Iran's Pezeshkian discusses foreign policy, principles in first op-ed

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Tehran Times
13 Jul 2024 13:09
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Iranian President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian publishes a piece in the Tehran Times discussing a range of topics including the Israeli occupation, Iran's ties, and his planned orientation on foreign policy.

President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks at a press conference after registering as a candidate for the presidential election at the Interior Ministry in Tehran on June 1, 2024. (AFP)

Iran's newly-elected president stated that his administration is dedicated to maintaining Iran's national dignity and global standing "under all circumstances." Additionally, it will advocate for creating a "strong region" instead of one dominated by a single country's pursuit of hegemony and dominance.

In an op-ed published by the Tehran Times, President Masoud Pezeshkian outlined his government's outlook and policy, emphasizing it will focus on opportunities to maintain balanced relations with all nations in line with Iran's economic and national interests, in addition to the needs of regional and global peace and security, saying he "will welcome sincere efforts to alleviate tensions and will reciprocate good-faith with good-faith."

Moreover, he emphasized his opposition to neighboring countries depleting their resources through engaging in unnecessary competition, arms races, or "containment" efforts against each other. "Instead, we will aim to create an environment where our resources can be devoted to the progress and development of the region for the benefit of all."

Pezeshkian mentioned that, following the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran "severed ties with two apartheid regimes, Israel and South Africa," a decision "motivated by respect for international law and fundamental human rights."

While "Israel" remains an "apartheid" regime to this day, Pezeshkian said it added genocide to "a record already marred by occupation, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, settlement-building, nuclear weapons possession, illegal annexation, and aggression against its neighbors."

Don't reward 'Israel' through normalization

The Iranian president-elect further said that "as a first measure" in strengthening ties with neighboring states, his government will "urge" Arab countries to collaborate diplomatically for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza to halt the ongoing massacre and prevent an expanded escalation.

"By leveraging our normative influence, we can play a crucial role in the emerging post-polar global order by promoting peace, creating a calm environment conducive to sustainable development, fostering dialogue, and dispelling Islamophobia. Iran is prepared to play its fair share in this regard."

He underlined that all members of the 1948 Genocide Convention are obligated to take action to prevent genocide, "not to reward it through normalization of relations with the perpetrators."

"We must then diligently work to end the prolonged occupation that has devastated the lives of four generations of Palestinians," he continued.

Pezeshkian continued that he "looks forward" to collaborating with "Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates," in addition to regional organizations, to deepen economic and trade relations. He added that coordination would also be focused on "tackling common challenges" and working on creating "a regional framework for dialogue, confidence building and development."

Allegations of antisemitism an insult to Iran's culture

"Cooperation for regional development and prosperity will be the guiding principle of our foreign policy," he said, adding that, "as nations endowed with abundant resources and shared traditions rooted in peaceful Islamic teachings, we must unite and rely on the power of logic rather than the logic of power."

Elsewhere in his piece, he pointed out the increased awareness among Western youth of "the validity" of Iran's "decades-long" position on the Israeli occupation entity.

Addressing this "brave generation," Pezeshkian said that the Islamic Republic considers allegations against it of "antisemitism" due to its "principled stance" on the Palestinian case are "false" and an "insult to our culture, beliefs and core values."

"Rest assured that these accusations are as absurd as the unjust claims of antisemitism directed at you while you protest on university campuses to defend the Palestinians' right to life," the president said.

China, Russia, and Global South

In other parts of his op-ed, Pezeshkian discussed Iran's relations with Global South countries, especially African nations, amid the current "global landscape," which has evolved "beyond traditional dynamics."

Touching upon ties with Latin America, he stressed that, while relations with its countries are "well-established," the full potential of these relations has not been fully realized, adding that he will work to deepen and strengthen them.

He emphasizes the enduring support from China and Russia during difficult periods, highlighting the importance of this friendship.

The president described Iran's 25-year roadmap with China as a pivotal event, which paves the way to signing a comprehensive strategic partnership, expressing the desire to work more extensively with Beijing as the world moves toward a "new global order."

Meanwhile, he said that Iran regards Russia as a crucial strategic ally and neighbor, stating his commitment to expanding and strengthening their cooperation.

On the conflict in Ukraine, Pezeshkian said that the Islamic Republic strives for peace for the people of the warring nations, adding that his administration will "stand prepared to actively support initiatives aimed at achieving this objective."

"I will continue to prioritize bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia, particularly within frameworks such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Eurasia Economic Union," he continued.

The US needs to 'recognize reality'

Iran's relations with Europe have been tumultuous since the US unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018, the president said.

European countries made eleven commitments to the Islamic Republic in attempts to save the deal, including ensuring banking transactions, protecting companies from US sanctions, and promoting investments in Iran, but have backtracked on these commitments, while they expect Iran to fulfill all obligations under the agreement.

"Despite these missteps, I look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue with European countries to set our relations on the right path, based on principles of mutual respect and equal footing," he said.

"There are numerous areas of cooperation that Iran and Europe can explore once European powers come to terms with this reality and set aside self-arrogated moral supremacy coupled with manufactured crises that have plagued our relations for so long."

He called on the US to "understand" that Iran will never respond to pressure.

"We entered the JCPOA in 2015 in good faith and fully met our obligations" but the "US unlawfully withdrew" from the deal, causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage to Iran's economy. This has resulted in "untold suffering, death, and destruction on the Iranian people," the president pointed out.

"The U.S. deliberately chose to escalate hostilities by waging not only an economic war against Iran but also engaging in state terrorism by assassinating General Qassem Soleimani, a global anti-terrorism hero known for his success in saving the people of our region from the scourge of ISIS and other ferocious terrorist groups. Today, the world is witnessing the harmful consequences of that choice."

He also said that the United States and its Western allies severely weakened the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) "by showing that the costs of adhering to the tenets of the non-proliferation regime could outweigh the benefits it may offer," adding that they have abused the treaty to manufacture a crisis regarding the peaceful nuclear program, despite their intelligence agencies debunking these allegations.

Meanwhile, "they (the US and its allies) have actively contributed to and continue to support the nuclear weapons of Israel, an apartheid regime, a compulsive aggressor and a non-NPT member and a known possessor of an illegal nuclear arsenal."

Pezeshkian reiterated that nuclear weapons are not part of Iran's doctrine, calling on the US to "adjust its policy accordingly".

Finally, the president said that he had been "entrusted ... with a strong mandate" by the Iranian nation to "pursue constructive engagement on the international stage while insisting on our rights, our dignity and our deserved role in the region and the world."