By Group Captain Praveer Purohit (retd)
Situated in a unique geography amidst South-West Asia and North-East Africa, is a region that also includes, by some definitions, European countries such as Türkiye and Cyprus. Blessed with very high reserves of fossil fuels and located astride major Europe-Asia maritime trade routes, this region is commonly referred to as the ‘Middle East’. Blessed by geography, rich in culture, and abundant wealth should have made this region progressive and peaceful. Instead, the region has been the stage for turmoil, violent conflict, and geopolitical competition for over half a century. The latest conflagration that has erupted between Iran and Israel has added another sordid chapter in the muddled Middle East.
Ironically, the history of Israel-Iran relations was not fraught with such mutual animosity. After the birth of Israel, Iran took the lead along with Türkiye in recognising Israel. Post-World War II, Iran was progressive, liberal and vibrant under the Pahlavi dynasty. The reign of the Pahlavis in Iran saw considerable cooperation between Israel and Iran, and both nations enjoyed good relations with the USA.
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This period lasted until the Shah of Iran was overthrown in 1979 in a revolution led by the hardline religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini. He established an Islamic theocracy, destroyed women’s rights, rabidly espoused an anti-West and anti-Israel stance, and aimed to export his revolution worldwide. His regime quickly broke diplomatic relations with Israel, terming the country “little Satan”.
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The dice had been cast for Iran’s slide into regress. In 1980, the Iran-Iraq war broke out and continued for eight years till an UN-brokered ceasefire ended it in August 1988. Meanwhile, despite Iran’s economy nosediving and the losses suffered in the war with Iraq, there was neither a let-up in its anti-Israel stance nor its curtailment of domestic freedom. As is wont in most religious bigots, feelings of hatred, violence, illiberalism and intolerance ruled the roost amongst the ruling elite, burying sanity and rationality.
Iran took recourse to raising and supporting armed militias across the Middle East, from Lebanon to Pakistan, with the aim of targeting Western, Israeli, Saudi and UAE interests. In parallel, it also embarked upon a nuclear weapons programme, often attempting to acquire the technology clandestinely. The USA retaliated by imposing sanctions, and the downward spiral continued.
It is no secret that the Iran-supported organisations such as Hamas and Hezbollah have engaged in acts of terrorism against Israel for long. Despite diplomatic efforts by many nations to impress upon Iran to cease supporting these organisations, the Iranian leadership has failed to see reason. International maritime terrorism by Iran-backed Houthis has caused great damage and distress to international shipping and trade. Iran has not just limited its actions to the use of proxies. In January this year, Iranian Navy personnel forcibly boarded and captured the MV St Nicolas, an oil tanker heading to Türkiye. Its latest brazen action has been the illegal capture of the Israel-associated cargo ship MSC Aries on April 13 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran.
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This outfit owes its loyalty to the supreme religious leader of Iran. 17 of the crew members on board the MSC Aries are Indian. Confronted by a country (Iran) whose religious leaders aim to eliminate its very existence, Israel, too, has been targeting Iran’s proxies. On April 01, an Israeli Air Force airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Syria killed seven Iranian military advisors, including three senior commanders. Iran vowed to retaliate, and on April 13, it launched over 300 missiles and drones targeting Israel.
This tit-for-tat marked a major escalation from the ‘shadow war’ to open targeting by regular militaries of the two countries. Embarrassingly for Iran, Israel claimed to have successfully intercepted and destroyed 99 per cent of the Iranian strikes. Iran then sought to put the onus of escalation in Israel. Meanwhile, leaders from Germany, France, and the UK have advised restraint and called for de-escalation. Undoubtedly, the Middle East is once again on a powder keg.
The Indian stance on the latest happenings has been nuanced. Efforts are being made to secure the release of our 17 crew on board MCS Aries. However, India may be caught between a rock and a hard place. Israel is a strategic partner with many convergent interests. Iran’s geographical location, civilisational links and the access it can provide us to Central Asia means it cannot be ignored.
Iran also shares the table with India in BRICS and SCO. Beyond the binaries of India-Israel and India-Iran relations looms the reality of the USA, Russia and China relations with these two countries and each other. While Russia has supported Iran and condemned Israel, the USA has done the opposite. China, Iran’s close friend would be only too happy to see the USA embroiled in another conflict and would try to weaken the U.S. alliance in the Middle East.
