MP: Iran, neighbors can form strong regional bloc
By Sadeq Dehqan
Staff writer
An Iranian lawmaker said the development of ties between Iran and countries in West Asia will lead to establishing a strong regional coalition.
“The normalization and expansion of ties between Iran and big countries in the region is a win-win situation,” Mahmoud Abbas-Zadeh Meshkini told Iran Daily in an exclusive interview.
The incumbent Iranian government has placed boosting the Islamic Republic’s relations with regional countries on its agenda. Accordingly, Tehran has been seeking ways to strengthen ties with Riyadh since the two reached a China-brokered reconciliation agreement in March.
Noting that the restoration of ties will serve the mutual interests of the two neighbors, Abbas-Zadeh said, “Saudi Arabia is aware that it can further pursue its interests if it promotes ties with Iran.”
The member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee added that Saudis will get closer to Iran when they realize that Iran can solve their problems in the region.
He also touched upon Iran’s pivotal role in West Asia. “Western countries have acknowledged that Iran is a major power in the region and has a decisive role in regional issues,” the MP stated.
“Iran has made remarkable progress in the military field. The unveiling of a hypersonic missile by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is a perfect example of this.”
The IRGC Aerospace Force unveiled a hypersonic missile named Fattah in June. It has a range of 1,400 kilometers, hits speeds of Mach 13–15, and can breach and destroy all anti-missile shields.
JCPOA fate
Abbas-Zadeh also referred to diplomatic efforts aimed at the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, commonly known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“We try not to turn the JCPOA revival talks into a serious issue for the country. It should be regarded as a secondary issue. This is because it is not appropriate for Iran to link its fate to the JCPOA given its vast resources and potential,” he said.
The JCPOA was signed between Iran and six major world powers including the US in 2015. But former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from the accord in 2018.
The administration of Joe Biden expressed willingness to restore the deal. Thus, negotiations to revive the agreement started in April 2021. The talks have, however, stalled amid Washington’s refusal to offer guarantees that it would not exit the agreement again.
Abbas-Zadeh explained why the revival of the JCPOA should not be linked to the country’s fate.
“Americans sought to bring Iran under their control through the JCPOA. We are not opposed to the JCPOA, but we should have a strategy and a roadmap for its revival. We should not allow the JCPOA to turn into the country’s most important issue,” he said.
The lawmaker called for boosting the country’s capabilities in the face of US hostility.
“There are contradictions between Iran’s principles and interests with those of the US,” Abbas-Zadeh pointed out, adding that the US regards the Islamic Republic as a super challenge. “That is why it seizes every opportunity to deal blows to Iran.”
Urging Iran to become stronger in the face of the US enmity, the MP concluded that national power, first and foremost, comes from relying on the country’s own people and domestic capabilities.