Bloomberg: Venezuela Scenario Will Not Work in Iran

Tehran - BORNA - Iran and Venezuela have been linked by their shared hostility with the United States and, more recently, by their mutual need to bypass energy sanctions. Consequently, the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States has raised concerns that removing Maduro from power might have endangered another link in Tehran’s network of alliances.

Bloomberg begins its report by noting: "We say 'might,' because it is not yet clear what the outcome of the U.S. Special Forces operation in Venezuela will be. Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's Vice President, during her inauguration as interim president on Monday, made conciliatory remarks toward the U.S. However, she reserved her greatest attention and warmest embrace for the ambassadors of Maduro’s key international allies—including China, Iran, and Russia—and is strongly countering any possibility of internal opposition."

Referring to scattered protests in several Iranian cities over the past few days, the American network added: "This situation prompted Donald Trump to issue a premature warning that the United States is ready to intervene if the situation continues. But the question here is not whether Iran and the region would be better off without the Islamic Republic, but whether further airstrikes would help or hinder Washington’s goals."

Reasons for U.S. Restraint

According to Bloomberg, there are at least two reasons for U.S. restraint.

The first reason is that Iran became unified following the airstrikes in June; no one enjoys being bombed by a foreign power or the almost inevitable civilian collateral damage. Therefore, there are many reasons to believe that a repeat of the recent attacks would have the same effect. Protesters might return to their homes for fear of being seen as accomplices to the enemy.

The second reason for a pause is that it is highly unlikely that a stable, pro-Western democracy would emerge even if a second U.S.-Israeli attack led to a regime change in Iran. The more likely outcome is that power would shift to a government that is less religiously dogmatic but equally hostile toward the West.

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