Looking beyond, India has its task cut out. India needs to step up its act and mediate and engage the major belligerents in a sustained dialogue. This requires expanding the traditional framework of diplomacy, going beyond mere statements, and effectively ‘selling’ the idea that a ‘zero-sum-game’ approach taken by Iran and Israel benefits none. This may appear impossible in the heat and dust of the Middle East developments. However, a nation aiming to be a leading power cannot become so by staying on the sidelines for long.
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Our military leadership simultaneously ought to study the contours of the ‘grey zone’ warfare that Iran has indulged in and the manner in which Israel’s Iron Dome system countered and thwarted Iran’s missile and drone strikes. Better coordination and cooperation between friendly Navies in the troubled waters of the Gulf are required to avoid forcible and illegal seizures by Iranian and Iran-sponsored entities. By not condemning Iran in the MSC Aries case, India has done Iran a favour. It behoves the Iranian leadership to cease such imprudent acts. How will India react if another such incident takes place on a ship with Indian seafarers? Will India ‘seek’ their release diplomatically, effectively condoning such illegal acts or use force? There are no easy answers, and the issue needs to be brainstormed by the Indian military and diplomatic community. If making a tough choice is inevitable, we should be prepared.
Last, the Iran-Israel issue has once again proven that the surest way for citizens of a nation to remain insecure is by engaging in perpetual hostility rooted in religious fundamentalism, illiberalism, hatred for other communities/religions, and religious intolerance. Even as the world hopes that tempers calm in the Middle East and better sense prevails, it is clear that ordinary citizens, especially women and children in all these trouble-torn areas, rue the absence of statesmen who could lead them to peace, progress and prosperity. The precariously short supply of moderation, tolerance and pluralism in the Middle East requires to be filled urgently. Can leaders of the world rise to the challenge and transcend to becoming statesmen?
“We don’t need a revolution of anger; we need a revolution of compassion”– Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi in her memoir Iran Awakening
The author is a former IAF officer who writes about geopolitics, defence, and strategic affairs. He tweets @aparagonpilot
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of Financial Express Online. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited.
By Group Captain Praveer Purohit (retd)
Situated in a unique geography amidst South-West Asia and North-East Africa, is a region that also includes, by some definitions, European countries such as Türkiye and Cyprus. Blessed with very high reserves of fossil fuels and located astride major Europe-Asia maritime trade routes, this region is commonly referred to as the ‘Middle East’. Blessed by geography, rich in culture, and abundant wealth should have made this region progressive and peaceful. Instead, the region has been the stage for turmoil, violent conflict, and geopolitical competition for over half a century. The latest conflagration that has erupted between Iran and Israel has added another sordid chapter in the muddled Middle East.
Ironically, the history of Israel-Iran relations was not fraught with such mutual animosity. After the birth of Israel, Iran took the lead along with Türkiye in recognising Israel. Post-World War II, Iran was progressive, liberal and vibrant under the Pahlavi dynasty. The reign of the Pahlavis in Iran saw considerable cooperation between Israel and Iran, and both nations enjoyed good relations with the USA.
This period lasted until the Shah of Iran was overthrown in 1979 in a revolution led by the hardline religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini. He established an Islamic theocracy, destroyed women’s rights, rabidly espoused an anti-West and anti-Israel stance, and aimed to export his revolution worldwide. His regime quickly broke diplomatic relations with Israel, terming the country “little Satan”.
The dice had been cast for Iran’s slide into regress. In 1980, the Iran-Iraq war broke out and continued for eight years till an UN-brokered ceasefire ended it in August 1988. Meanwhile, despite Iran’s economy nosediving and the losses suffered in the war with Iraq, there was neither a let-up in its anti-Israel stance nor its curtailment of domestic freedom. As is wont in most religious bigots, feelings of hatred, violence, illiberalism and intolerance ruled the roost amongst the ruling elite, burying sanity and rationality.
Iran took recourse to raising and supporting armed militias across the Middle East, from Lebanon to Pakistan, with the aim of targeting Western, Israeli, Saudi and UAE interests. In parallel, it also embarked upon a nuclear weapons programme, often attempting to acquire the technology clandestinely. The USA retaliated by imposing sanctions, and the downward spiral continued.
