"Gulf will be engulfed with fire if US continues aggression": West Asia expert Waiel Awwad warns of devastating consequences

New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): West Asia strategist Waiel Awwad on Monday shared his insights on the recent US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, highlighting the potential consequences of further escalation.
While speaking to ANI, Awwad warned that the conflict could threaten global peace and security, potentially destabilising the entire region. He cautioned that further escalation could lead to a wider conflict, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Awwad underscored Iran's significant geopolitical role, making it a crucial player in regional dynamics. He suggested that the US is aware of Iran's strength and the potential consequences of a full-scale conflict, which may influence their decision-making.
Awwad told ANI that the US understands the geopolitical importance of Iran. He remarked, "America understands, despite showing of power, that Iran is not a small country. It's a geopolitically very important country. It's a regional power to reckon with, and they cannot escalate the war with Iran because that will be devastating and a catastrophe for the whole region. The whole Gulf will be engulfed with fire if the US continue the policy of aggression along with Israel."
Bringing to attention how Iran is known for retaliating after its leaders had been attacked in the past, Awwad observed, "Now the American knows that after this attack (airstrikes on nuclear sites of Iran), Iran will not sit quiet. Iran may be taking some time to patiently find the target".
While speaking to ANI, Awwad opined that the US and Israel's primary objective is regime change in Iran, with the nuclear program being used as a pretext. He said that the US is motivated by a desire to control the region's oil resources and dominate the global trade routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
"The main objective of all this war, as the rest of the world knows, is a regime change, and the nuclear programme is just a pretext to attack Iran. So maybe the American president thinks that he has taken the first step of directly confronting Iran despite the fact that he was covertly helping Israel in this attack. There could be more danger and escalation if the Americans reveal their intention. The intention there is an American project in the region, and there is an Israeli project. They only differ on the implementation of the project--America's main objective is oil and Israeli dominance and the conquering of the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean, so the global trade taking place from that part of the world will be under American control. So it's not a matter of a regional war. It is the instability that the Americans wanted to create, which is threatening the global peace and security", he said.
Waiel Awwad's remarks came against the backdrop of the US launching an attack on three nuclear sites in Iran. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the success of the operation launched by the US in Iran on Sunday.
Operation Midnight Hammer targeted three key nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan in Iran. (ANI)