Interview with Hem Mihan Newspaper, September 23, 2024 -
The interview was in Persian and the translation below was done by Ai.
The fact is that Europeans are not reluctant to start some kind of substantive negotiation, whether through the Union or the three-country route. However, the important issue is that historically, it should be noted that Europeans traditionally see the world largely through their own lens and cannot and sometimes do not want to consider the priorities of the other side. At present, it seems that the first priority of Europeans is the issue of Ukraine, which has become more sensitive to their public opinion than anything else.
The difficult part of the issue, of course, is to be able to bring this point as close as possible to a common understanding. Common understanding means that both sides can simultaneously raise their priorities and pursue them during the negotiation. We are not supposed to negotiate simply to address the concerns of the other side. Rather, Europe must also show itself to be a partner in this dialogue, to listen to Iran's concerns and take operational steps to address them. Only then can a negotiation be envisioned as successful and sustainable. It is possible that talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session will also take place as a kind of introduction, which, of course, cannot be very substantive due to the lack of time and space.
In response to the question of whether it is only Iran that should be aware of the urgency of the topic of the discussion, given the October 2025 date, the foreign policy analyst said: “The snapback issue has become a sensitive point in Iran-Europe relations because this is the main remaining issue between the main remaining parties to the JCPOA. On the one hand, the Europeans, in the form of the three countries Germany, Britain and France, do not want to lose this tool or see it depreciate and disappear with their own eyes. On the other hand, using it will inevitably make the issues between them and Iran significantly more critical.
In addition, in the current situation, it is not possible to maintain this leverage in the current situation, meaning they cannot do anything to ensure that this leverage remains without being lost or used. Iran is also logically very aware of the issue of the sunset of the JCPOA in October 2025, because with the arrival of this date, the six UN Security Council resolutions will be permanently and unconditionally eliminated, as well as the possibility of snapback. In addition, it seems certain at this time that the re-approval of such resolutions is unthinkable, given the gap between Russia and the West, which has deepened greatly.
Therefore, Iran must use all its efforts and efforts to reach that date without any margin. Part of this game in international relations is known as the Chicken game, in which the loser is the one who worries first. At the same time, one cannot even rely on this analysis, because this high-stakes game may fundamentally endanger the country's interests. Diplomatic conservatism and political audacity seem to be a combination of opposites at such a point, making the task of choosing and making decisions extremely difficult for politicians. Above all, personal situation and mood play a significant role in such a choice.
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