Washington, DC [US], September 24 (ANI): Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has praised the economic potential of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), but warned that peace and security will 'remain at risk' until there is a regime change in Tehran, along with shipping routes through the region remaining inherently unsafe.

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), unveiled in 2023, comprises an Eastern Corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf region to Europe. 

Commenting on US President Donald Trump's endorsement of the initiative and his broader foreign policy approach, Bolton argued that the administration lacks a coherent regional strategy and handles geopolitical issues in isolation.

Bolton noted that closer ties connecting India, West Asia, and Europe represent a logical strategic evolution, but cautioned that security threats from Iran jeopardise commercial transit across key maritime choke points.

'The growing closeness between India and Europe across the Middle East makes a lot of sense,' Bolton said, while adding, 'The problem with that, and with peace and security in the Middle East generally, is the regime in Tehran.'

He stressed that stability across international trade corridors cannot be achieved under the current leadership in Iran.

'Until that regime is removed and replaced by a government that is in the hands of the Iranian people, you are not going to have peace and security in the region. Anything that would be transiting through that region would be at risk, as we can see today, not just in the Strait of Hormuz but in the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea as well,' he said. 

Criticising President Trump's handling of certain international issues, Bolton added, 'Trump just handles one issue at a time, and he does not particularly see the bigger picture.'

Turning to President Trump's recent address at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Bolton asserted that the speech demonstrated a lack of long-term planning regarding Tehran, serving primarily as a pitch to domestic voters ahead of the upcoming US elections.

'The comments in the speech and other comments he made over the past day or two show that he really does not have a plan with respect to Iran,' Bolton remarked. 'He is focused on the upcoming November elections in the US for the House and Senate, as well as many state and local elections.'

Bolton noted that Trump's rhetoric attempts to balance military threats with economic promises to reassure voters about global energy prices.

'Trump is trying to show that he is on track to get the issue resolved and that these high prices are not permanent. He is hoping to show that there is a path for the prices to come down,' Bolton explained. 'He combines this with the threats because he thinks he can have an effect on Iran.'

Describing Trump's contradictory stance toward Tehran, Bolton concluded, 'He is sort of all over the place. He is either going to annihilate the country, or he is going to make a deal with it, or anything in between. It shows that he has no real strategy, but he is trying to make a pitch to American voters that he has this issue under control. Much of that speech yesterday really had American voters as its audience, not foreign governments.'

On Tuesday (local time), US President Donald Trump said his administration strongly supports the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, saying there is a need to shift Middle East energy infrastructure away from Iranian checkpoints amid multiple strikes on West Asian countries during the war.

Addressing a meeting with GCC and Arab leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Trump said attacks on commercial shipping in neighbouring countries had highlighted the need to shift the region's energy infrastructure.

'Iran's terrorist attacks on commercial shipping in neighbouring countries have shown the need to shift Middle East energy infrastructure away from the Iranian checkpoints. That's why my administration strongly supports the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and other places in the form of getting oil out, whether it's pipelines or anything else,' Trump said.

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) will include a railway and ship-rail transit network, as well as road transport routes. (ANI)