In his recent message to the International Hajj Congress, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, emphasized a fundamental and far-sighted point and noted: “The nations and lands of the region will no longer be the shield of American bases. In addition to no longer having a safe haven for evil and the establishment of military bases in the region, America is moving away from its previous status day by day.”
Regarding this key issue, the following points can be noted:
1. Although the establishment of military bases in the Persian Gulf countries was said to defend the interests of Arab countries and also strengthen the security of the region, the aggression of the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran and the outbreak of a regional war proved that the main tasks of these bases are to support the interests of Israel, sell weapons to Arab countries, create divisions and differences between Iran and its neighbors, and prevent the formation of a joint security regime in the region without foreign interference. In this war, the Persian Gulf countries and the elites of this region admitted, sometimes publicly and sometimes in private meetings, that the most important problem of the US military bases for their countries was the preference of US interests over the interests of the host countries, which in fact suppressed diplomacy and prevented the continuation of peace.
2. Before the US aggression, Trump’s threats against Iran and the growing possibility of war spreading caused the countries of the region to take extensive diplomatic measures to manage this situation. The Persian Gulf countries, which are mainly seeking economic progress under the guise of security, were concerned about the possible expansion of the US war against Iran and repeatedly told US officials, both during their trips to the US and through exchanges of messages, that the dimensions of the war would not be limited to Iran’s attack on US war navies and would also include the country’s military bases. The leaders of the Persian Gulf countries, who knew that this time, Iran would definitely attack US bases as well, repeatedly called on the US, as their friend, to refrain from aggression against Iran. However, the US, on the orders of its autocratic and narcissistic president and to satisfy Netanyahu, attacked Iran, exposing its military bases to destruction and inefficiency, and forcing its military forces to flee from these bases. The Arab countries were the main victims of this aggression.
3 . Apart from Arab countries, today the countries of the world have also come to the conclusion that US military bases, as an important part of this country’s military power, have heavy economic and social costs for the host communities, including economic underdevelopment, the growth of prostitution, human trafficking, violence against women and prisoners, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, environmental destruction through the use of fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gases. For example, during the construction of bases such as Camp Humphreys in South Korea or Shoalwater Bay in Australia, millions of trees were cut down and the habitat of vital species was destroyed. In these military bases, no one from the host country is present, and in some cases, such as the US military base in Okinawa, Japan, the military of the guest country even enjoys judicial immunity. In some of these bases, houses are built to accommodate the military and the personnel live with their families for many years. Naturally, the economic costs and huge expenses incurred by the host to maintain these bases, if spent on implementing domestic projects, will be the main factor in progress.
4. The key point of the statements of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on the occasion of Hajj is that after the US aggression against Iran and the decisive defeat of the aggressor, the world gradually comes to believe that nations and governments should not be the shields of American bases to secure the interests of this country and Israel. Naturally, the formation of this belief will accelerate the process of America’s decline. At the same time, the countries of the region, which are currently suffering greatly and are concerned due to America’s excesses, should know that Iran not only does not want war and instability in the Persian Gulf, but has also been emphasizing ensuring collective security in the West Asian region using indigenous capabilities for many years. Accordingly, it is necessary to form a common vision, considering the continuation of US regional threats and the possibility of a repeat of war in the future, to defend the security of the Persian Gulf with the presence of Iran and the countries bordering the Persian Gulf. This is an inevitable matter, and the sooner it happens, the better for the Muslim countries and nations of the region.
MNA
