​'US seeks to use IS to weaken each state in the region’

The US is attempting to use ISIS to destroy each government in the region including Syria and Iraq, and is trying to drag Iran into this, Soraya Sepaphour-Ulrich, a researcher and expert on Iran, told RT.

RT:Why do you think Iran doesn't want to cooperate with the US on fighting the Islamic State?

Soraya Sepaphour: I think Iran is well aware of what the United States’ end game is. They have been observing America repeating the same pattern. And they are well aware that this is not really a fight against a group of terrorists - of the making of Americans themselves and their allies - but it is really to reoccupy the Persian Gulf region. Its angle is to remove Assad from power and to reoccupy Iraq and then perhaps even to take the offensive to Tehran. So Tehran appreciates the threat from these terrorist groups which they call ISIL or IS right now. They also understand that without the Americans, without the Saudi money, and American training it wouldn’t exist here in the first place.

RT:The US says "the door remains open" for Iran, but at the same time refuses to invite it to a meeting of top diplomats that were discussing ways to tackle the Islamists. Why is that?

SS: I think it is very hard to believe anything America says. Initially I think the US had sought assistance from Iraq to tackle the group and Iran was not interested in helping Americans militarily. I think this was said by the Iraqis, by the Syrians. But I don`t think that Iran is interested in a joint military operation, intelligence operation or any kind of operation with the US. And I don’t think it is very seemly for a superpower, for the US, to broadcast to the world that it has been turned down by Iran. So I think it tried to twist it and make believe that Iran is uninvited. I think America would very much like to drag Iran into this. The whole purpose is to weaken each state in the region by using these terrorists. It is the usual American tactic, it has always worked and I think Iran is too smart to be dragged into this.

RT:The West continues to support Syrian opposition groups - despite the reported links between the rebels and the Islamic State. Isn't this a dangerous policy?

SS: It is and it is it really senseless from every logical standpoint, from the point of view of people who seek stability and peace. But this group is doing exactly what America wants it to do. They are destroying each government, Syrian government, the Iraqi government, weakening them. At the same time they are giving Americans an excuse to intervene. A year ago, the false narrative of a chemical weapons attack by the government of Assad didn’t work. The American people are not onboard for yet another war. But when they present this really doctored, shabby propaganda pieces of the beheadings then American people are now more onboard for yet another war. This is exactly what America wanted: that the American people are onboard to wage another war. In order to do that they are going to arm the rebels even more and at the same time the rumors that America is giving intelligence to the Assad government. So it is creating chaos, it’s really destroying every country in the region. And I hope that every nation is smart enough to resist the temptation not to get dragged in, but somehow to stop the US, be it through trade or through really harsh diplomatic means: stop America from destroying every country in its path.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.