Tweet
WHAT KIND OF FOREIGN POLICY WILL IRAN'S NEW PRESIDENT PURSUE? INTERVIEW WITH IRANIAN STUDIES EXPERT ARMEN ISRAYELYAN
17:49 21/06/2013 " INTERVIEWS
Iran's 11th presidential election was held on June 14, 2013. Reformist
Hassan Rohani was elected President, winning more than 50 percent of
the votes cast.
Panorama.am held an interview with Iranian studies expert Armen
Israyelyan about possible changes in Iran's domestic and foreign
policy.
According to the expert, street parties were held to welcome Rohani's
election, which is evidence of the fact that the newly elected
President enjoys wide public support.
"Iran is facing serious domestic and foreign challenges. However,
the first move Iranians expect from the President-elect is economic
rehabilitation. Iranian economy has seriously suffered in recent
years as a result of economic sanctions imposed by the United States
and the European Union over Iran's nuclear program. Time will show
if Iran's new President will manage to reduce the damage caused by
economic sanctions," Israyelyan said.
Commenting on normalization of Iran's ties with the West, the Iranian
studies expert said, "Certainly, progress is impossible without
normalization of ties with the West. The United States has already
congratulated the Iranian people on their victory and expressed
readiness to begin a direct dialogue with the Iranian government
over the nuclear program. The United States made a similar proposal
to Tehran recently, but Ahmadinejad's government did not find it
expedient to be engaged in talks with the United States under the
current circumstances."
"I think the congratulation by the United States is a positive sign and
it can start a new phase in Iran-U.S. relations. However, irrespective
of the kind of domestic and foreign policy, Iran's new President will
have to take into account the regional developments," the expert added.
"Irrespective of the fact what kind of position on domestic and foreign
policy Hassan Rohani voiced during the election campaign, only after he
officially assumes his office and declares a clear position on Syria,
Hezbollah and nuclear issue, the format of development of Iran's
relations with the West will become clear, which will immediately
influence Iran's economy," Israyelyan said.
Asked what kind of policy Iran will pursue towards the South Caucasus,
Israyelyan said, "I think that under the new President, Iran should
intensify its policy in the South Caucasus. After the Islamic
Revolution, for objective and subjective reasons, Iran has not been
very active in the South Caucasus, which resulted in the increase of
Turkey's role in that region. Over the past years, from considerations
of the country's security, Iran paid most attention to the Persian
Gulf Region. However, the increase of the role of the U.S. resulting
from the change of power in Georgia, strategic partnership between
Azerbaijan and Israel as well as developments over Karabakh are likely
to make Tehran pay more attention to the South Caucasus region."
As for Armenian-Iranian relations, the Iranian studies expert noted
that they will depend on the development of Iran's relations with
Turkey and Azerbaijan.
"Iran had a balanced position on Karabakh over the past years. Iran
believes that the presence of foreign forces in the zone of conflict
is a threat to its interests. So I think that the preservation of
the current status of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic coincides with Iran's
interests," the expert added.
The expert reminded that during the election campaign, Rohani spoke
of Iran's foreign policy problems and challenges of relations with
some neighboring countries. "It is not an exaggeration to say that
Azerbaijan has become a threat to Iran's security. The actions taken
by some Azerbaijani officials pose threat to Iran's territorial
integrity. Therefore, Iran's responsible officials should not show
indifference to Azerbaijan's threats," Rohani had told Irdiplomacy.ir.
"I think that being close to the ideology of former Iranian Presidents
Hashemi Rafsanjani and Seyed Mohammad Khatami, Rohani will follow their
example (after Iran-Iraq war, they managed to liberalize the economy
and integrate to the European community) and using his experience
and knowledge in state government, will be able to take the country
out of the tough economic condition and create preconditions for the
establishment of normal relations with the West," the expert concluded.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2013/06/21/a-israyeyan/
17:49 21/06/2013 " INTERVIEWS
Iran's 11th presidential election was held on June 14, 2013. Reformist
Hassan Rohani was elected President, winning more than 50 percent of
the votes cast.
Panorama.am held an interview with Iranian studies expert Armen
Israyelyan about possible changes in Iran's domestic and foreign
policy.
According to the expert, street parties were held to welcome Rohani's
election, which is evidence of the fact that the newly elected
President enjoys wide public support.
"Iran is facing serious domestic and foreign challenges. However,
the first move Iranians expect from the President-elect is economic
rehabilitation. Iranian economy has seriously suffered in recent
years as a result of economic sanctions imposed by the United States
and the European Union over Iran's nuclear program. Time will show
if Iran's new President will manage to reduce the damage caused by
economic sanctions," Israyelyan said.
Commenting on normalization of Iran's ties with the West, the Iranian
studies expert said, "Certainly, progress is impossible without
normalization of ties with the West. The United States has already
congratulated the Iranian people on their victory and expressed
readiness to begin a direct dialogue with the Iranian government
over the nuclear program. The United States made a similar proposal
to Tehran recently, but Ahmadinejad's government did not find it
expedient to be engaged in talks with the United States under the
current circumstances."
"I think the congratulation by the United States is a positive sign and
it can start a new phase in Iran-U.S. relations. However, irrespective
of the kind of domestic and foreign policy, Iran's new President will
have to take into account the regional developments," the expert added.
"Irrespective of the fact what kind of position on domestic and foreign
policy Hassan Rohani voiced during the election campaign, only after he
officially assumes his office and declares a clear position on Syria,
Hezbollah and nuclear issue, the format of development of Iran's
relations with the West will become clear, which will immediately
influence Iran's economy," Israyelyan said.
Asked what kind of policy Iran will pursue towards the South Caucasus,
Israyelyan said, "I think that under the new President, Iran should
intensify its policy in the South Caucasus. After the Islamic
Revolution, for objective and subjective reasons, Iran has not been
very active in the South Caucasus, which resulted in the increase of
Turkey's role in that region. Over the past years, from considerations
of the country's security, Iran paid most attention to the Persian
Gulf Region. However, the increase of the role of the U.S. resulting
from the change of power in Georgia, strategic partnership between
Azerbaijan and Israel as well as developments over Karabakh are likely
to make Tehran pay more attention to the South Caucasus region."
As for Armenian-Iranian relations, the Iranian studies expert noted
that they will depend on the development of Iran's relations with
Turkey and Azerbaijan.
"Iran had a balanced position on Karabakh over the past years. Iran
believes that the presence of foreign forces in the zone of conflict
is a threat to its interests. So I think that the preservation of
the current status of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic coincides with Iran's
interests," the expert added.
The expert reminded that during the election campaign, Rohani spoke
of Iran's foreign policy problems and challenges of relations with
some neighboring countries. "It is not an exaggeration to say that
Azerbaijan has become a threat to Iran's security. The actions taken
by some Azerbaijani officials pose threat to Iran's territorial
integrity. Therefore, Iran's responsible officials should not show
indifference to Azerbaijan's threats," Rohani had told Irdiplomacy.ir.
"I think that being close to the ideology of former Iranian Presidents
Hashemi Rafsanjani and Seyed Mohammad Khatami, Rohani will follow their
example (after Iran-Iraq war, they managed to liberalize the economy
and integrate to the European community) and using his experience
and knowledge in state government, will be able to take the country
out of the tough economic condition and create preconditions for the
establishment of normal relations with the West," the expert concluded.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2013/06/21/a-israyeyan/