As always, the report doesn’t offer any evidence to support the labeling of Iran as the “top” terror state. Instead, it mostly focuses on Iran’s lawful support for Palestinian resistance against Israel, the Lebanese Hezbollah, and its involvement in the ongoing war against ISIL and Al-Qaeda in Iraq and Syria.

That for the most part the list is a political tool rather than a practice report, including only a handful of nations that are at odds with Washington, is not that much important. What’s important is that the report makes Iran the “top” nation, which is exactly what Israeli leaders constantly refer to as such.

Perhaps the State Department wants to appease Israel and Arab allies. Perhaps this is because these “allies” are not happy with the nuclear deal signed between Tehran and the world powers (the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany). Perhaps it is for domestic consumption, particularly now that US presidential campaigns are well underway. Whatever it is, the exact timing of the report is equally important at this particular juncture.

The report comes at a time when Iraqi-Syrian armies and popular forces, backed by Iranian military advisors and Russian airstrikes, are winning the twin wars against ISIL and Al-Qaeda. The counter-terror alliance will soon liberate both nations. In between, Tehran says it has no intention of cooperating with Washington on regional crises. This hasn’t gone well with the nervous War Party. This is not exactly what the Obama cabal had in mind when they signed the nuclear deal with Iran in 2015.

What they were after was Iran changing course and getting along with them in other important disputes related to Iraq, Syria, the Lebanese Hezbollah, and the Palestinian resistance. However, despite the nuclear deal, Tehran has said no. As a consequence, this has inevitably made it the “top” nation on the the State Department’s terror sponsors list.

Regarding the list, few points are worth mentioning as well:

Terrorism has been described variously as both a tactic and strategy; a crime and a holy duty; a justified reaction to oppression and an inexcusable abomination. Obviously, a lot depends on whose point of view is being represented.

Iran is not involved in state terrorism in Iraq and Syria. Terrorism is an effective tactic for the weaker side in the conflict. Iran is not the weaker side. So far, it has helped the national forces liberate many cities and towns in Iraq and Syria – as humanely as possible.

Moreover, what Iran’s military advisors are offering across multiple fronts is clear and legitimate campaign under International Law to defend against or to deter terrorism. The legality of such campaign is out there for all to see. The nature of Iranian presence and activity is also for pre-emption, and in no way for extreme goals under sectarian and hegemonic designs. Even the United Nations agrees. The UN says in the absence of Iran in international negotiations, there will be no peace in Syria.

Somehow, the US Department of Defense agrees too. It defines terrorism as “the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological”.

Within this definition, there is no Iranian violence, fear, and intimidation in Iraq and Syria that produces terror in its victims. Iranian military advisors are there upon an official request by the central governments. Iran is not using force and violence to intimidate or coerce those governments, let alone the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. Quite the opposite, Iran is helping them to fight terror and it has paid a heavy price for it.

Into the argument, Iran’s support for the resistance groups of Hezbollah and Hamas is not for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons either. Iran is not supporting the resistance for political ends, or for the purpose of putting the public, or any section of the public there, in fear. The whole idea is to shed light on the plight of the Palestinian refugees as well as the immediate victims of Israeli wars of aggression, occupation, and deceit.

Iran seeks a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on International Law, human rights, and equality for all. Nothing is wrong with that. Within this context, Hezbollah fighters are legitimate combatants too. Any doubters should ask the people of Syria, where members of Hezbollah are fighting terror and for what they believe in.

Taken together, Iran’s foreign policy is one rooted in diplomacy over regime-change war, terrorism, and aggression. It is not war-based or accountable to longstanding corporate and military powers. Unlike the United States for which diplomacy is essentially another weapon in its war arsenal, Iran is for diplomacy and recognises other countries’ sovereignty. It never cheerleads for intervention, targeted assassination, state-sponsored terrorism, or drone wars.

It’s a sure laugh-line to mention the State Department’s claim yet again that supporting the Palestinian resistance or the counter-terror alliance of Syria, Iraq, Russia and Hezbollah makes Iran a top candidate for its terror sponsors list. It says more about the War Party’s own war-driven and terror-based foreign policy than anything else.

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950317001305