00:00 Iran's Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Shehram Irani has stirred controversy with bold claims
00:09 of ownership over Antarctica.
00:12 This has raised concerns about the security of the South Pole continent.
00:16 In a September broadcast on MAMRI TV, Admiral Irani declared, "We have plans to raise our
00:23 flag there and carry out military and scientific work."
00:28 This unprecedented assertion by Iran poses a significant threat to the Antarctic Treaty
00:33 of 1959 signed by 12 original consultative nations.
00:38 The treaty, aimed at ensuring the peaceful and scientific use of Antarctica, now faces
00:43 a challenge from Iran's ambitious plans.
00:47 In response to the announcement, the US State Department expressed concern over the possibility
00:52 of an Iranian military base in Antarctica, especially following an Iranian-backed militia
00:58 attack in Jordan that resulted in the deaths of three US soldiers last month.
01:03 American President Joe Biden's decision to release Iranian funds has faced criticism,
01:09 with some linking it to the recent Hamas attacks on Israel.
01:12 President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas has previously claimed Iranian
01:17 funding for Hamas.
01:19 Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed defiance against the constraints imposed
01:24 by the Biden administration, stating that the assets will be utilised wherever they
01:29 need it.
01:30 Critics argue that Iran's supposed property rights in Antarctica not only violate the
01:35 Antarctic Treaty but also raise international security concerns.
01:40 The prospect of a military base in the South Pole challenges the established norms of the
01:45 icy continent, prompting accusations of Iran's trend of aggression across the globe.
01:50 As noted by Yonah Jeremy Bobb, the author of Target Tehran, the international community
01:56 is closely monitoring the situation, as Iran's claims continue to reverberate, posing a potential
02:02 shift in the geopolitical dynamics of Antarctica.
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