WANA (July 13) – Iran’s elected President has published an article titled “My Message to the New World,” outlining his perspective and approach to relations with regional countries, Africa, China, Russia, Europe, and the United States.

 

In part of this article, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his administration intends to pursue an opportunistic policy, creating “balance” in relations with all countries, aligning with national interests, economic development, and the need for regional and global peace and security. He welcomes sincere efforts to reduce tensions and will respond to honesty with honesty.

 

The full text of the elected President of Iran’s article published in Tehran Times is as follows:

 

My Message to the New World

Amidst the war and unrest in the region, by holding competitive, peaceful, and orderly elections, Iran’s political system showcased its stability, refuting the claims of some “Iran experts” in certain governments. The political stability and the proud conduct of the elections reflect the wisdom of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and the commitment of the Iranian people to a democratic transfer of power even under challenging circumstances.

 

I entered the election campaign with a program emphasizing “reforms,” “strengthening national unity,” and “constructive engagement with the world.” I ultimately gained the trust of my compatriots, including the young men and women dissatisfied with the general state of the country, at the ballot box.

 

This trust is precious to me, and I am determined to create domestic and international consensus to fulfill the promises made during the election campaign.

 

First, I want to emphasize that my administration will prioritize maintaining Iran’s national dignity and international status under all circumstances. Iran’s foreign policy is based on “dignity, wisdom, and expediency,” its design and execution are entrusted to the President and the government. I intend to use all the powers granted to this office to pursue this grand objective.

 

With this approach, my administration plans to pursue an opportunistic policy that creates “balance” in relations with all countries, aligning with national interests, economic development, and regional and global peace and security needs. We welcome sincere efforts to reduce tensions and will respond to honesty with honesty.

 

In my administration, strengthening relations with neighbors will be a priority. We will pursue the formation of a “strong region,” not a relationship where one country seeks to dominate and control others. I firmly believe that neighboring and brotherly countries should not waste their valuable resources on attritional competitions, arms races, and unnecessary restrictions on each other. Instead, our goal should be to create an environment where everyone’s resources are dedicated to the progress and development of the region, benefiting all.

 

We will cooperate with Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and regional organizations to deepen economic ties, strengthen trade relations, promote joint investments, tackle common challenges, and move towards creating a regional framework for dialogue, confidence-building, and development.

 

Our region has long suffered from war, sectarian tensions, terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, water shortages, refugee crises, environmental degradation, and foreign interventions. Now is the time to address these common challenges together for a better future for the coming generations. Cooperation for regional development and prosperity will be the guiding principle of our foreign policy.

 

As countries with abundant resources and shared traditions arising from peaceful Islamic teachings, we must unite and rely on the power of logic instead of the logic of power. By leveraging our norm-setting capacity, we can play a significant role in the post-polar world order by promoting peace, creating a peaceful environment for sustainable development, strengthening dialogue, and countering Islamophobia. In this regard, Iran is ready to play its part.

 

In 1979, following the revolution, the emerging Islamic Republic of Iran cut its relations with the apartheid regimes of Israel and South Africa based on international law and fundamental human rights principles. To this day, Israel remains an apartheid regime that has added “genocide” to its dark record, which includes occupation, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, settlement construction, possession of nuclear weapons, illegal annexation of others’ territories, and aggression against its neighbors.

 

As a first step, my administration will seek cooperation from neighboring Arab countries to prioritize establishing a ceasefire and halting the massacre of people in Gaza using all political and diplomatic levers to prevent the spread of war. Then, we must seriously work to end the long-term occupation that has devastated the lives of four generations of Palestinians. In this regard, I emphasize that governments are obligated to take necessary measures to prevent genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention, not to reward genocide through normalization with the perpetrators!

 

Today, it seems that many young people in Western countries have realized the righteousness of our long-standing positions on the Israeli regime. I want to take this opportunity to tell this brave generation that the accusations of anti-Semitism against Iran due to its principled stance on the Palestinian issue are not only completely wrong but also an insult to our culture, beliefs, and core values. Rest assured, these accusations are as baseless as the unjust accusations of anti-Semitism you face when protesting in universities to defend the right to life of Palestinians.

