Foreign Policies of Ahmadinejad’s Administration
Representatives of the presidential candidates joined a debate on Iran’s foreign diplomacy in Tarbiat Modarres University.
Tarbiat Modarres University was hosting representatives of presidential candidates yesterday. Dr. Talaee Nik, on behalf of Mohsen Rezaee, Dr. Sadatian as Karrubi’s representative, Dr. Sadegh Salimi for Ahmadinejad and Sadegh Kharrazi as Musavi’s representative attended the debate.
Iran’s foreign diplomacy, especially the nuclear program and Palestinian issue were the main topics of the debate. Candidates’ viewpoints on foreign diplomacy was the first question asked from the representative.
Dr. Sadatian pointed to the Cold War era and the bipolar order and Islamic Republic of Iran emergence as a regime which did not recognize hegemony. Rezaee believes in the ’No East, No West’ slogan of revolution according to Sadatian.
Ahmadinejad’s representative, Dr. Salimi also pointed to the ’No East, No West’ slogan of Ayatollah Khomeini and Iran’s independence and non-alignment with superpowers. He added that domestic policies can not be separated from foreign policies. Sadatian narrated a brief history of Islamic Republic of Iran’s foreign diplomacy: in the beginning of revolution the government believed in moderation and surrender to West. Religious revolutionaries came to power afterwards, which followed the ’no east, no west’. During Hashemi’s presidency détente was the primary policy. Then came the reform era which brought a turn to our foreign policy and rendered our foreign diplomacy inactive. But the ninth administration is following a proactive policy and this policy has forced United States to ask for resumption of relations with Iran.
Talaee Nik’s said that a detailed, purposeful and efficient foreign diplomacy with an effective mechanism can fulfill the national interests of a country. The borders between knowledge, culture, politics and economy are increasingly blurred and intelligent nations can use the new circumstances best. Adventurous, unrealistic views in international relations will harm our progress and future.
Sadegh Kharrazi stated that: we can not define the principles of our foreign diplomacy whimsically. The principles are clear and outlined by Ayatollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader and the constitution. Our foreign diplomacy is based on advancing national interests, supporting the Muslim world, having an active global role and fulfilling the needs of third world countries.
No where in the Iranian constitution has been referred to [Ahmadinejad’s claim of] managing the world. We can not make such remarks without having the props. Détente was followed in different periods after the revolution, even during the war with Iraq, and it resulted in Iraq called the initiator of the war by the United Nations.
The second part of the debate revolved around relations with United States and candidates’ idea about Obama’s promise of change. Dr. Salimi started the discussion. He said that Iran expects Obama and his team to treat Iran respectfully and apologize for United States its past deeds. After the revolution Americans tried to divert the revolution at first. Their next policy was overthrow of the Islamic Republic in short term. But with the fundaments of the Islamic Republic reinforced they moved to another phase, that is contacting figures inside Iran.
But we believe that Ahmadinejad has brought us the most active, most respected diplomacy. Now he is known as the most efficient president in the world. After thirty years, we want Obama to change United States’ policies and apologize to Iranians. America must put aside its megalomaniacal policies.
Kharrazi’s response was that politicians can make super-fantasy claims, but in the international order we are facing realities. Iran has always been powerful. It is not the ninth administration which has made it powerful. Our country’s geopolitical, geo-strategic features and leaders have made it powerful. Now we have some common interests and some conflicts with United States. In overthrow of Saddam and Taliban, alQaeda and war against terrorism we have common interests, regardless of the administration. But you saw that the gap between Europe and the United States was bridged due to our wrong policies. Nowadays, even Muslim countries of the region and Israel have united against Iran.
Kharrazi continued his talks on the nuclear issue. He stated that the proceedings of the nuclear are related to the whole political system and controlled by the Supreme Leader, not a single administration. Unfortunately the ninth administration has turned a political-legal-technical issue into a security and at times military issue. The nuclear program started from 21 years ago and its credit goes to all governments.
