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    A Shahab-3 long range missile is displayed during a rally marking al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day in Tehran on June 23, 2017. Chants against the Saudi royal family and the Islamic State group mingled with the traditional cries of 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to America' at Jerusalem Day rallies across Iran today. / AFP PHOTO / Stringer (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)
     
    US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia and the Riyadh Summit, with leaders of over 50 Muslim nations taking part, was a major turning point in the Middle East’s balance of power. This development also signaled the end of eight years of the Obama administration’s unbridled appeasement vis-à-vis Iran. And Tehran has very specifically received the message.
    For the first time in many years the world is taking steps to stand on the right side of history and alongside the Iranian people in their quest to realize their rightful demands of freedom, democracy and peace in the region.
    The Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), led by Maryam Rajavi, welcomed the results of this conference. Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chairman of the NCRI Foreign Relations Committee and author of the book “Islamic Fundamentalism: The New Global Threat,” shared his opinion and the Iranian opposition’s stance in this regard.
    Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chairman of the NCRI Foreign Relations Committee
    irannewsupdate.com
    Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chairman of the NCRI Foreign Relations Committee
    1. At a time when ISIS in Iraq has suffered major defeats, can Iran claim to deliver a solution? Especially since the Iran-backed Hashid al-Sha’bi militias have apparently played a major role in this regard?
    Let’s be clear. Hashid al-Sha’bi and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), as its true commander, have not played a major role in the fight against ISIS. Iran-backed forces have taken advantage of US airpower and only filled the void of ISIS on the ground after their defeats. This means a large portion of Sunni areas in Iraq is under their control. US inaction in the face of Iran in the past 16 years opened windows to most opportunities for this regime.
    The most important element threatening Iraq, and especially peace and tranquility in the entire region, is the presence of IRGC and Shiite militias to replace the void of ISIS. This is a major challenge facing the US today. The war against ISIS will not render peace and security in the Middle East without the complete eviction of Iran’s IRGC and militias from Iraq and Syria.
    1. There are voices, especially in the US, heard claiming blacklisting the IRGC will do against international efforts, and especially US forces in defeating ISIS. Will designating the IRGC as a terrorist entity decrease regional crises?
    First I must ask does the IRGC truly seek the complete annihilation of ISIS. This is an illusion promoted by Iran and its allies in the West to enjoy the pensions of fighting ISIS. It is true that Iran and ISIS are facing off in some areas. However, Tehran and its militias are seeking to replace the Sunni ISIS with their Shiite flag. Such a mentality and objective itself religiously and socially strengthens the very philosophy behind ISIS’ existence.
    Look how it all started. The crimes committed by Syrian dictator Bashar Assad and former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki provided the social grounds for ISIS’ birth by releasing al-Qaeda prisoners or allowing their escape. ISIS has also enjoyed IRGC logistical, substantial and arms support. Many senior ISIS members lived in Iran for years and Tehran dispatched them to Iraq and Syria with the aim of launching a sectarian war.