It is no secret that the Iran-supported organisations such as Hamas and Hezbollah have engaged in acts of terrorism against Israel for long. Despite diplomatic efforts by many nations to impress upon Iran to cease supporting these organisations, the Iranian leadership has failed to see reason. International maritime terrorism by Iran-backed Houthis has caused great damage and distress to international shipping and trade. Iran has not just limited its actions to the use of proxies. In January this year, Iranian Navy personnel forcibly boarded and captured the MV St Nicolas, an oil tanker heading to Türkiye. Its latest brazen action has been the illegal capture of the Israel-associated cargo ship MSC Aries on April 13 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran.
This outfit owes its loyalty to the supreme religious leader of Iran. 17 of the crew members on board the MSC Aries are Indian. Confronted by a country (Iran) whose religious leaders aim to eliminate its very existence, Israel, too, has been targeting Iran’s proxies. On April 01, an Israeli Air Force airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Syria killed seven Iranian military advisors, including three senior commanders. Iran vowed to retaliate, and on April 13, it launched over 300 missiles and drones targeting Israel.
This tit-for-tat marked a major escalation from the ‘shadow war’ to open targeting by regular militaries of the two countries. Embarrassingly for Iran, Israel claimed to have successfully intercepted and destroyed 99 per cent of the Iranian strikes. Iran then sought to put the onus of escalation in Israel. Meanwhile, leaders from Germany, France, and the UK have advised restraint and called for de-escalation. Undoubtedly, the Middle East is once again on a powder keg.
The Indian stance on the latest happenings has been nuanced. Efforts are being made to secure the release of our 17 crew on board MCS Aries. However, India may be caught between a rock and a hard place. Israel is a strategic partner with many convergent interests. Iran’s geographical location, civilisational links and the access it can provide us to Central Asia means it cannot be ignored.
Iran also shares the table with India in BRICS and SCO. Beyond the binaries of India-Israel and India-Iran relations looms the reality of the USA, Russia and China relations with these two countries and each other. While Russia has supported Iran and condemned Israel, the USA has done the opposite. China, Iran’s close friend would be only too happy to see the USA embroiled in another conflict and would try to weaken the U.S. alliance in the Middle East.
Looking beyond, India has its task cut out. India needs to step up its act and mediate and engage the major belligerents in a sustained dialogue. This requires expanding the traditional framework of diplomacy, going beyond mere statements, and effectively ‘selling’ the idea that a ‘zero-sum-game’ approach taken by Iran and Israel benefits none. This may appear impossible in the heat and dust of the Middle East developments. However, a nation aiming to be a leading power cannot become so by staying on the sidelines for long.
Our military leadership simultaneously ought to study the contours of the ‘grey zone’ warfare that Iran has indulged in and the manner in which Israel’s Iron Dome system countered and thwarted Iran’s missile and drone strikes. Better coordination and cooperation between friendly Navies in the troubled waters of the Gulf are required to avoid forcible and illegal seizures by Iranian and Iran-sponsored entities. By not condemning Iran in the MSC Aries case, India has done Iran a favour. It behoves the Iranian leadership to cease such imprudent acts. How will India react if another such incident takes place on a ship with Indian seafarers? Will India ‘seek’ their release diplomatically, effectively condoning such illegal acts or use force? There are no easy answers, and the issue needs to be brainstormed by the Indian military and diplomatic community. If making a tough choice is inevitable, we should be prepared.
Last, the Iran-Israel issue has once again proven that the surest way for citizens of a nation to remain insecure is by engaging in perpetual hostility rooted in religious fundamentalism, illiberalism, hatred for other communities/religions, and religious intolerance. Even as the world hopes that tempers calm in the Middle East and better sense prevails, it is clear that ordinary citizens, especially women and children in all these trouble-torn areas, rue the absence of statesmen who could lead them to peace, progress and prosperity. The precariously short supply of moderation, tolerance and pluralism in the Middle East requires to be filled urgently. Can leaders of the world rise to the challenge and transcend to becoming statesmen?
“We don’t need a revolution of anger; we need a revolution of compassion”– Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi in her memoir Iran Awakening
The author is a former IAF officer who writes about geopolitics, defence, and strategic affairs. He tweets @aparagonpilot
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of Financial Express Online. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited.
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