Its mission has been easier whenever it could play up the sectarian card claiming that the Shiite Arabs are suffering from decades of deprivation.

Iranian leaders appear as if they speak on behalf of the Arab Shiites when no one is asking them to do so. The assumption on the part of the Iranian leadership is that the continuation of political unrest in the Arab countries helps serve Iran’s approach of buying time to go nuclear.

On more than one occasions, Iranian leaders claimed that the Arab Spring was an extension of the Islamic revolution of 1979. However, when the Syrian people rose against the minority rule in Syria, Iran opted for a different strategic choice.

Observers confirm that Iran’s interest has always been national. Employing the sectarian card has paid off in some places where Iran managed to increase its presence. American Ambassador Gerald Feierstein warned that Iran could destabilize the Gulf. “We do see Iran trying to increase its presence here, in ways that we believe are unhelpful to Yemen’s stability and security,” he said. Yemen presents a unique case in the Arab Spring. It is a very poor country with employment hit the mark of 34 percent and some 45 percent live under the poverty line designed by the United Nations. Unlike the rest of the Arab region, 75 percent of the Yemeni still live in rural and tribal areas.

In fact the living standards of Yemeni are similar with sub-Saharan Africa than the rest of the Middle Eastern countries. Yemen also enjoys a very high birth rate and this only adds to the problem of Yemen. According to some studies, the demographic changes have produced a population that is poorer, younger, and incapable of meeting their economic needs. If anything this situation is ripe for political unrest and external manipulation. This is exactly where Iran is relevant.

Three movements have employed aspects of militancy that threaten the stability of Yemen. Houthi rebellion, which is centered on the northern province of Saada is the most important one for Iran.

The four wars interrupted by four truces since 2004 is a statement of the gravity of the situation. Therefore, the chances are always high that the conflict will be renewed on Yemen’s north and this could destabilize the Yemeni-Saudi borders. This can be serious when the central government in Yemen is preoccupied with other internal challenges especially when Al-Qaeda joined the fray.

It does not take a genius to figure out that Iran benefits from instability in the region. Iran has been following a revisionist regional agenda with the purpose of asserting itself as the only key regional players. The main obstacle is the American strategy that has been clashing with that of Iran on more than one occasion.

In the Arabian Peninsula, Iran has been messing up. Saudi Arabia confirms that Tehran has been fomenting unrest among Shiites in both Bahrain and Yemen. Iran’s full support of the Syrian regime underscores its sectarian and national agendas and vindicates the Saudi argument regarding Iran’s objectives and ambitions in the region.

To be in a position to influence and dictate scenarios, Iran has supported the rebellions with money and weapons. “We do think that we have evidence of Iranian activities that will build up military capabilities as well. It’s a relatively recent phenomenon, Iran is taking advantage of this period of political instability and loss of government control over large parts of the country,” Feierstein said.

The vexation of the Iranian leaders, a transition of power in Yemen took place. The then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh had to agree to ink the GCC brokered power-transfer deal in the presence of the Saudi king.

This Saudi success has enraged the Iranians who planned to exploit and perpetuate the conflict in Yemen.  But Iran does not only fear the Saudi moves in the Arabian Peninsula, but also the American strategy in the region that is committed to preventing Tehran from going nuclear.

Sources revealed that Iran has been trying to plant obstacles to complicate the American strategy. Just recently, Iran released some elements from Al-Qaeda with the purpose of using them to create anarchy and chaos in Yemen but also in the Horn of Africa. Reports talk about Iran’s thinking of impeding the oil trade by supporting piracy in the Horn of Africa.

Tehran will be most likely to continue its subversive policy in Yemen and in the Horn of Africa. Its brinkmanship and manipulation of regional crises will also continue hoping to get the international community get used to its nuclear program.

And yet, Iran may have to face a moment of truth in weeks to come should it wish to avert a possible military showdown with Israel. Iran will make a grave mistake if they fail to hear Israel’s beating of war drums.