United States-Iran Relations
Iranian concerns: Other subjects interfere with Iran's international file at the Security Council, including:
- the economic and industrial war conducted by the United States on Iran for many years, through economic sanctions,
- the freezing of Iran's assets held abroad since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, amounting to over $10 billion according to some estimates,
- US meddling in its domestic affairs, especially in the field of human rights,
- CIA Operation Ajax to overthrow democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in the 1950s, for which the U.S. government apologized in 2000.
Propaganda: Both parties have resorted to propaganda, psychological war, ideology and defamation through the media to galvanize their troops and win the public opinion. Iran has labeled the United States the "Great Satan" and chants "Death to America." Meanwhile, U.S. President George W. Bush declared Iran part of the "axis of evil." Iran and the United States accuse each other of not working for the benefit of their own people but for a small group holding to power, even if both parties claim a broad democratic support for their endeavor. A BBC poll conducted in June 2006 found that the world public opinion considered the United States, along with Iran, to be the greatest threats to world peace.
Proxy wars: The United States has accused Iran of undermining peace in the Middle East by supporting economically and militarily warring parties beyond its borders, especially:
- in Iraq by supporting sectarian violence and the insurgents,
- in Lebanon through Hezbollah,
- in the Palestinian territories through Hamas.
Iran accuses the United States to be an "occupier" in Iraq. Nevertheless, Iran has denied any military involvement in Iraq, even though American forces have said they have proof of it. On 25 December 2006, US armed forces arrested and later released four senior Iranian military officials in Baghdad. On January 2007, US controlled forces kidnapped and allegedly tortured five Iranians in Irbil, Iraq, which have not been released yet. In April 2007, those same prisoners were allowed visits by ICRC delegates for the first time. Iran has accused the United States of supporting armed opposition groups against its Government inside and outside of Iran, and conducting UAV reconnaissance flights over Iran since 2005.
Iranian Oil Bourse: According to some experts, Iran is seeking to weaken U.S. global influence by creating an Iranian oil bourse that will trade in Iranian rial and major currencies instead of United States dollars, as well as a gas cartel with Russia, which both have the greatest proven gas reserves in the world. Iran has denied this and has justified both projects based on their sole economic merits.
Read more about this topic: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747
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