By Abdulmumin Giwa,
Since the advent of Islamic Republic of Iran after a successful revolution led by Ayatullah Ruhullah Khumaini (QS) in 1979, America has been on its feet to see that the regime was brought down by all means. This became necessary for several reasons some of which are very obvious. These obvious reasons include among others the issue of global supremacy. The capitalists with America in the lead were already taking the lead in a cold war against the communists led by the then Union of Soviet Socialists Republic (USSR).
The Americans were working towards becoming the strongest and most influential nation in the world that controls not only other sovereign nations but also their internal affairs. All of a sudden another alternative powerful ideology and system with even a more potential strength appeared on the global stage in Iran. Certainly this is a threat to the American interest most especially as America had already gotten control of the ousted monarchy led by Shah Reza Pahlavi in Iran and had arranged beneficial economic concessions that will boost its strength. The revolution brought an unplanned stop to the American control of the 4th world’s oil richest nation and member of the prestigious Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). This has devastatingly affected America.
More so, the new regime in Iran was totally independent of American control and influence and is working towards establishing its strength and influence within and outside the Gulf region. A lot of movements across the globe that America had had hypocritical stance about, including South West African People’s Organization (SWAPO) and even the African National Congress (ANC) were also influenced by the revolution in Iran.
In addition to all that, the new Islamic regime in Iran could make America lose total control of a lot of Muslim countries across the globe, most of which are oil rich nations largely exploited by it through mischievous and hypocritical diplomatic policies. The Muslims number over 1.5 billion in the world and allowing Iran to lead these people would certainly tarnish the American dream of controlling the world. Those countries could take along the Iranian path and another super-power with an Islamic ideology could be founded which is grossly detrimental to the American global control.
After bringing down the USSR in a cold war, America was faced with emerging Islamic Iran it had failed to curtail even with the imposition of a strongly financed war using Saddam Husain, the then Iraqi dictator and its celebrated stooge. The Gulf War lasted eight years of which all international laws on conduct of war were violated before the very eyes of the United Nations (UN), where chemical and cluster bombs were used in places like Halabja especially and other parts of Iran.
The war ended and America understood that Islamic Iran had come to stay. It then mobilized extremely stringent and unjustifiable sanctions on Islamic Iran for which alliances were formed with European countries and others to ensure Iran was brought down.
America also exploited the sectarian ideals of Saudi Arabia and sponsored a global anti-Shiah campaign and also promoted the American accepted version of Islam, Wahabism, to ensure that they blackmail Iran and curtail its strength and influence in the Muslim world. A lot of Saudi backed Islamic organizations were founded and funded in many countries including Nigeria where the Wahhabi contractors established the Izala group of which the Salafists later emerged from which the terrorist organization called Boko Haram was later founded.
The Wahhabi movement enjoyed strong financial support from Saudi Arabia through especially the International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO), later banned and accused of sponsoring terrorism in Muslim communities. IIRO built a lot of mosques and schools for the Izalah and enhanced sectarian division among Muslims for which within the Sunnis there were Tariqas who are adherents of the Sufi order and the Izala who are the Wahhabis. The Izala declared the Tariqah followers as infidels despite belonging to the same Sunni school of thought.
Iran was able to sustain itself to the level of becoming a power to reckon with not only in the Middle East but also beyond despite the destructive economic sanctions. Iran also developed alternative economic policies that managed it through the periods of stringent sanctions where it emerged powerful in the fields of medicine, science and technology. It developed its arts and other industries in such a way that it was even independent of its rich oil reserves. It also became a nuclear power within the periods of the sanctions and also developed its military might beyond the expectation of its enemies.
Iran was able to curtail the Israeli influence in the Gulf Region by giving hope to the Palestinians Hamas Intifada and also protection to Lebanon from Israeli encroachment through theHizbulllah. All these policies are outright threats to both the Israeli and American interests.
The rise in power and strength of Iran on the global stage forced America, Israel and Saudi Arabia into engaging in proxy wars against groups and sovereign nations to fight what they see as Iranian influence.
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) which started its activities before the Islamic Revolution of Iran was able to see the practical interpretation of its ideals by the Iranian state after the successful Islamic Revolution in Iran. It became morally empowered by the revolution as well.
With the dilapidating social, economic as well as political systems in Nigeria, more and more people see hope in the IMN and it was growing through public enlightenment and education but not without challenges from diverse interest groups major amongst which are the Wahhabi Movement and its cabal within the Nigerian government.
The Wahhabis and their cabal in government have propagated a lot of lies against the IMN and have even called for the extermination of the Movement and massacre of its members. They turned themselves into propagandists of the Shia-phobia through their sectarian activities.
To the Americans, the IMN is seen as a threat to its interest. Firstly, Nigeria is an influential black nation in the world that is endowed with both human and natural resources. It is such that in every five black people in the world one is a Nigerian. They want to have total control of this black nation and exploit it politically and economically.
The Americans are so concerned about the IMN that around 2007, one Chidi Okpara website revealed that the Americans have declared Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, leader of the IMN as a threat to its interest. That they have established a desk in the American Embassy in Nigeria that is to pressurize the Nigerian government to kill Sheikh Zakzaky, disperse his followers and outlaw the Movement. They have influenced several regimes on the IMN in one way or the other. They were able to penetrate the Nigerian intelligence machinery, government, security and now the executive to clampdown on the IMN.
They attempted an all-out clampdown on the IMN during the President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime when they attacked the IMN killing 34 members including three biological sons of the IMN leader all of who are undergraduates in July 2014. Their intention was to destroy the IMN but the incident of the killing would be given another interpretation and was even used by the All Progressive Congress (APC) stakeholders to campaign against the Jonathan’s regime. This observation led to the suspension of that project.
More so, using President Jonathan to fight IMN could turn into a religious and sectional crisis where the majority northerners will accuse President Jonathan of killing Muslims for no just course. If the Americans use his regime to fight the IMN they will end up getting a futile result that would raise support and strength for the IMN. Hence, the whole plan was changed and they decided to support a northern candidate that could do their bid for them.
Continued in Clampdown On IMN: The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth. (2)