Regional Power

Iran would someday like to see itself as the leading regional power in the Middle East. In accordance with those aspirations of gaining greater influence, Iran has embarked on a path to create a unity pact among Islamic states. Since Iran is not a member of the Arab League, it wishes to create a new organization which would increase its pertinence as the defender of Islamic values.
Currently Iran is a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which appears very similar to the prescribed intentions of Iran's new idea for a unity pact. This leads one to believe that such moves currently underway are mere rhetorical performances in order to gain publicity in the Islamic world.

Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi'`s recent remarks grant the observer a better understanding of where these ideas to create a greater Islamic unity are coming from:

"to thwart adversary plots sowing discord among Muslim nations.
Arrogant powers, US in particular, intended to change culture of the Islamic states in order to achieve their objectives in the region."
He added that signing a unity pact by the Muslim nations could foil the enemies plots to this end and lead to more solidarity among Muslims.

Today as we observe the Muslim world embroiled amidst a consistent atmosphere of sectarian violence and infighting, such calls for unity by Iran demonstrate their ambitions to gain a greater roll among Islamic states and boost itself as the leading contender to fight the West. These developments unfortunately make the possibility of Iranian nuclear capabilities more dangerous for the entire world, since the successful completion of nuclear fuel would solidify Iran's leading role in the region by default, and would make such unity pacts irrelevant.