International Forecaster Weekly

Britain, France and Germany Join the Trump Regime’s Anti-Iran Blame Game

Nonbelligerent Iran never attacked another country preemptively, threatening none now, vowing only to defend its territory against foreign aggressors.

Stephen Lendman | September 25, 2019

Time and again, Britain, France, Germany, and other EU countries  operate as virtual US colonies — abandoning their sovereign independence to a higher power in Washington.

Not a shred of credible evidence links Iran to any Yemeni Houthi strikes on Saudi oil facilities or other targets.

Yet on Monday, Britain, France, and Germany issued a joint statement, parroting Trump regime deception, saying:

“It is clear to us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack (sic). There is no other plausible explanation (sic). We support ongoing investigations to establish further details.”

They also drove a stake into the JCPOA’s heart, effectively killing it along with the Trump regime, adding:

“The time has come for Iran to accept negotiation on a long-term framework for its nuclear program as well as on issues related to regional security, including its missiles program and other means of delivery.”

By breaching their mandated JCPOA obligations after the Trump regime’s unlawful May 2018 pullout, they abandoned it altogether with the above joint statement — proving their support all along was tenuous, dependent on US policy toward  Iran.

It’s further proof that deals by sovereign independent states with the US and/or Europe hang by a thread when consummated — broken time and again at the whim of US ruling authorities, EU countries going along subserviently.

It’s why negotiating with Washington achieves nothing but eventual betrayal.

Since creation of the Islamic Republic in 1979, ending a generation of US-installed tyranny, Iran has been targeted for regime change.

Bipartisan hardliners in Washington want its client state status restored, along with regaining control over its huge oil and gas resources. 

Iranian ruling authorities categorically denied involvement in Yemeni Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. No credible evidence disproves them. 

President Rouhani debunked the “groundless blame game” against his country — no end of it in prospect, not as long as US hegemonic aims remain unchanged, Europe supporting them.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Zarif stressed: “If Iran were behind (the September 14) attack (on the Saudis), nothing would have been left of (its) refinery.”

Separately, Zarif tweeted: “E3’s paralysis in fulfilling their obligations w/o US permission has been clear since May 2018.” 

“Solution to this deficiency: mustering will to forge independent path—not parroting absurd US claims & requests INCONSISTENT with JCPOA. No new deal before compliance w/ current one.”

On Monday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson allied with Trump regime hostility toward Iran, saying the following:

“The UK is attributing responsibility with a very high degree of probability to Iran (sic)” for the September 14 attack on Saudi oil facilities, “using both drones and cruise missiles,” adding:

“(W)e will be working with our American friends and our European friends to construct a response.”

“(C)learly if we are asked, either by the Saudis or by the Americans, to have a role (in countering Iran), then we will consider in what way we could be useful.”

“There is certainly a case for responding together, and that is what we are going to do.”

Britain’s aim is “bring(ing) the world together in response to what happened in Saudi Arabia.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Abbas Mousavi challenged Johnson’s unacceptable remarks, saying:

“Instead of making futile efforts against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the British government had better stop the sales of deadly weapons to Saudi Arabia, (used to massacre Yemenis), which is the demand of many people in the world, and clear itself of the charge of war crimes against the Yemeni people.

Following the September 14 strike on key Saudi oil facilities, causing significant damage, forcing closure of over half of their operations, Yemeni Houthis said they conducted the attack with multiple explosives-laden drones.

No credible evidence disputes them because none exists. Clear evidence proved their ability to strike numerous strategic targets in the kingdom earlier.

They include Saudi military bases, oil pumping stations, tankers, airports, the Shaybah oil facility 750 miles from Yemeni territory, and other infrastructure targets.

Unless proved otherwise with credible evidence not known or revealed so far, nothing disputes their claim of having struck the Saudi’s key Abqaiq oil refinery (the world’s largest) and its Khurais oil facility.

Following the September 14 attack, a Houthi spokesman said “(w)e promise the Saudi regime that our future operations will expand and be more painful as long as its aggression and siege continue.”

On Monday, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin said the following:

“(V)ery clear unbiased evidence of guilt is required (before making accusations). Flimsy allegations about some country, movement, or any other force being the initiator of (the September 14 attacks) are inadmissible.”

The US, Britain, and France are the main suppliers of heavy weapons to the Saudis — used for mass slaughter and destruction in Yemen, supporting ISIS and likeminded jihadists, as well as homeland repression.

Nonbelligerent Iran never attacked another country preemptively, threatening none now, vowing only to defend its territory against foreign aggressors.

Falsely accusing its ruling authorities of the September 14 strike on Saudi oil facilities heightens the risk of greater regional confrontation than already.

Trump so far waged war on Iran by other means alone. Will Pompeo and other regime hardliners push him to strike Iranian targets in response to what no evidence suggests its ruling authorities had anything to do with.

Will they plot other hostile actions against Iran, including a possible significant Persian Gulf or Hormuz Strait false flag, manipulating Trump to OK a belligerent response?

Humanity holds its breath, wondering what hegemon USA shoe will drop next.