Iran’s broad reach throughout the Middle East, and its behind-the-scenes support, is fueling conflicts throughout the region, retired Col. Derek Harvey said Wednesday on
Newsmax TV’s "America’s Forum."
"They have been effectively reaching all the way from Lebanon, the Mediterranean, down into Gaza with their proxies in those areas around the southern parts of the Arabian Peninsula into Yemen and even some into the horn of Africa," he said.
"They've been sowing disorder in supporting their proxies, militias, and other groups in those areas, terrorist groups, in order to create an advancement for their agenda in those areas."
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"They are trying to spread this idea across the region," Harvey said, "and they're empowered in Iraq in a way that they have not been heretofore."
Tehran is also providing military support in Iraq in its fight to fend off the Islamic State, he added.
"We have Shia militias that are advocating the return of Khomeinism, advancing Khomeinism from the Supreme Leader [Ali] Khamenei and the revolutionary agenda of Tehran," he said. "They are trying to spread this idea across the region and they're empowered in Iraq in a way that they have not been heretofore."
The current agreement being negotiated with Iran over its nuclear program looks like it will ignite a nuclear arms race, according to Harvey.
"The agreement looks like it's going to just provide a pathway and the other nations in the region, Ankara, Riyadh, for example, will move forward," he said. "The administration has ignored some important things.
"The Iranian relationship with North Korea in developing military capabilities and nuclear capabilities in a clandestine way. They've ignored military developments, warhead developments, missile technology and cruise missile development, all developed for the purpose of meeting with nuclear weapons. We can't take these things and set them aside. They have to be part of a holistic agreement.
"Who would ever have thought that the French would have more cojones in these negotiations than the Americans? That says it all."
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