Resistance or Reconciliation? Foreign policy of candidates
WANA (June 14)—With the approval of Iranian presidential candidates, speculations are growing about a change in Tehran’s foreign policy.
Three main ideologies in Iranian foreign policy are competing in the 2024 snap presidential elections. Two are represented by Saeed Jalili and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as well as their teams from the conservative camp. Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian represents the other.
Saeed Jalili, who is considered by many to be the leading figure of the “Neo-conservative” in Iran, has a long history in foreign policy. Jalili is best known for his role in Iran’s nuclear talks during Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration.
The former chief negotiator is described by his counterparts as someone who does not make significant concessions in talks. Jalili is a staunch critic of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly known as JCPOA. He believes in what some call the “True Ideals of Islamic Revolution,” which rejects giving in to U.S. hegemony. This is also shared in Ghalibaf’s views. However, the latter has more practical opinions on foreign policy.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian speaks during a press conference after the Tehran International Conference on Palestine in Tehran, Iran, December 23, 2023. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
The view can be seen in the speaker of Parliament’s appointments. Late Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, served as Ghalibaf’s advisor in foreign relations before assuming the role of Iran’s top diplomat. Amir-Abdollahian, who was described by some as a “Resistance Diplomacy General,” had balanced views on relations with the West and the region. He believed removing sanctions against the country was possible by making the most minor concessions in the talks. Good neighborly politics was one of the main agendas in the ministry led by Amir-Abdollahian.
Ghalibaf’s foreign policy can be seen as a continuation of the Late Iranian president’s administration. However, Jalili and his team are also trying to depict him as a “Living Martyr,” a reference to Ebrahim Raisi.
The competition in the conservative camp to attract supporters of Raisi, with no consensus among them, may lead to vote dispersion. Pezeshkian of the Reformist bloc has no transparent background in foreign policy. But his recent comment on asking Mohammad Javad Zarif to be his foreign minister can illuminate his views on the West.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the presidential candidate from the reformist front, in a meeting with Mohammad Javad Zarif, the former foreign minister in Hassan Rouhani’s government. The favorable foreign minister of Pezeshkian is Javad Zarif. Date 12 June 2024 – social media / WANA News Agency
The former foreign minister in Hasan Rouhani’s administration led the JCPOA talks. Zarif believes in what he calls Win-Win foreign policy. Iranians will choose their foreign policy direction in the coming four years. The fact that people seek economic prosperity can’t be denied, but due to past experience and the failure to deliver results of the Reformist Front’s “openings,” they have become numb.
Reformists accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of JCPOA failure. However, back then, Iran’s leader and many Iranians warned that the U.S. would not comply with its obligations in the Deal. Tehran continued to enforce most JCPOA provisions despite the U.S. withdrawal, which continued through Raisi’s government. It is expected to continue as the administration changes.
The Reformist front tries hard to convince people that their new administration will be different from what Rouhani offered during his tenure. They are betting on Pezeshkian, who had no role in Rouhani’s administration and is a “true reformist.” However, Pezeshkian’s complicit announcement of Zarif as his foreign minister shows Rouhani’s continuation of foreign policy.
By WANA writer
Iranian reformers and a candidate with unstable popularity
WANA (June 12) – At first glance, the list of approved candidates for the upcoming Iranian presidential elections might suggest that the predominance of qualified conservative candidates tilts the balance in their favor. However, reformists, with only one candidate approved, actually find themselves with a significantly simpler path in the electoral contests ahead. The […]
WANA – Iran’s presidential election 2024
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