Iraqi occupation, part of 'greater Middle East' plan: Iran official
Iran-Regional-USA, Politics, 7/16/2007

Occupation of Iraq by the United States was part of the so-called "greater Middle East" plan, Iran's Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Yahya Rahim-Safavi said on Saturday.

He told gathering of Basij (volunteer) students in Abe-Ali, northeastern Tehran that since four years ago Washington was pushing the greater Middle East plan to take control of the Middle East region.

Noting that by occupying Iraq, the US was seeking to establish a "model state" in the Mideast region to implement its "greater Middle East" plan, Rahim-Safavi said, "However, the US officials have failed after four years since they could not keep their promise of establishing a secure country in Iraq despite of spending over $ 400 billion in that country and losing over 3,000 US troops."

The commander added that the 33-day invasion of Lebanon last summer (July-September 2006) by Israel was also another part of the "greater Middle East" plan. "However, this part has also failed due to the bravery of the Lebanese Hizbullah in southern Lebanon."

He predicted that another failure for the US in Iraq was that Washington had finally reached the conclusion that it had to leave the country with humiliation by 2008. "The US has to admit its political and military failures in Iraq."

Referring to the Middle East region as "the heart of the world," the commander said the region had a geopolitical significance given the fact that it holds valuable energy resources as well as strategic waterways. "Whoever dominates the Middle East region, can control the entire world."

He noted that the world energy resources would end after 25 years and then it would only be the Mideast region that can supply the world's oil and gas needs. "The Western states, US in particular, give great importance to the Middle East region as they know that the region is the cross-road of Asia, Europe and Africa.

Therefore, dominance over the Middle East region means to exercise control over Europe, Japan and China," Rahim-Safavi added.

Previous Stories:
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  US behavior to Iraqi people, unjust: Iranian official   (7/9/2007)
  Iran holds up US talks on Iraq till clarifications are made   (7/2/2007)
  Larijani: US unilateral measures against Iran fail   (4/9/2007)
  Iranian official: plan by Israel to keep US forces in Iraq   (4/2/2007)
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