The question here is wasn’t it possible that we followed our nuclear objectives and meanwhile avoid falling into the hands of the UN Security Council? The answer is yes. And it happened during Mr. Khatami’s presidency. But after that, our behavior united Americans and Europeans. We are now considered a threat according to the resolutions passed against us.
Dr. Salimi talked about the nuclear program next. He stated that there was no need for resolution in Khatami’ years, since Iran had voluntarily halted uranium enrichment. West had even limited Iran’s academic research in nuclear science. Ahmadinejad’s government had the courage to restart it. About cooperation with United States, is that an honor? With Ahmadinejad, Obama is recognizing Iran’s right to follow a nuclear program and he sets no preconditions for negotiations.
The last section of the debate related to Iran’s stance on the Palestinian issue. Kharrazi stated that the Palestinian issue will always be a constituent of Iran’s foreign diplomacy. Palestine is related to the entire Muslim world and Israel is a tumor of the international community. We have followed an unchanging policy over this issue in the past 20 years, and it has been determined by the Supreme Leader. But we should not give Israel an opportunity for victimization. Our mishandlings and focus on Holocaust gave Israel a golden opportunity. And paradoxically we call the Israeli nation our friend!
Palestine is the dream of every Muslim. Hezbollah was founded during Musavi’s premiership and can not be appropriated by one administration. I wish you had seen Khatami’s reception in Lebanon.
Salimi defended Ahmadinejad’s approach to the Palestinian issue by pointing to Israel’s place in United States’ policy. He added that Israel is United States’ watchdog in the region and among Muslim countries. Arabs were humiliated by Israel before the 33-day war with Hezbollah. Rice wanted to eradicate Hezbollah but failed. Ahmadinejad’s question of Holocaust was a public diplomacy effort to challenge a radical global consensus in favor of Israel. He only asked for academic investigation of the issue. And he asked why the Palestinians were paying the price for Nazis’ crimes. Ahmadinejad’s diplomacy in Lebanon changed the circumstances. Now it is not possible for a French prime minister or president to change five or six Lebanese ministers with one single call. The truth is that the Islamic Republic won both the 33-day war of Lebanon and the 22-day war in Gaza.
Iran’s foreign diplomacy, especially the nuclear program and Palestinian issue were the main topics of the debate. Candidates’ viewpoints on foreign diplomacy was the first question asked from the representative.
Dr. Sadatian pointed to the Cold War era and the bipolar order and Islamic Republic of Iran emergence as a regime which did not recognize hegemony. Rezaee believes in the ’No East, No West’ slogan of revolution according to Sadatian.
Ahmadinejad’s representative, Dr. Salimi also pointed to the ’No East, No West’ slogan of Ayatollah Khomeini and Iran’s independence and non-alignment with superpowers. He added that domestic policies can not be separated from foreign policies. Sadatian narrated a brief history of Islamic Republic of Iran’s foreign diplomacy: in the beginning of revolution the government believed in moderation and surrender to West. Religious revolutionaries came to power afterwards, which followed the ’no east, no west’. During Hashemi’s presidency détente was the primary policy. Then came the reform era which brought a turn to our foreign policy and rendered our foreign diplomacy inactive. But the ninth administration is following a proactive policy and this policy has forced United States to ask for resumption of relations with Iran.
Talaee Nik’s said that a detailed, purposeful and efficient foreign diplomacy with an effective mechanism can fulfill the national interests of a country. The borders between knowledge, culture, politics and economy are increasingly blurred and intelligent nations can use the new circumstances best. Adventurous, unrealistic views in international relations will harm our progress and future.
Sadegh Kharrazi stated that: we can not define the principles of our foreign diplomacy whimsically. The principles are clear and outlined by Ayatollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader and the constitution. Our foreign diplomacy is based on advancing national interests, supporting the Muslim world, having an active global role and fulfilling the needs of third world countries.