 

China and Russia have always been our friends and supporters during difficult times. We highly value this friendship.

 

The 25-year roadmap between Iran and China was important to creating a beneficial “comprehensive strategic partnership” for both countries. We are eager to establish broader cooperation with Beijing, which is on the brink of entering the new world order. In 2023, China played a significant role in facilitating normalizing our relations with Saudi Arabia, showcasing its constructive vision and forward-looking approach to international affairs.

 

Russia is a valuable strategic ally and neighbor to Iran, and my administration is committed to expanding and strengthening our cooperation. We wish peace for the people of Russia and Ukraine, and my administration is ready to support diplomatic initiatives to achieve this goal actively. My administration will prioritize bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia, especially within frameworks such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union.

 

Recognizing that the global scene has moved beyond traditional patterns, my administration is committed to strengthening mutually beneficial relations with emerging international players in the Global South, mainly African countries. We will seek to enhance cooperation and strengthen our ties in this regard.

 

Iran has strong relations with Latin American countries, and my administration will work to preserve and deepen these relations to promote development, dialogue, and cooperation in all areas.

 

The cooperation between Iran and Latin American countries has much greater potential than currently realized, and we will pursue strengthening our bonds.

 

Iran-Europe relations have had many ups and downs. After the United States withdrew from the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) in May 2018, European countries made eleven commitments to Iran to save the nuclear deal and mitigate the impact of the illegal and unilateral US sanctions on our economy. These commitments included ensuring effective banking transactions, protecting companies from US sanctions, and promoting investment in Iran. European countries have violated all these commitments yet unreasonably expect Iran to adhere to all its obligations under the JCPOA unilaterally.

 

Despite these deviations, I am ready to engage in constructive dialogues with European countries to jointly steer our relations on the right path based on equality and mutual respect.

 

European countries must understand that the Iranian people are proud people whose rights and dignity can no longer be ignored. Once European powers realize this, abandon their constructed sense of moral superiority and move beyond the fabricated crises that have long overshadowed our relations, many opportunities for cooperation between Iran and Europe can be explored.

 

Cooperation opportunities include economic and technological cooperation, energy security, transit routes, the environment, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, refugee crises, and other areas that can be pursued to benefit our countries.

 

The United States should also understand that Iran has never and will never respond to bullying. In 2015, we entered the JCPOA in good faith and fully adhered to all our commitments. However, the United States – due to its internal political disputes and vendettas – illegally withdrew from the agreement and imposed extraterritorial unilateral sanctions, causing countless damages, sufferings, and harm to the Iranian people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and costing our economy hundreds of billions of dollars.

 

The United States deliberately chose to escalate conflicts by launching an economic war against Iran and state terrorism through the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, a global hero in the fight against terrorism known for his successes in saving the region’s people from ISIS and similar savage groups. Today, the world witnesses the detrimental consequences of this decision.

 

The United States and its Western allies missed a historic opportunity to reduce and manage regional and world tensions. They seriously undermined the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by showing that the costs of adhering to non-proliferation principles can outweigh the potential benefits.

 

Indeed, the United States and its Western allies have exploited the non-proliferation regime to fabricate a crisis over Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and use it to exert continuous pressure on our people while actively and unconditionally supporting Israel. This aggressive apartheid regime is not an NPT member and is proven to possess nuclear weapons.

 

I want to reiterate that Iran’s defensive doctrine does not include the construction of nuclear weapons, and I call on the United States to learn from its past miscalculations and adopt a new policy accordingly. Decision-makers in Washington must understand that a policy based on pitting regional countries against each other has neither succeeded in the past nor will it succeed in the future. They must accept the reality of Iran and avoid escalating existing tensions.

 

The Iranian people have given me a solid mandate to earnestly pursue constructive engagement on the international stage while insisting on our rights, dignity, and rightful role in the region and the world. I invite all those willing to join this historic effort to cooperate.

 

WANA - The Elected President's Article in Tehran Times

WANA – The Elected President’s Article in Tehran Times