New York, a fresh start for Iran, West
On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian set off for New York to attend the annual United Nations General Assembly. The president will outline his stances in a speech at the UN on Tuesday. Iran has always capitalized on the opportunity to participate in the annual UN General Assembly. This marks Pezeshkian’s first appearance in New York as the new president of Iran, who won the recent presidential election as a reformist candidate. His main slogan is Interaction within and outside, which has led to the formation of a national unity government with representatives from various political factions. Now, everyone is eagerly waiting to see the outcome of his constructive engagement policy with the world in the realm of foreign policy.
By Ebrahim Beheshti
Staff Writer
The annual UN General Assembly, along with the accompanying meetings and potential negotiations on the sidelines, provides an opportunity for the Iranian delegation, led by the president, to showcase a more tangible representation of their foreign policy stances. In fact, other countries are also waiting with bated breath to hear the Iranian president’s views on the most key regional and international developments. Domestically, many are pinning their hopes on the Iranian delegation’s negotiations with other countries, particularly Western nations, on contentious issues and the nuclear file and sanctions. Therefore, it seems that high expectations are riding on the president’s trip to New York.
However, the reality is more complex and nuanced than the high expectations surrounding this trip and its outcomes. The most contentious issue between Iran and the West, namely the nuclear file and sanctions, is not in a favorable position.
The differences between Iran and the US remain unresolved, and to make matters worse, relations between Iran and Europe have become more strained compared to two or three years ago.
Ukraine war,
Iran-Europe’s strained relations
A series of developments over the past three years has complicated the regional and international landscape, casting a shadow over Iran’s foreign relations. At the forefront of these developments is the Ukraine war, which has taken a toll on Iran-Europe relations more than any other factor.
The previous Iranian government’s Look East policy, which led to increased interactions and cooperation with Moscow and Beijing, coincided with Russia’s war in Ukraine, sparking European claims of Iranian cooperation with Russia and the alleged supply of military aid to Russia against Ukraine. The latest example of such claims dates back to just a few weeks ago, with European countries alleging that Tehran had sent ballistic missiles to Russia. Iranian officials have dismissed such claims. Both Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have acknowledged various forms of cooperation between Iran and Russia, while emphasizing that no ballistic missiles have been provided to Russia.
In any case, the developments surrounding the Ukraine war have put a chill on Iran-Europe relations, to the point where Europeans, who view Russia as a security threat, also see Tehran as a security threat to the continent due to its close ties with Moscow and alleged military cooperation between the two countries. This situation suggests that getting back on track with normal relations, restarting dialogue to clear up misunderstandings and ambiguities, and resuming economic cooperation and new agreements will not be a smooth ride. Not to mention that European human rights claims and criticisms against Iran remain unresolved and have only added fuel to the fire.
Gaza war, widening rift between Iran, West
The Gaza war is another significant event at the regional and international level that has had its own distinct impact on Iran. As one of the main supporters of the resistance movement in Palestine and Lebanon, Iran has pulled out all the stops to broker a ceasefire and prevent the war from escalating, but these efforts, as well as other mediation attempts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, have yet to bear fruit, leaving the region more unstable and tense than ever.
Israel’s terrorist actions against Iranian interests and positions, as well as Tehran’s responses to Israel’s provocations, have brought the two sides to the brink of direct confrontation. Iran has repeatedly stated that it does not want war, but it appears that there is a clear intent within Israel’s hawkish cabinet to drag Iran into war and subsequently draw the US into a war with Iran. Nevertheless, despite the widespread outrage and protests in Western countries against Israel’s atrocities and war crimes in Gaza, which are no secret to anyone, and despite the fact that public opinion in these countries does not align with their governments’ policies of supporting Israel, Western political and military backing for Israel continues unabated. Therefore, the Gaza war has become another development that has further widened the rift between Iran and the West.
Nuclear deal in limbo
The nuclear file, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the continuation of sanctions against Iran are another point of contention between Iran and Western countries that has remained unresolved over the past three years, with the situation becoming increasingly complicated.
In response to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and the Europeans’ failure to fulfill their commitments under the agreement, as well as in reaction to the Western parties’ unconstructive actions, such as the continued imposition of sanctions and the issuance of political resolutions at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors, Iran has reneged on some of its JCPOA commitments and ramped up its nuclear activities. The accusations against Iran, as well as the claims made by the West and the IAEA, continue, and therefore, no clear horizon is in sight on this issue, especially with the US presidential election on the horizon. It is not expected that any positive developments will occur on the nuclear file and sanctions relief until the next US administration takes office, which will take several months.
Painting realistic picture of Iranian government
The developments mentioned earlier are indicative of the fact that improving relations between Iran and the West is not a smooth ride, or at least, it’s a time-consuming process. Therefore, expecting a breakthrough in a few sideline-talks during the UN General Assembly is not a realistic expectation. However, one achievement that can be anticipated from the Iranian delegation’s trip to New York is to paint a realistic picture of the new government in Iran. The president’s announcement of his stances from the UN podium will undoubtedly help to shed light on the new political landscape in Iran. The fact that the new government in Iran is seeking constructive engagement with the world and striving to pursue a balanced foreign policy, meaning that cooperation and friendship with one power bloc or country does not imply hostility and non-cooperation with another, will become clearer. The Iranian delegation’s diplomatic negotiations with other delegations in New York will also help to flesh out this realistic picture of Iran. In a recent press conference, the president of Iran emphasized that Iran supports no war and has never initiated a war in the past 100 years. Pezeshkian once again underscored his government’s willingness to engage with the world. Therefore, it is expected that the president’s announcement of his stances in New York will mark the beginning of a new chapter in Iran’s relations with the world. Just as the historic speech of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami in 1998, who introduced the idea of a “Dialogue of Civilizations,” showcased a peaceful image of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
New York can be the starting point of a new path for Iran and the West. The talks held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly can provide a suitable opportunity for both sides to express their views, concerns, and expectations of each other. The encouraging point is that both sides are well aware that escalating tensions is not in anyone’s interest, and that mutual interests can only be secured through dialogue and engagement. The experiences of the past may lay the groundwork for new understandings, although reaching these understandings may take time.