No where in the Iranian constitution has been referred to [Ahmadinejad’s claim of] managing the world. We can not make such remarks without having the props. Détente was followed in different periods after the revolution, even during the war with Iraq, and it resulted in Iraq called the initiator of the war by the United Nations.
The second part of the debate revolved around relations with United States and candidates’ idea about Obama’s promise of change. Dr. Salimi started the discussion. He said that Iran expects Obama and his team to treat Iran respectfully and apologize for United States its past deeds. After the revolution Americans tried to divert the revolution at first. Their next policy was overthrow of the Islamic Republic in short term. But with the fundaments of the Islamic Republic reinforced they moved to another phase, that is contacting figures inside Iran.
But we believe that Ahmadinejad has brought us the most active, most respected diplomacy. Now he is known as the most efficient president in the world. After thirty years, we want Obama to change United States’ policies and apologize to Iranians. America must put aside its megalomaniacal policies.
Kharrazi’s response was that politicians can make super-fantasy claims, but in the international order we are facing realities. Iran has always been powerful. It is not the ninth administration which has made it powerful. Our country’s geopolitical, geo-strategic features and leaders have made it powerful. Now we have some common interests and some conflicts with United States. In overthrow of Saddam and Taliban, alQaeda and war against terrorism we have common interests, regardless of the administration. But you saw that the gap between Europe and the United States was bridged due to our wrong policies. Nowadays, even Muslim countries of the region and Israel have united against Iran.
Kharrazi continued his talks on the nuclear issue. He stated that the proceedings of the nuclear are related to the whole political system and controlled by the Supreme Leader, not a single administration. Unfortunately the ninth administration has turned a political-legal-technical issue into a security and at times military issue. The nuclear program started from 21 years ago and its credit goes to all governments.
The question here is wasn’t it possible that we followed our nuclear objectives and meanwhile avoid falling into the hands of the UN Security Council? The answer is yes. And it happened during Mr. Khatami’s presidency. But after that, our behavior united Americans and Europeans. We are now considered a threat according to the resolutions passed against us.
Dr. Salimi talked about the nuclear program next. He stated that there was no need for resolution in Khatami’ years, since Iran had voluntarily halted uranium enrichment. West had even limited Iran’s academic research in nuclear science. Ahmadinejad’s government had the courage to restart it. About cooperation with United States, is that an honor? With Ahmadinejad, Obama is recognizing Iran’s right to follow a nuclear program and he sets no preconditions for negotiations.
The last section of the debate related to Iran’s stance on the Palestinian issue. Kharrazi stated that the Palestinian issue will always be a constituent of Iran’s foreign diplomacy. Palestine is related to the entire Muslim world and Israel is a tumor of the international community. We have followed an unchanging policy over this issue in the past 20 years, and it has been determined by the Supreme Leader. But we should not give Israel an opportunity for victimization. Our mishandlings and focus on Holocaust gave Israel a golden opportunity. And paradoxically we call the Israeli nation our friend!
Palestine is the dream of every Muslim. Hezbollah was founded during Musavi’s premiership and can not be appropriated by one administration. I wish you had seen Khatami’s reception in Lebanon.
Salimi defended Ahmadinejad’s approach to the Palestinian issue by pointing to Israel’s place in United States’ policy. He added that Israel is United States’ watchdog in the region and among Muslim countries. Arabs were humiliated by Israel before the 33-day war with Hezbollah. Rice wanted to eradicate Hezbollah but failed. Ahmadinejad’s question of Holocaust was a public diplomacy effort to challenge a radical global consensus in favor of Israel. He only asked for academic investigation of the issue. And he asked why the Palestinians were paying the price for Nazis’ crimes. Ahmadinejad’s diplomacy in Lebanon changed the circumstances. Now it is not possible for a French prime minister or president to change five or six Lebanese ministers with one single call. The truth is that the Islamic Republic won both the 33-day war of Lebanon and the 22-day war in Gaza.