Middle East - serious test for international community

PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgy Mirsky, professor of world politics department, world economy and world politics faculty of HSE, Moscow, the chief researcher of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences gave "Greater Middle East: four hot spots" lecture in Moscow State University High School of Economics on December 16.

As a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent reported from Moscow, Prof. Mirsky dwelled on the Arab-Israeli conflict, Iraq, the war in Afghanistan and Iran's nuclear program. "Being shaken by the war in Afghanistan, Middle East is the most dangerous region in the world. As to Iran's nuclear program, it is a difficult test for the entire world community. Sanctions imposed on Iran will first of all help the United States deter Israeli attack on Iran," he said. "Although during the negotiations in Geneva in October 2009 the demand to abandon uranium enrichment was lifted and transportation of uranium to Russia for enrichment up to 20% and then France was offered instead so that Iran could use enriched uranium for peaceful energy, Iran rejected the offer. Accepting the terms, Iranian leadership could lose control and image within the country, given that a third of the population of Iran casts doubt on the legitimacy of the June 12 presidential elections. The probability of U.S. attack on Iran is low, because the U.S. still experiences serious problems in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The war in Iraq was damaging for the U.S., resulting in the rise of anti-Americanism and the penetration of Iranian influence in Iraq. After overthrowing Saddam Hussein, the U.S. failed to form an effective political structure of the country. Under the circumstances, it is hard to foresee any breakthrough in resolution of the Iraqi problem."