Name game reflects Arab mistrust of Iran

Potential for civil strife
But Arab fears stretch beyond Iranian accidents or retaliation. There’s anxiety about possible civil strife between their ruling Sunni Muslim majorities and Shiite minorities and worry that the latter might side with Shiite Iran if the Americans were to attack. Bahrain — headquarters of the U.S. 5th Fleet — is the only Gulf Cooperation Council member with a Shiite majority.

Former GCC Secretary-General Abdullah Bishara recently wrote that gulf countries had been “hesitant, vague and wishy-washy” in response to Iran when the Arabs should have told Tehran “clearly and in public” that they rejected its behavior.

Abdul Khaleq Abdullah, of Emirates University, voiced similar criticism.

“Where is gulf diplomacy? Why are they shying away?” he asked in an interview. “They should reach out to Washington and Iran. ... If they were to go full speed, they might achieve something.”

Nuclear program at root of fears
The turmoil over Iran’s nuclear program, which is now before the U.N. Security Council, stems from concerns among the United States, Britain and France over Tehran’s intentions. After the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, declared in 2002 that Iran had been conducting secret nuclear activities for decades, Washington said it believed the country was trying to build a nuclear weapon. Britain, France, Germany and Japan have also voiced concern.

Iran has insisted it wants nothing beyond the technology to build and operate nuclear reactors to generate electricity. It claims it has that right, including the privilege of enriching uranium, under its membership in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Uranium enrichment has become the crux of the dispute. Iran says it will only increase the potency of uranium by 5 percent for use in reactors for power plants. Opponents fear it will take the process further and produce fuel for nuclear weapons.

The Security Council could impose sanctions on Iran, but with China and Russia opposed, such punishment seems unlikely.

Mixed signals
In the meantime, the Arab countries that would feel the immediate impact of deepening chaos over the dispute are getting mixed signals from Iran.

Even as Ahmadinejad was upbraiding the Qatari emir, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani was in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, telling leaders the region’s concerns were “baseless” and inviting gulf states to mediate.

He was apparently trying to ease concerns raised last month when Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi warned his nation had “control over the biggest and most sensitive energy route of the world.”

His remarks were a clear threat that Iran might try to close the Strait of Hormuz and strangle off shipment of the Arabs’ economic life’s blood — oil — most of which must move through the Strait of Hormuz to reach world markets.

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