Escalating the Rhetoric

There have been numerous reports in recent weeks of Iranian officials accusing the U.S. and Britain of supporting attacks inside Iran and "fomenting unrest", in general. This is all part of Iran's plan to justify its actions (e.g. pursuing nuclear technology, interferring in Iraq, etc.) as defensive measures. Iranian rhetoric plays an important part in the theocracy's strategy for confronting the West and that's why I would not dismiss such obvious bluster out of hand.

Consider this threat to use the much-improved Shahab-3 missile (built primarily with Russian, Chinese and North Korean technology, by the way) against British and U.S. forces if Iran is attacked. Coupled with this threat is the accusation that Iran is already being attacked.

The Associated Press reports:

Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, the chief of the Revolutionary Guards, said the United States and Britain were behind bombings Jan 21 that killed at least nine people in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, near the southern border with Iraq where 8,500 British soldiers are based.

"Foreign forces based in Iraq, especially southern Iraq, direct Iranian agents and give them bomb materials," he said in remarks carried by state-run television.

"We have no intention to invade any country. We will take effective defense measures if attacked," he said. "These missiles are in the possession of the Guards."

Do I think Iran will launch these missiles any time soon (absent a U.S. or Israeli-led missile strike on her nuclear installations)? Probably not. But Iran is already laying out the justifications for a Shahab-3 launch should she decide to go ahead with it in the future.