran diplomatically, in an attempt to bring it to the league of civil nations, than to isolate it and thus enforce its suspicion of others and lawless behaviour.

Common sense dictates that we give the deal the benefit of the doubt, especially since the Obama administration has a lot of convincing logic behind its defence of the agreement.

The main problem, however, is one of trust and bad experiences with the Iranian regime.

Most Arab countries do not trust Iran, based on its flagrant interference in the internal affairs of many sovereign nations in the region and the various subversive acts it has committed and continues to commit in these states. 

The logic here is simple, but compelling: If an Iran crippled by a regime of sanctions has done so much damage to the region, what kind of damage would it be able to do if the sanctions are lifted and it becomes economically and politically stronger.?

The potential answer to this troubling question worries many in the region.

Two things aggravate the matter further. The first is that the hawkish (and foolish) statements emerging from several key Iranian circles, before and after the deal, do not help alleviate the fears of Iran’s neighbours. On the contrary, many of the arrogant, hostile statements coming out of Tehran have made the already nervous neighbours even more nervous.

This is very puzzling, for If Iran is sincere about good neighbourliness and peace in the region, why would it resort to inflammatory and provocative statements? And why would it continue to interfere in the affairs of its neighbours in such aggressive and subversive ways?

This does not make sense, unless Iran is what many are saying it is, a hypocritical country that gives lip service to peace but continues to wreak evil and havoc in the region.

The second point is that the US administration itself does not seem to have much faith in Iran’s future peaceful intents. Secretary of State John Kerry — and President Barack Obama — have spoken on many occasions of Iran’s potential to deceive and on its unhelpful provocative statements. What would the agreement mean if it is struck with a party that cannot be trusted!

The Arabs are right to feel nervous, then.

Nevertheless, precisely because Arabs do not feel reassured and precisely because Iran is not to be easily trusted, the way forward is not to continue to reject the deal or condemn it, but to actively and aggressively seek concrete, tangible assurances to make sure that Iran abides by it and stops it hostile acts in the region.

There is a need now for elegant and effective Arab diplomacy, not emotional rhetoric, one that spells out clearly what the Arabs want from the US and its allies by way of bettering then guaranteeing the security of the region.

What is required is not verbal American statements or protocol visits that reiterate words. What is wanted are specific, textual understandings and agreements, as well as concrete and tangible measures.

Look at Israel — the minute it rejected the deal, the US dispatched its secretary of defence to Tel Aviv in order provide the country with more military assistance.

As America’s and Europe’s faithful allies, Arabs need to ask for three things: First, written, binding guarantees about Iran’s non-intervention in the affairs of its Arab neighbours, and clear-cut and effective mechanisms of response should it continue to transgress; second, fulfilment of all of their security and defence needs; and third, pushing for an agreement between the world powers and Israel under which Israel’s nuclear programme is placed under international inspection and surveillance, the way Iran’s is.

Simultaneously, Arab countries need to engage Iran though strong, effective diplomacy. 

The worst thing that Arabs could do is what they seem to be doing now: crying over spilled milk.