A lot is made in the American press about Arab worries (really the worries of illegitimate and authoritarian Arab regimes, no more and no less) of a nuclear Iran. In reality, it is the Iranians who have more to worry about in terms of hostile neighbors.

Iran’s regime has rarely publicly criticized its neighbors, but Arabs regimes (and in the case of al-Arabiyaa, their affiliate media) routinely blame Iran for this or that mishap and speak about an Iranian, Shia conspiracy to threaten the predominately Sunni Arab world.

Jordan’s U.S.-puppet King Abduallah was the first to speak about a “Shia Crescent” over the Arab world. And the Saudi King and media did not hide their bigoted hostility toward Shia’s either as they routinely attacked them. As is the emancipation of Arab Iraqi Shias is due to some cruel Iranian plot that has the temerity to craft a new Iraq where the 60% Shias have majority power. As if the historically downtrodden and neglected Shias of Lebanon - 40%, a plurality of the nation - only care about their political power if Iran is there to cynically manipulate them. As if Shias abused in Sunni-ruled Arab nations only speak about equality because Iran’s agents tell them to.

All of this rhetoric is delusional and hateful scapegoating. Iran is not plotting and is not capable of a regional takeover. Even Arab Shias do not welcome Iran dictation. When Iran recently intervened - by words - into riots between the majority Shias of Bahrain and the minority ruling Sunni government; the Shias were quick to rebuke Iranian interference and declare themselves Arab nationalists. Even the Iranian-funded Lebanese party-cum-militia Hezbollah recently stated that Iran has its own issues to attend to and should not concern itself with Lebanon.

But insecure Arab governments continue to blame an Iranian conspiracy for their own failings. The Saudis are preeminent in seeking to stroke anti-Shia, anti-Iranian sentiment. And now the Yemeni government - facing a Shia northern rebellion and a extremist Sunni (Salafi) southern insurgency - blames Iran for the former. There isn’t a hint of Iranian involvement, not in weapons or financial support or even words of encouragement. This is a exclusively Yemeni dispute between a government and a neglected tribal regional. But instead of accept responsibility and properly negotiate with the insurgents, the government is blaming Iran.

Recently, it shut down of the largest hospitals in the capital Sana’a because it is Iranian-owned. The reason given was that employees were spying, and then with a public face the spokesman stated that “proof” will be forthcoming later. Do I have to state the cliche?

Such Iranian scapegoating neither aides these government nor benefits Sunnis or Shias, in order words: Muslims.