THE American sanctions on Lebanon has extended from being imposed on individuals like members and affi liates of Hezbollah, to the level of establishments, as one bank has been blacklisted for facilitating fi nancial operations for Hezbollah.

This means Lebanon, which is affl icted by the dominance of militias operating in the interest of Iran and suffers from acute economic crisis, has entered the stage of collapse due to the sensitivity of the banking sector, which dominates a huge part of the Lebanese labor market. Today, there is no place for the luxury of arrogance.

There is no place for drifting behind the suicidal politics of Nasrallah’s Hezbollah, which directs everything for the interest of Iran. Nasrallah and his provocative rhetoric has shut every open window for the Arab world particularly the Arabian Gulf region. In addition, this group interferes via terrorism in places like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Therefore, it seems there is no way to rescue Lebanon apart from taking diffi cult and painful decisions, one of which is to get rid of the Mullahs’ exploitation. This picture of a grim future for Lebanon is an indication of what could happen with Iran’s leadership whose policies are based on provocation and hostility towards the world, as well as falsification of facts in a bid to better the ugly face of the regime.

For instance, in the maritime talks between Iran and the UAE concerning fishing, the former portrayed it in the media as if the latter was striving to earn the goodwill of Tehran, but the reality was completely different which the world is well aware of. The issue in Lebanon doesn’t stop with imposition of financial sanctions; it continues to instigate the environment in the southern suburbs of Beirut against Hezbollah. The recent arrests that took place in Hezbollah-dominated areas, as published by the media, represented just a tip of the iceberg, especially after the incident of downing two drones in which elements and officials of Hezbollah are suspected to be involved.

Therefore, the threats being made by Nasrallah in his televised speeches, and his declaration to return Israel back to the Stone Age, as well as him advising Israeli soldiers to “freeze” at the borders, are just empty threats. In 2006, Nasrallah admitted that he wouldn’t have engaged in a war with Israel if he had known the size of Israel’s retaliation. There is no doubt that Hezbollah cannot stand in the face of Israel’s military power, especially after losing the environment that was in support of him.

Also, the international community wouldn’t stand idle and watch the intensification of terrorism practices by Iran and its militias in the region. In this regard, it is perhaps important to take into account the reason why the international community did not retaliate against Israeli airstrikes on Iranian arsenals in Syria and Iraq, or even condemn them. This is due to the global rejection of the Iranian politics, and the major support for imposing economic and financial pressure on Tehran which will eventually lead to an internal uprising that could end the terrible suffering of the Iranians.

The international community, particularly the United States of America, is well aware of the fact that traditional wars have become ineffective in this era, and the only solution is rendering the locals to revolt against the ruling corrupt and terror clique. This is exactly what is happening today around Nasrallah’s environs, and it is exactly what will happen soon in Iran.

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times