Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the Iranian leadership is seeking to export this revolution with the aim of interfering in neighboring countries and destabilizing it. It has also established many charities and Shiite cultural centers outside Iran to win the sympathy of Muslims in general and Arab Shiites. The aim is to win regimes, bodies and figures loyal to the Iranian regime in the Middle East and Africa in preparation for control of some sites in these countries. This is what has been confirmed by a prominent Iranian government figure on the occasion of the anniversary of the Iranian revolution in 2015. The commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Maj. Qassem Soleimani said that "the indicators of exporting the Islamic revolution are everywhere in the region, And even North Africa. "
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Since the early 1980s, Iran has been planning to establish the Great Iranian Empire, its roots in Asia and its branches in the Middle East and Africa. This is what we will try to spread out as follows:
Iranian Expansion in the Middle East:
Regional control became a strategic target for Iran after the Khomeini revolution of 1979. It was this control that drove Saudi Arabia and its Gulf states to act to counter this expansionist state, especially as Saudi Arabia felt surrounded by groups of Iranian influence.
Therefore, Iran's ambitions for political and strategic hegemony over the Persian Gulf should not be questioned, which is explained by Iran's ongoing interference in the internal affairs of a number of Gulf states and its expansionist plan in the Arab region, particularly in the Shiite belt and the Arabian Gulf. From Lebanon.
Iran has been supporting its traditional ally Hezbollah in Lebanon for some time and has allied itself with Bashar Assad's regime in Syria, despite the massacres committed against his people. This can not be interpreted as a kind of solidarity with the "Alawite Shiites" in Syria, just as it is an Iranian geographic ambition aimed at controlling both Iraq and Syria, on the one hand, and the siege of Saudi Arabia so as not to be a strategic leader in the Middle East.
In line with its expansionist ambitions, Iran has become a real threat to security in the region because it has not committed itself to respecting the nuclear agreement with the West. It has also violated UN Security Council resolutions and international sanctions with regard to missile tests.
Moreover, Iran's threat and threat today is not only aimed at stability in the Gulf, the Middle East, and the Arab region but also threatens international peace and security and economic and geopolitical interests, given Iran's access to internationally banned nuclear weapons.
This Iranian threat was predicted by many political leaders and strategic analysts, such as former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger when he published a lengthy analysis of the challenges facing America and the NATO countries under the current global circumstances. Iran, or the Shiite forces trained, directed and controlled by Iran, on the land of "ISIS" in Iraq and Syria, the result may be a belt of land stretching from Tehran to Beirut, which could lead to the emergence of an extremist radical Iranian empire ".
"Iran has planned for years to defeat," he said, "in order to be the dominant force in Iraq and Syria, through sectarian and ethnic cleansing operations in large areas of Iraq and Syria, which is now the force in these two countries. Arab countries have left the arena of Iraq and Syria over the past years open to Iran and its militias. "
Iranian penetration in Africa:
Since the Iranian revolution, the African continent has been an important focus in the priorities of Iran's expansionist policy, a broad and fruitful arena for its political and economic activities, and an important strategic center for reaching Arab countries in North Africa and controlling their regimes.
The policy of Iran in the African countries is consistent with its policy in the Arab region, which focuses on the religious dimension, which justify its interference in the internal affairs of those countries. In a record period, Iran has established in Africa a strong position and economic and political influence, and set a foothold in those countries such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal, South Africa, Angola and the Congo.
At the religious level, we mention the Shiism that entered Ghana with the beginning of the emigration of Lebanese refugees in the early 1980s, as the Shiite advocacy activity there increased, and civil society organizations, such as Al-Kawthar, began building mosques and organizing religious ceremonies such as celebrating Jerusalem, Ashura and others. The same thing happened in Nigeria, which now has a large Shi'a population thanks to the activities of the Nigerian Islamic Movement, although there was no Shiite presence in Nigeria before the 1980s, before the Iranian revolution was exported.
On the economic front, which is considered one of the most important pillars of Iran's penetration of the African continent, Iran has paid great attention to building bridges of economic cooperation in its foreign policy with African countries and attracting foreign investments such as the establishment of the 2007 Iran Khodro Automotive Factory in Senegal And the conclusion of agreements with Ethiopia in the areas of gas and agriculture, the construction of nuclear plants in Kenya, the conclusion of cooperation agreements in the field of agriculture, equipment and energy, as well as the conclusion of agreements in the field of oil with Angola and South Africa, which has a link with Iran T is very strong in several areas.
