US President Joe Biden has allowed Iran to “get away with murder” and the regime will push him to the brink on Israel, an expert has warned.
Kasra Aarabi, director of research on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) at United Against Nuclear Iran, told The Sun that Biden‘s policy has been a “complete failure”.
The SunKasra Aarabi from UANI told The Sun’s Never Mind the Ballots that President Biden had allowed Iran to believe it can ‘get away with murder without any consequences’[/caption]
The SunThe Sun’s political editor Harry Cole quizzed Aarabi on what Iran will do next[/caption]
APThe IRGC expert argued that if Biden’s support for Israel wavers then Iran ‘will escalate on all fronts’[/caption]
Iran has vowed to strike Israel with a weapon ‘never used before’ (pictured: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei)
Aarabi, who specialises in Iranian military and security affairs, blasted the US president for falling asleep behind the wheel.
“It’s no time for Biden to blink. The policy has been a complete failure,” he told The Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots, which you can watch on The Sun’s YouTube channel and thesun.co.uk.
Aarabi stated: “Biden’s failure to impose consequences means Iran thinks it can get away with murder without facing any consequences.”
This has never been more important than now, he said, arguing that if Tehran sniffs weakness from Biden in his support for Israel, it will “escalate on all fronts”.
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As the world waits with bated breath to discover how Israel will respond to Iran’s missile and drone attack, Aarabi said Iran will be fully focused on how the US handles the situation.
“Iran knows Israel will have to retaliate. But what the regime in Iran is testing now is the US support for that retaliation.
“If it sees weakness in that support it will use the next ten months as the best opportunity to escalate on all fronts.
“Biden must stand firm and firmly support Israel’s retaliation.”
However, last Saturdays’ attack on Israel is “more symbolic than meaningful,” Aarabi said, noting: “The IRGC gave advanced notice to the Israelis.”
“As well as using this attack for propaganda purposes, the regime in Iran is testing the boundaries and pushing the boundaries over the red lines further and further.”
Aarabi attributed Iran’s escalating threats to a steadfast belief that the Biden Administration will not come down hard on the IRGC – which he called the “godfather of terrorism”.
“We’ve got to this stage partly because the US has gone out of its way to tell Tehran that it does not seek direct consequences on the IRGC.”
If Biden’s support for Israel doesn’t hold, Aarabi believes: “They will escalate on all fronts.
“Not just against Israel – against the US, against Ukraine as well as [through] IRGC terrorism in Europe which we’ve seen just a few weeks ago when a UK based Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati, who happens to be my best friend, was stabbed in London.
“That was an Islamic Republic of Iran-backed attack.”
Iran launched over 350 missiles and drones at Israel last Saturday night
US president Joe Biden speaking with Netanyahu on Sunday over fears of a ‘catastrophic escalation’ in the Middle East
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured on the phone to US President Joe Biden) has decided on his plans to strike back at Iran
How Israel could launch ‘revenge’ strike on Iran
By IONA CLEAVE
ISRAEL’s war cabinet has drawn up plans for a “strategic but painful” revenge attack after Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone blitz – but world leaders fear the outbreak of an “uncontrollable war”.
From a fighter jet blitz on Tehran’s nuclear facilities to strikes on IRGC bases or attacks on its regional terror proxies – The Sun pointed to five major ways Israel may choose to hit back at its enemy.
Last Saturday night, Iran attacked Israel with a wave of hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones – the first ever direct attack by Tehran on its enemy.
Israel’s Iron Dome defence system and its allies warplanes – including the UK’s RAF Typhoons – shot down 99 per cent of the projectiles.
The aerial attack was a major departure from what has been a long-running shadow war between the two states and sparked the grim possibility of an all-our war across the region.
Israel has vowed a “significant response” in revenge for the 110 ballistic missiles, 36 cruise missiles and 185 attack drones – which Jerusalem saw as a “declaration of war”.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called off an immediate retaliation after US President Joe Biden pushed for restraint and warned him to “think carefully” about his next move.
But Israel states it reserves the right to strike Iran “at a manner and time” of its own choosing and told the UN that Iran has “crossed every red line” in its attack.
Jonathan Conicus, senior fellow at the The Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former IDF officer, said this is the “opening act” of Israeli-Iran relations.
He told The Sun: “Iran for the first time stepped out of the convenience and protection of the shadows, and decided to take on Israel directly, and by doing so, of course, Iran presents itself as a target as well.
“How will Israel retaliate? And how will Israel carry a message to the Iranians that they have definitely crossed one bridge too far?”
As the world braces for Israel’s response, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told an emergency Security Council meeting on Sunday: “The Middle East is on the brink.
“The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate.”
PM Rishi Sunak condemned Iran’s attack as “reckless” and called for calm, while a joint statement from G7 earlier this week also urged caution, fearing a “catastrophic escalation”.
But the question on everyone’s lips is how will Israel choose to respond, could it attack on Iran and what would the scale or intensity be.
On last week’s episode of The Sun’s Never Mind the Ballots, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ex-spokesman accused Biden of “throwing Israel under the bus.”
Eylon Levy said the war had become a “problem” that the US would “like to wish away”.
He fumed: “Unfortunately for us here in Israel, we don’t have a magic wand or a magic bullet to make this problem go away because Gaza isn’t like when you were fighting against ISIS in Iraq thousands of miles away, it’s in our backyard.
“We still have 133 hostages there, we cannot afford to leave Hamas on its feet.
“The solution isn’t to throw Israel under a bus, the solution is to do everything possible to help civilians while standing by Israel’s side.”
A widening rift has been growing between the two staunch allies as Biden’s support of Israel’s war against Hamas appears to wane.
In recent weeks, Biden has called Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza a “mistake” and has called on his government to send in more aid.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s war cabinet has carved out plans for a “strategic but painful” attack on Iranian soil, according to intelligence sources.
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are now simply waiting for the right moment to launch as a fractured Middle East teeters on the brink of war.
Iran’s Saturday night barrage which saw over 350 missiles and attack drones launched at Israel was foiled by the IDF and allied warplanes – including RAF jets.
Despite worldwide calls for cool heads to prevail, Netanyahu’s ranks have repeatedly insisted that a retaliatory strike is the only response.
It comes as Middle East analyst Dr Anahita Motazed Rad spoke to The Sun about how a desperate Iran may respond if Israel launches a revenge strike for its weekend missile blitz.
She believes Iran could turn to its violent proxy army Hamas to use Israeli hostages trapped in Gaza as bargaining ships.
The LSE professor said “Iran at the moment is just thinking about survival” as Israel gears up to unleash its revenge.
Iranian soldiers take part in a military parade today as they brandish drones and missiles
APIranian missiles on display today as the country braces for Israel’s retaliation[/caption]
Iranians drive past an anti-Israel billboard carrying pictures of Iranian missiles in Tehran