With the joined approach of Iran with the Taliban movement, analysis increase regarding Iran’s objectives from that approach.
A Taliban delegation visited Tehran last January, amid reports that the meeting between Taliban leaders and Iranian officials dealt with peace talks in Afghanistan.
Turbulence to Serve Nuclear Interests
Shifts on the international arena, specifically in the White House, are pushing the Iranian regime, according to the researcher on Iranian affairs, Melad Hedayati, to prepare for the upcoming negotiations with the US by increasing confrontation with Washington and extending influence towards the east.
Hidayati sees in Iran’s orientation towards Central Asia and its attempt to create a new confrontation with the US a desire not to clash with Israel, especially since the latter showed great seriousness in limiting Iran’s influence in the region. That was evident through the violent raids launched by Israeli air force on Iranian bases in eastern Syria last month.
Israeli intelligence sources have reportedly revealed that Israel was behind the unknown raids, which targeted Iranian militias in Deir Ezzor, pointing out that the raids affected a long-range Iranian missile system, while the Israeli chief of staff stated earlier that the Israeli army had hit 500 Iranian targets in Syria.
“Iran wants to benefit from the Democrats’ access to the White House and wants to step up further to hold pressure papers in negotiations on Iranian nuclear plans with the United States, but without Israel entering the line, hence Tehran’s growing interest in Afghanistan,” Hidayti adds, noting that the Iranian regime is seeking to be a nervous and controlling agent on the Afghan scene.
The Game Of Armed Movements And Doctrine
Despite the fact that Taliban follows the Sunni path in Islam while Iran is following Shiite rules, military analist Abdul Hadi Al-Nasser believes that the Iranian regime benefits in its dealings with the Taliban leadership from its experience in marketing and investing ideologies, especially after its long experience with Iraqi and Hezbollah militias. He indicates that Taliban uses religion to recruit its members, represents Iran field for influence, especially since the movement’s members implement the instructions of their leaders and princes without hesitation, objection or thinking.
“The Iranian regime currently sees the approach with the Taliban as a strategic interest, especially since the United States are showing interest in establishing peace in Afghanistan, which could give Iran a point in the negotiations with Washington, if it manages to disrupt the peace process,” Al-Nasser added, noting that the relations between the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Iran are not new, which may facilitate the task of the Iranians.
US President Biden stipulated that Iran should stops its uranium enrichment operations in exchange for his administration’s start to cancel the sanctions imposed by the administration of former President Donald Trump, after the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement signed in 2015, while sources in the United States revealed, Biden and his administration are awaiting the results of the Iranian presidential elections to determine its position on the nuclear agreement signed in 2015 and the possibility of returning to it.
Director of analytical development at the Global Policy Center of the US VOA Karman Bukhari believes that Iran has the greatest interest in deepening relations with the Taliban, adding: “Four years of President Donald Trump’s administration have really put them under great pressure.” They are coming to the negotiating table with the Biden administration as the weaker side, meaning they need to gain influence. “To increase its influence, Iran is trying to exploit the situation in Afghanistan, where the United States faces problems and is looking for a way out,” he added.
The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had earlier acknowledged the great economic damage caused by US sanctions, which were imposed on Iran after the US withdrew from the nuclear agreement in 2018, indicating that the Iranian economy lost about $ 150 billion due to those sanctions.
The Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif had called on the administration of US President to quickly return to the Iran nuclear agreement, indicating that in the event a fanatic figure may enter the presidency in Iran after the upcoming elections, things could get worse.