The interest, whether religious or economic, is specific to Iran's foreign policy, even if it contradicts its international positions, such as its position on Israel. Ethiopia, while a strategic ally of Israel in the Horn of Africa, maintains strong relations with Iran, which have penetrated the Ahbash community and have been able to spread its Shiite ideology and thus have a political influence on Ethiopia's decision-makers.
On the economic front, which is considered one of the most important pillars of Iran's penetration of the African continent, Iran has paid great attention to building bridges of economic cooperation in its foreign policy with African countries and attracting foreign investments such as the establishment of the 2007 Iran Khodro Automotive Factory in Senegal And the conclusion of agreements with Ethiopia in the areas of gas and agriculture, the construction of nuclear plants in Kenya, the conclusion of cooperation agreements in the field of agriculture, equipment and energy, as well as the conclusion of agreements in the field of oil with Angola and South Africa, which has a link with Iran T is very strong in several areas.
The interest, whether religious or economic, is specific to Iran's foreign policy, even if it contradicts its international positions, such as its position on Israel. Ethiopia, while a strategic ally of Israel in the Horn of Africa, maintains strong relations with Iran, which have penetrated the Ahbash community and have been able to spread its Shiite ideology and thus have a political influence on Ethiopia's decision-makers.
in North Africa:
Tehran strives to win new regional alliances in North Africa based on political, economic, cultural and religious foundations. The alliances and economic and cultural relations that Iran is building with the Maghreb countries, especially the three Maghreb countries - Libya, Algeria and Morocco - are seeking to expand in Africa.
Libya is an important and targeted country by Iran during the reign of President Muammar Gaddafi, who admitted to the Khomeini revolution in 1979 and stood with Iran in its war with Iraq from 1980 to 1988. This was manifested by the increasing Shiism within the youth community under Gaddafi, However, in recent years, the Libyan authorities have been able to stop the wave of Shiism in Iran, after the protest of Sunni Muslims.
Algeria is the focus of Iranian presence in the Maghreb and a gateway to Africa. Besides the special relations between the two countries in the economic sphere, especially energy, Iran has sought to strengthen its bilateral relations with Algeria in the field of tourism. In the early 1990s, when the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) won the municipal elections, there was a shift in the relationship of the Algerian military regime with Iran, with which it broke off relations, accusing it of supporting the Islamic Front. Relations between the two countries flourished until President Bouteflika came to power. This was reflected in the conclusion of 19 agreements on cooperation in the fields of agriculture, industry, science, culture, construction, water, energy and the nuclear field.
For Morocco, Moroccan-Iranian relations resumed in December 2014 after a six-year diplomatic rupture since 2009 over Moroccan authorities accusing Iran of attempting to interfere in the country's religious affairs. However, the Moroccan foreign ministry recently announced the severing of relations with Iran because of its involvement and its ally Hezbollah in sending weapons to the Polisario Front, a separatist movement in the Tindouf area. He also sent military cadres to train Polisario guerrillas, form commando teams and prepare hostile operations against Morocco.
Thus, Iran is operating according to an expansionary strategic plan in many parts of the world to realize the dream of the great Persian Empire, which wants to end in West Africa (Morocco) and overlook the Atlantic Ocean.
As we market this evidence in the face of the growing danger posed by Iran in the region, and the fact that this danger is on the way to increase and intensify, it is necessary to move immediately and plan to stop the Iranian expansionist regime through a series of measures,
Supporting the efforts of the Arab coalition countries in reducing this danger, especially in the diplomatic arena.
To develop a comprehensive plan to counter the Iranian Shiite ideology. In addition to the security and military aspects, it is necessary to fight the destructive Iranian thought.
Iran has to respect international legitimacy by reviewing and completing the nuclear agreement, especially on the ballistic missile program in Iran, the need to link the nuclear agreement with Iran beyond 2025, and to address Iran's missile program.
* Khaled El Sharkawy El Samouni
* Director of Rabat Center for Political and Strategic Studies
