Rivalry between US and Iran stands at the doorstep of conflict
US Secretary of State Pompeo in Europe to isolate Iran and curb growing influence of China, Russia
Washington / Budapest – Given the energy supplies from Russia, investment flow from China and increasing support for Iran, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, embarked on a tour of European countries on Monday. Secretary of State Pompeo is scheduled to visit Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Belgium and Iceland during his visit. Also, the ‘Ministerial to Promote the Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East’, a summit which is to be held in Poland, would be the highlight of the tour. Furthermore, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also be attending the summit.
Russia is the leading supplier of energy to the EU, and the United States has consistently alleged that Russia would, therefore, try to pressurise them. The United States has adopted an aggressive stance to stop the Russian energy projects and investments in Europe, as also has initiated efforts to create discord among European countries and Russian. The United States is, therefore, making attempts and offering economic benefits, agreements along with a deal for energy supply. The US Department of State has indicated that Pompeo would be focussing on these issues during the Europe tour.
In a counter-retort, Iran slams EU saying Europe itself has active terrorist and criminal groups
Tehran / Brussels – After the United States withdrew from the ‘Iran Nuclear Deal’, severe differences have developed between Iran and the European Union (EU), which had continued its cooperation with Iran. The EU has imposed sanctions against Iran, alleging it of developing missile and hatching conspiracies of terrorist attacks. Iran has hit back at the EU saying, ‘We are disappointed with such accusations and concerns of the Europeans, while in Europe itself terrorist and criminal groups are being active’. At the same time, Iran has also rejected the INSTEX – the alternative system that Germany, France and the United Kingdom proposed and set up to bypass the US sanctions.
Last year, terrorist plots were busted in France, Germany and Belgium. During investigations, the terrorists arrested in the European countries were found to have a direct connection with Iran’s elite force, the Revolutionary Guards. Moreover, Iran also tested a ballistic missile last year. Criticising these Iranian activities, the EU had indicated imposing sanctions against the Middle Eastern country. Nevertheless, the EU had offered to reverse the sanctions if Iran gave up its terror activities in Europe as also its missile production.
Washington – For the first time since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Iranian economy is under tremendous stress, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani admitted. The Iranian President accused the United States of being responsible for the wretched state of the country’s economy. To bail out the crisis-hit economy owing to the US sanctions, Iran has announced a gold-backed cryptocurrency although the country was speculated to make the announcement since some time. It is Iran’s first step to challenge the dollar-based international system and retaliate against the US sanctions. A reaction from the United States is anticipated on the matter.
An Iranian English daily reported the story. The cryptocurrency is named ‘Peyman’. Also, four main banks as also a private company has taken the initiative to build the Iranian cryptocurrency. The banks include the Persian Bank, Bank Pasargad, Bank Melli Iran and Bank Mellat. Along with these banks, the Iranian Ghoghnoos Company took the initiative in helping to launch the cryptocurrency. The Peyman cryptocurrency would thus be available with all the four banks. Peyman will be used to tokenise banks’ assets and excess properties, Valiollah Fatemi, a Ghoghnoos director stated.
‘Nation of Islam’ leader Louis Farrakhan demands a separate state from the US for Black Americans
Washington – Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the ‘Nation of Islam’ group, has made a sensational demand for an independent country for Black Americans, saying “Yes I’m after a separate state, a separate nation. In the 60s what was our cry? We weren’t saying we want to integrate; we were saying, ‘It’s time for a separate nation!'”. He added, ‘Black Power was not meant to integrate a lunch counter. Black Power was meant to build a nation for 40 million – now near 50 million – black people.’
The ‘Nation of Islam’ leader presented the demand for a separate country for the Black Americans in a clip posted on social media. The clip is from an interview in 2015, informed Fox News, a leading news channel in the United States. Last year, the ‘Nation of Islam’ leader, Louis Farrakhan made anti-Semitic statements as well as assertions against the United States. Also, Farrakhan and his associates have reportedly visited Iran a few months ago.