Essay on Shargh Newspaper - December 31, 2018 -
The original text is in Persian and the following translation was done by Ai.
A topic that has recently become both questionable and frightening is the presence and occasional appearances of the Foreign Minister in the domestic media space. In this note, we will discuss various aspects of the space that governs domestic and foreign policy and their shadow on each other.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action: Red Lines, Pressures, and Achievements
Since the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is undoubtedly the most important project and achievement of the Rouhani government, especially during the Zarif ministry, the best thing for their political rivals is to take advantage of the current situation in that regard. Given Trump's illegal impositions on the JCPOA, what is a question and a thought in this domestic conflict is whether a better agreement than this was possible for us? And now that the burden of the "sanctions lifting" of the JCPOA has been reduced, can this nuclear understanding still play a fundamental role in securing our national interests?
Of course, the Foreign Minister himself has addressed this issue adequately in his recent interview, but it should be remembered that the country's official position during the JCPOA negotiations was that Iran did not come to the JCPOA negotiating table due to economic pressure from sanctions. In addition, it can be said with confidence that the UN Security Council Chapter 7 resolutions, which considered Iran a threat to international peace and security, certainly carried more weight, if not among the people, than among the concerns of politicians. It is easy to imagine Trump holding Resolution 1929 instead of Resolution 2231, disturbing our sleep through it, and not being satisfied with receiving less than several times the concessions that were exchanged during the Obama era.
In addition, the red lines that were intended for the negotiating team were not in line with the pragmatic lifting of sanctions. In other words, they were not open to making concessions for the comprehensive and permanent lifting of sanctions.
So in response to the question, "What was the purpose of the JCPOA?", it should be said separately that the purpose of the nation, the sovereignty, the government, and the negotiating team were in four layers that were not necessarily in line with each other. That is, if, for example, the nation saw improving its economic situation as the top priority, the sovereignty considered security and macro concerns, and the 11th government sought to prove its efficiency and stabilize its political position domestically, but what was intended for the negotiating team were red lines that perhaps should have covered the intersection of all these matters, but could not resort to anything more than that. Today, the numerous attacks on the JCPOA and Trump's politics regarding it have prompted Zarif to occasionally make a brief reference to explaining these relationships and to define the opponent to a certain extent so that his area of responsibility is no longer viewed with suspicion.
Zarif's recent appearances
What we have recently witnessed from our country's Foreign Minister, and to some extent, has caused positive and negative sensitivities among political groups and various speculations, is that, in addition to carrying out his duties, namely negotiations and attending international forums, he has added another color and blue to his constant presence in the media space. Of course, it is perhaps safe to say that he has opposed and agreed with Iran's policy more than anyone in recent years, but this new atmosphere has intensified concerns about the speculations that have always been whispered in our ears. From his formulation of the achievements of the JCPOA to the type of explanation he gave in the country's confrontation with Israel, from his presence at the Neda Party Congress to his occasional denial of the possibility of his participation in the upcoming presidential elections.
Why shouldn't we pay attention to #Zarif_1400?
But it seems that addressing issues such as the 1400 elections and the related competitions discussed in the current situation will not only not bring any gains or benefits to the country, but will also cause harm, especially in the country's foreign policy work. Reducing the morale of the country's senior diplomat and his subordinate apparatus, especially in the midst of a campaign such as the one he is busy with today, will probably not result in winning or losing the election, but it will definitely reduce the power that he needs to support. We should not forget that our opponents in the international arena will definitely follow such domestic discussions and use them to their advantage at the appropriate time. Finding a representative's weakness in negotiations and confrontations is the first thing that the opponent pursues.
We must not fail
What can be seen, regardless of predictions and considering different scenarios and possibilities, is the change in the international environment in favor of our country in recent years and the dominance of Iran's diplomatic approach in the region in recent months and especially in recent days: especially the US withdrawal from presence in Syria, the fumbling of the Saudi government and the change of Adel al-Jubeir, and the new issues and words between the Trump administration and the unstable Netanyahu government are among them.
However, it is the professionalism of the State Department team that will cause the US government to use its full capacity for this confrontation: trying to strengthen relations with Russia and give concessions, especially regional ones, slowly approaching the Erdogan government and trying to restore influence over the Iraqi government, among others. Cases that, although perhaps seen as somewhat reactive, definitely require a sharper view of our politicians on the one hand and maximum support from domestic political forces.
What is essential is that we must not fail in this policy of moderation, in this path of attracting the world to ourselves and in this path of maximum legitimacy for our country. This failure is the entire goal of the current tenants of the White House in their current attacks. What they and their regional allies are pursuing in the face of Iran is this change in approach towards extremism and delegitimization through the defeat of moderation in the Iranian domestic political scene (moderation means an approach and not necessarily the current moderation). Whether Trump, Bolton and bin Salman come or Tillerson and Mattis and Jubeir go, our approach must be balanced in the eyes of the world observer and must remain balanced and increase international legitimacy over the years to such an extent that those who no longer see and pursue their short-sighted interests in extremism through sanctions and threats against us in the world.
Therefore, it is appropriate that now that, due to the storm of events, one of those whom we have left dozens and hundreds of indifferent and cold-bloodedly in the country and the world or have delayed behind our slow and inert structures, has risen in the political hierarchy of the country and reached a sensitive ministry, we do not step under his feet due to speculation and competition and let him continue his expert work.
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