LOS ANGELESDeclared a persona non grata by the Lebanese government, Mohammed Reza Sheiban refuses to leave Lebanon fearing he has a big target on his back. But the Lebanese government made clear that they don’t want to be dragged into Hezbollah’s conflict with Israel, already sustaining a enough damage since Hezbollah joined the fight against Israel. “The ambassador will not leave Lebanon, in accordance witht eh wishes of the speaker of the parliament Nabith Berri and of Hezbollah,” the Lebanese government reported today. Sheiban refused ot leave Lebanon knowing he’s no longer has officials status, enjoys no diplomatic immunity, and would be subject to Israel assassination. Israel holds Lebanon responsible for all rocket attacks by Hezbollah on its northern territories. Hezbollah hopes to weaken Israel in its war with Iran by opening up a new battlefromt, the same as Yemen’s Houthi rebels that know joining the fight would subject the Iranian-backed terrorist group to U.S. and Israeli air strikes.
Iran was hoping to get saved by its proxy groups, despite knowing they’re in a far weaker state that the old days when Iran poured more arms-and-cash into the proxy terror group. President Donald Trump won’t hesitate to join the attacks on Hezbollah and Houthis, knowing they’ve become a nuisance in finishing the job for Iran. Lebanon wants no part of another war with Israel, already suffering extreme poverty from years of Hezbollah dragging the Lebanon government into more wars with Israel. Lebanon ordered Iran’s ambassador-disignate, Mohammad Reza Sheibani to leave the country on Sunday, but the move reportedly did not happen. With Israel stalking Iranian officials, Sheibani is an open target for Israeli assassination. Israel recognizes that Iran has meddled for too long into Lebanese politics, bringing war on the battered Mediterranean state.
When you consider that Lebanon wants no part of Israel’s war with Hezbollah, the Lebanese government wants Hezbollah to stop meddling in Lebanon’s internal affairs. Trump has made it clear to Lebanon than any support to Hezbollah would make Lebanon a U.S. target. Trump gave Iran, or any of its proxies, until April 6 to open up the Hormuz Strait, currently strangling the Persian Gulf oil supply. Iran resorted to the same tactics as Somali or Houthi pirates. Iran has noth left in the arsenal other than throw away missile attacks and an minin tankers and freighters trying to go throu the Persian Gulf. No civilzed country in Europe or Asia can tolerate a distruption to the world’s oil supply, ass designed to blackmain Arab Gulf States int selling out the U.S. But this time is different with oil rich Gulf State ready to join the fight against the Shiite mullah government.
Declaring Sheibani a persona non grata, he no longer enjoys the diplomatic immunity in Lebanon. Withdrawing Sheibani should send a loud message to Iran’s mullah government that he’s no welcome in Lebano, no longer an ally of Hezbollah. Hezbollah once provided Lebanon protection for its southern border with Israel when it stubbornly adhered to its fight with Israel. Beirut has seen enough destruction and bloodshed to know that joining Iran and Hezbollah’s rampage against Israel only brings Lebanon more destruction and carnage. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prefers not to wreak more havoc on Lebanon, know its extreme poverty and war-torn conditions. Hezbollah could care less about wreaking more havoc in Beirut when the last thing hey need is a war with Israel. Lebanon’s government has problems standing up to Hezbollah.
With the clock ticking on Trump’s demand to open up the Strait of Hormuz, it looks like the suicidal mullah regime will continue its terrorist way, destroying and hijacking ships in the commercial shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf. Iran thinks it can play Somali or Houthi pirates and flout international law of the seas. Trump knows he has a short runway to let the current situation go on much longer, realizing that he must stop Iran’s piracy on the high seas. Iran recently told Trump if he wants to end the war, he would need to cede the Strait of Hormuz to Iran and pay Tchran reparations. Trump won’t give in to terrorists, something Iran has been doing for years. No country sponsors terrorism more that Iran in the Mideast. Trump can’t keep the radical mullah government in power much longer. Declaring sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz was the last straw.
Time is running out on Iran’s mullah’s regime, either meeting its April 6 deadlines or watch the power go out for 9.5 million residents in Tehran. Iran wants Trump to accept tha its terrorism will rule the day in the Mideast East. Trump has retured to the former President George. W. Bush doctrine that the U.S. will not deal with terrorists after Sept. 11, 2001. Bush found out the hard way that there can be no compromise when it comes to terrorism. When Tehran’s mullah regime demanded sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. paying Iran reparations, he realized Trump realized that of all the military objectives in the Iran War none is more important than regime change. Tehran has demonstrated that it wants to make terrorism a way of life in the Middle East. Surrendering the Strait of Hormuz to Iran would open the d oors to more anarchy and terrorism.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
