Interview with Eqtesad Online, June 23, 2024 -
The interview was in Persian and the translation below was done by Ai.
We are witnessing the presidential election of 1403. It seems that the wave that Mr. Pezzekian has created is in the field of foreign policy. With the arrival of Mr. Zarif, his campaign has undergone some changes. How effective do you think foreign policy will be in creating waves for Pezzekian's election campaign?
I think this is because society finds most of its problems in the issue of foreign policy. That is, if we have an economic issue, it seems that at least a large part of society considers the issue of sanctions, regardless of the form in which it should be solved or neutralized, to be a priority for solving their own economic problem. In any case, this is an approach that should be seen as a continuation of the approach of the reform governments, Mr. Hashemi and even Mr. Rouhani. From a foreign policy perspective, the 20-year vision document also states that we should have constructive interaction with all countries in the world, which seems to be the requirement for solving the country's problems.
Some experts talk about positive balance and some about negative balance in foreign policy. What path should the 14th government follow in foreign policy?
The country has three general principles of honor, wisdom, and expediency in foreign policy that it must follow, and under them, national interests, security, and honor can be pursued. In order to follow each of these, a series of programs are necessary. The general lines that are included in the constitution, upstream documents, and vision document, etc. cannot be changed; therefore, they are not going to change. The main doctrine of the country is certain, but the planning under these three principles must be centered around de-escalation, and we must use the position of leveraging the power components that we have today to advance our national interests and security.
Regarding election campaigns, what suggestions do you have for candidates in the field of foreign policy that may encourage people to participate in the elections with this suggestion?
People should be aware that participating in the elections will definitely increase national power for any kind of negotiation and foreign policy. This is not so much the responsibility of the candidates, but rather the responsibility of experts and the media. Of course, the candidates say the same thing in their statements and will continue to say it. I think the candidates should pay attention that foreign policy should not be a toy for domestic politics. In fact, national cohesion and support for anyone who represents Iran in the international political environment can be the only achievement of domestic policy and electoral issues for foreign policy. If we are going to cause disagreement or raise very general issues that have not been raised anywhere in the world and do not lead to development and want to reinvent the wheel, it is definitely not in the interest of the people and this is not the country's policy.
Even in Mr. Raisi's government, which was attributed to traditional and right-wing fundamentalists in the conventional sense of the word, you still see that the same previous policy was followed in terms of reviving the JCPOA and developing relations, etc. How successful and unsuccessful they were is a matter of agency, but the governing principle of foreign policy is de-escalation and development of relations in line with constructive engagement with the whole world.
You were seen in the team that was with Mr. Pezdeskian before the televised debate on foreign policy. What is your opinion about that debate and what effect do you think Mr. Zarif’s presence in Mr. Pezdeskian’s campaign will have on his campaign?
Neither Mr. Zarif nor I am a member of Mr. Pezdeskian’s campaign. But Mr. Zarif is in the campaign. I am an expert and they ask me for advice and, like any expert, I give my opinion on the details of nuclear issues, the JCPOA, and foreign policy; but that does not mean that I am in a particular campaign. The fact is that Mr. Zarif is known in society as a very tall politician and diplomat in the contemporary history of the country and the world. His presence naturally increases and enhances the weight of foreign policy in the entire election and in Mr. Pezdeskian’s campaign, which we are witnessing now. Of course, those who are experts in election campaigns say that this wave may subside, but the reality is that foreign policy is the source of many of the country's problems, and everyone knows this. At the highest levels of the system, it has been said that oppressive pressures and unfair sanctions must be neutralized at all costs, and if it can be eliminated, not even an hour should be wasted. Therefore, it seems that the issue of foreign policy is inherently a main axis, and the presence of a prominent expert like Mr. Zarif, who is a professor at the University of Tehran and whose background in the Islamic Republic over the past 40 years has been unparalleled, can definitely highlight and highlight the weight of foreign policy.
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