Orkhan Sattarov, head of the European Bureau of Vestnik Kavkaza
A possible warming of relations between Iran and Western countries is still one of the most popular topics for discussion in the world expert community. The presidential elections were held in Iran on June 14, 2013. Many people predicted the victory of Said Jalili, Secretary of the Supreme Security Council of Iran. However, Hassan Rouhani, the only active clergyman and moderate reformist, as they called him in Iran and abroad, won the elections in the first round. Analysts stated that Rouhani appeared to be the only candidate from the reformist wing out of choice. According to Iranian laws, only those candidates who are approved by the Guardian Council can take part in elections; it is a conservative body, 6 out of 12 members of whom are Islamic clergymen and are appointed by the Spiritual Leader of the country, while others are lawyers appointed by the Iranian parliament. Other candidates from the reformist wing, including the former president of the country Ali Akbar Khashemi Rafsandjani, were excluded. In this context Rouhani gained the support of the Iranian voters who waited for changes in the first round. At his first press conference the new president promised to make the Iranian nuclear program more transparent and normalize relations with the rest of the world.
At first sight, the following events gave reasons for optimism. A real sensation was Rouhani’s speech at the General Assembly of the UN where he, unlike Mahmud Ahmadinejad, called the Holocaust “a historical fact.” Later, talking to journalists in New York, he sent another message, expressing hope for settlement of the Iranian nuclear problem in a short period of time. Finally, US President Barack Obama talked to his Iranian colleague on the phone – for the first time in 34 years. The White House reported that the conversation was warm and lasted for 15 minutes; leaders of the countries expressed their will to solve the Iranian nuclear problem peacefully.
By the moment of the Geneva talks between the 5+1 and Iran the “great expectations” had reached their culmination. And the expectations were fulfilled in general. The countries of the 5+1 and Iran achieved an interim agreement requiring the reduction of the Iranian nuclear program, on the one hand, and alleviation of international sanctions against Iran, on the other hand. For instance, Iran got access to assets which were frozen in Western banks after the Islamic Revolution, the nationalization of the oil companies’ property and the seizure of the US Embassy. The mass media discussed many other messages – from establishing an Iranian-American Chamber of Commerce in Iran to cancelling “the anti-Zionist conferences” which were held by Ahmadinejad regularly.
At the same time, the Iranians are trying to build bridges with the EU; and the foundation of an Iranian-European Chamber of Commerce is being discussed. According to Daniel Bramberg, the head of the Iranian-German Chamber of Commerce, it is preparing to cancel sanctions in the current half-year period and for wide-scale investment in the Iranian economy by German business. The Foreign Minister of Iran, Javad Zarif, visited Berlin after participating in the Munich Security Conference.
Zarif made several statements in Berlin that the European audience liked. The new government of Iran, many members of whom have a Western education, understands clearly the peculiarities of accepting information by the European audience. For example, Zarif not only admitted, but condemned the Holocaust – in a country which treats the issue very carefully for historic reasons. Therefore, the minister demonstrated the position of the new Iranian government, which considers the state of Israel, rather than the Jewish people in general, as its opponent.
Zarif tried to persuade the German audience that the new government aims to normalize relations with the world community. “Iran makes an effort to become an integrated involved player in the international community and play a constructive role,” he said. “I should tell you that we are not doing it for a six-month break from sanctions.” According to the minister, the Iranian authorities do not consider a nuclear weapon as a way of providing national security. “We are the strongest state with the biggest population in our region without it,” Zarif emphasized. The minister stated that Tehran wants to build relations with neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, according to principles of cooperation, rather than competition. Finally, Zarif was optimistic about the talks with the 5+1: “I think we will be able to reach a complete agreement in July. There are all the reasons and the political will for this. I am sure that we will be able to do it even sooner.”
To be continued
