With their comments on the war against Iran, both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister have demonstrated that they become concerned only when a bloody regime stands on the brink of its downfall. The public can easily be misled by the grave expressions they assume. But this is the core of Støre and Barth Eide’s response: they were not concerned and troubled when blood flowed in the streets, but become so when help arrives.
Not even Sidsel Wold can find an Iranian who supports the regime. Everyone wants it to be overthrown.
Trump promised a month ago that “help is on the way”.
When the help arrives, Støre and Eide become concerned.
– I am deeply concerned that further escalation could end in a major war in the region, Støre says further in the written statement.
Støre believes that today’s attacks in the region have created a dangerous situation.
– The attacks early this morning and the spread of the conflict to Iran’s neighbouring countries throughout the day are not in accordance with international law. A major war in the region will have serious consequences for millions of people throughout the Middle East and beyond the region.
Norway urges all parties to exercise restraint and to resume diplomatic talks as soon as possible in order to find a solution to the conflict.
– Norway has taken a clear stance against the Iranian regime’s brutal use of violence against its own population, and we share the concern regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons programme. There is broad international agreement that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, and Norway supports this effort, the Prime Minister states.
The attacks “early this morning were not in accordance with international law”, then. Støre/Eide are completely out of step with their own time. The regime in Tehran had crossed a line. It had lost the last remnant of legitimacy. Nevertheless, Eide speaks sorrowfully about the negotiations not having been exhausted. What does he know about that?
Both of them have fox faces – they skulk around house corners and scheme. They attempt to bluff public opinion into believing that they are serious in their condemnation of the oppression, but that is merely a perfunctory exercise.
Norway has not taken a clear stance.
The Iranian ambassador was invited to the Palace after the killings began. That says everything about the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Utenriksdepartementet, UD) and the Lord Chamberlain (hoffsjefen). They possess no integrity. Thorbjørn Jagland was no misstep.
Norway has entered upon the wrong track, together with Pedro Sanchez in Spain. We are moving away from the USA and Israel – indeed, even from continental states. That Støre/Eide have not picked up these signals is disturbing. They are on autopilot.
Sylvi Listhaug has on this occasion shown courage and come down on the right side. Her statement places Støre/Eide’s cowardice in sharp relief.
It is the first time in recent history that the Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet, FrP) has dared to adopt a foreign policy position that breaks with the consensus.
It was high time. Trump is staking out an entirely new course in geopolitics. Støre/Eide risk ending up completely in the backwater.
It is a new security arrangement whose contours we are seeing: moderate Sunni regimes can create a new balance.
Iran gave the order for the 7 October attack in order to prevent a normalisation between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Now the path may be opened again. Norway will experience that as a defeat. They have not overcome that the Oslo Process did not succeed and wish to be proven right retrospectively.