HR McMaster, who was US national security adviser between 2017 and 2018 during Donald Trump’s presidency, said there is still a risk of escalation between Iran and Israel
UK military reductions discussed by former US security adviser
Iran is willing to “expend every Arab life” in its efforts to destroy Israel, a former US national security adviser has warned.
HR McMaster, who was in the role between 2017 and 2018 during Donald Trump’s presidency, said Iran wants to end the Western influence in the Middle East. He stressed there is still a risk of escalation between Iran and Israel following the attacks last month.
The expert added: “Iran is pursuing a strategy in which they hope we continue to pretend like we don’t understand what the return address is for all this violence.
“And in a horrible, cynical way, Iran is willing to expend every Arab life, if necessary, to accomplish its objectives of pushing the United States, the United Kingdom and our allies out of the region as the first step in establishing hegemonic power in the region and destroying Israel.
“That’s really what they want to do. And I think the longer that we act as if we don’t know what the return address is, Iran is going to continue to escalate these horrible actions to create horrible human suffering not only on the part of the Israelis but on the part of the Palestinians too.”
Iran said its attack on Saturday 13 April was a retaliation after two of its generals were killed in a strike in Syria’s capital, Damascus, which Tehran blames on Israel. Israel responded to the Iranian attack by carrying out a strike on Isfahan – home to both a military base and nuclear site in Iran, Sky News reports.
And Mr McMaster was today asked by the broadcasters whether there could be further escalation between the two regional rivals. The former security chief also stressed the West could be drawn into leading a response to any future Iranian aggression in the region.
“I think it’s coming because Iran seems to be emboldened, even though they have all sorts of internal dissent happening now… They seem to be emboldened internationally… I think we need to tell the Iranians we’re going to begin to impose severe costs on you,” Mr McMaster said.
“I think there’s tonnes of room to enforce the sanctions that are already on the books, the sanctions that the Biden administration chose not to enforce.”
