U.S. calls for action to halt Iran's growing 'network of proxies'

By Andrea Shalal and Sabine Siebold

 

U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster talks at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, February 17, 2018. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski

 

MUNICH (Reuters) - U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster called on Saturday for more forceful action to halt Iran's development of what he said was an increasingly powerful network of proxy armies in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

 

McMaster accused Iran of escalating a campaign to increase its influence in the Middle East by building and arming "Hezbollah-style" proxy armies in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere as it has done in Lebanon.

 

The goal was to weaken Arab governments and turn the proxy forces against those states if they pursued policies that ran counter to Tehran's interests, he said.

 

"So the time is now, we think, to act against Iran," he told the Munich Security Conference, calling on U.S. allies to halt trade that was helping underwrite the expansion of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the most powerful military and economic force in the Islamic Republic.

 

The United States deems Lebanon's Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

 

"What's particularly concerning is that this network of proxies is becoming more and more capable," he said.

 

Iran has denied accusations that it meddles in the affairs of its Middle East neighbours and has dismissed suggestions it stop supporting groups such as Hezbollah.

 

NUCLEAR DEAL

 

McMaster also railed against the 2015 nuclear accord signed by Iran and six other countries, saying investments made by German firms and others were helping fund Iran's missile program and its other activities in the Middle East.

 

Echoing President Donald Trump's view, he said it was time to address "serious flaws in the Iran deal and counter Iran's destabilising activities including its development and proliferation of missiles."

 

Trump has been pushing for changes to the 2015 nuclear agreement under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of many sanctions.

 

Iran insists it is implementing the nuclear agreement and has warned Washington of consequences if the accord is scrapped.

 

McMaster said those who invested in Iran were essentially funding activities by Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

 

He said Iran's biggest trading partners were Russia and China, but also included Japan, South Korea and Germany.

 

"As a matter of international security and moral conscience we must stop doing business with (Iran Revolutionary Guard) affiliated interests, encourage the development of a true commercial sector in Iran and pressure the regime to respect the rights of its people," he said.

 

A senior Russian diplomat, Sergei Kislyak, said that Washington's efforts on the Iran nuclear deal would represent an "enormous blow" to non-proliferations efforts.

 

"We want this treaty ... to continue," he said. "We hear more and more signals from Washington to the extent that they are considering revisiting the participation in the treaty. If that is going to happen, that would be an enormous blow to the collective effort to make sure that non-proliferation efforts survive."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-18

some reasons why this warning is hollow....

>>>  Hypocritical. The US is the poster child for proxy military activities ww.

>>>  won't work. The US can spend 500,000 per minute, and it won't get anything useful done, except pay a lot of military expenses, incl contractors and corporations.

>>>  Not believable.  With Trump at its helm, the US has no credence on the world stage. 

Iran doesn't even tries to hide the fact that it's plans are to be the dominant power in the middle east and at any cost, even at the cost of unrest at home when it's own citizens are complaining of bad economy, inflation and shortage of goods owning to Iran massive financial outpour of mega billions to prop up the proxy armies and clandestine operations all over the world...  

59 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Iran doesn't even tries to hide the fact that it's plans are to be the dominant power in the middle east and at any cost, even at the cost of unrests at home when it's own citizens are complaning of bad economy, inflation and shortage of goods owning to Iran massive financial outpour of mega billions to prop up the proxy armies and clandestine operations all over the world...  

What you say about Iran applies even more so to the USA.  Nobody wins in the Middle East - it's a bloody quagmire.

Weep  on !   Pee  on   your  own boots  and  want  to  whine  on and  blame  some one  else !  

The  world   already  knows   your  choices.. Learn  to  be team player  or   get  nasty.....the  greater  expectation.  Right?

But,  being the  greater  expectation means   most  know  you are   coming.  Will  be  unpleasant  all  round.  just  don't expect  a  favourable  outcome.  For  anyone !

Take  it  onboard  before  you  screw  us all !