New York, Sept 11, IRNA - An expert on Iran-US affairs evaluated John Bolton's expulsion from the White House as a positive step in the path against warmongering, saying it would also be a serious defeat for Netanyahu and the Israeli lobby in Washington.
In an exclusive interview with IRNA, Kaveh Afrasiabi told about the effects of the expulsion of Trump's national security adviser that the news was not surprising, since the media has long spoken of Bolton's abandonment of important foreign policy decisions such as negotiating with the Taliban, and news and evidence suggest Trump has lost confidence in Bolton.
The main reason is the failure of the US foreign policy on issues such as the Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, Venezuela and North Korea, the senior expert noted.
As the presidential election approaches, Trump will have to show voters a sign of success in foreign policy, or else he will have face trouble in his re-election, the expert said. Therefore, Bolton's ouster should also be seen from Trump's domestic priorities.
Afrasiabi went on to say that on Iran, it should be remembered that Bolton had put forward an action plan for Iran before assuming the responsibility as the National Security Adviser, and promised that Washington could form an international coalition against Tehran after the US withdrawal from the JCPOA.
He noted that the plan was to bring about a regime change by Bolton and other American neocons so that Iran could get on its knees by means of a maximum-pressure campaign, and that the conditions for regime change would be met, but Iran resisted and Bolton and his associates failed to achieve their goals.
The analyst reiterated that the reality of the matter is that Bolton's continuation of his post meant the continuation of those failures. Therefore, one has to look at what the qualitative and functional shifts by Trump in foreign policy will be.
Referring to Trump's willingness to meet with Iranian officials, Afrasiabi inferred that Bolton's expulsion sends an important, positive signal to facilitate the Iran-US negotiation process, as Bolton personally was a barrier, even as other barriers also exist.
He said the inappropriate behavior of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo should not be ignored. Trump at the Group of 7 summit practically departed from Pompeo's terms, and said he did not want a regime change and wanted to talk to Iranian officials. Therefore, there is a kind of theoretical divide between Trump and Pompeo, and it is hoped that the next ouster will be Pompeo, though he has more flexibility softening in his practice than Bolton.
With Pompeo's survival, we should see the continuation of Trump's policy on Iran, and we should not expect a rapid and comprehensive change in this regard, the US expert said.
This news, though viewed as a positive step in facilitating the Iran-US negotiation process to resolve the conflict, is bad for Israel and Netanyahu's government, Afrasiabi went on to say.
Referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to prevent any talks between Iran and the US, the expert said that Netanyahu said in London that it is not the time for negotiation and that the maximum pressure should be exerted. He has now learnt that Trump is keen on finding diplomatic channels with Iran, which is seen as a political divide between the United States and Israel.
Bolton was a hardline advocate of Israel whose departure for Netanyahu and his lobbies in Washington is a negative development, said international affairs analyst. This will bring about a change not only about Iran but also for the entire US foreign policy in the Middle East.
Afrinasabi, referring to the recent resignation of Trump's adviser on peace talks, Jason Greenblatt, said the resignation of Greenblatt and Bolton's ouster signaled the need for the White House to make dramatic changes.
Asked what would happen to Bolton's absence in the White House's policies on Iran, he said, we certainly should not expect that immediately after Bolton's departure, the Trump administration will shift its Iran's policies.
"I am not surprised by Pompeo's remarks, but it seems that Iran's policy is more formulated by the White House than the US Department of State," said US expert on Mike Pompeo’s remark after Bolton's ouster.
Afrasiabi highlighted that Trump, who wants to demonstrate and prove a success in his foreign policy, has some concerns that do not necessarily comply with Pompeo's demands. "So we should focus on Trump's remarks and actions," he added.
It's Trump who wants to be elected in the next round, and Pompeo or other people have no worries, he said. It is important that Trump argues that serious disagreements have led to Bolton's ouster, and that Iran is one of them because Bolton wanted regime change in Iran and barred any diplomatic channels, but it seems that Trump has other tendencies.
The author of the book on Iran's nuclear Issues stated that it certainly gives the French President Emmanuel Macron a heart to pursue his mediating role between Tehran and Washington, and "we hope that these public and non-public efforts will yield positive results".
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