Zarif Urges Shift from Hostility to Cooperation at Pugwash
WANA (Nov 03) – Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged the world to move beyond “mindsets rooted in hostility and threat” and to establish a new international order founded on mutual respect, transparency, and both regional and global cooperation.
Speaking on Monday at the 63rd Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs in Hiroshima, Zarif said that standing in the city eight decades after the first use of nuclear weapons serves as “a profound moral reminder for humanity.” He added, “Hiroshima symbolizes humanity’s capacity to rise from destruction and to defend a world free from the nightmare of nuclear annihilation.”
Iran as a Victim of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Zarif, who now heads the non-governmental organization Payab, recalled Iran’s painful experience with weapons of mass destruction during the Iran–Iraq War. “Our nation has itself been a victim of such barbarity,” he said, referring to Saddam Hussein’s organized use of chemical weapons against Iranian soldiers and civilians, while Western supporters remained silent.
He noted that despite seven UN reports confirming Saddam’s chemical attacks, the UN Security Council never issued a single resolution condemning Iraq. “The bitter irony of history,” Zarif remarked, “is that the very countries that supported Saddam and ignored his crimes now falsely accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons.”
Zarif: If We Wanted, We’d Have Nuclear Weapons Already
WANA (Jan 23) – Strategic Deputy to Iran’s President, Mohammad Javad Zarif, stated in a Q&A session in Davos, Switzerland: “If we had intended to build nuclear weapons, we would have done so by now. Nuclear programs aimed at building weapons are not like Iran’s nuclear program; they are entirely secretive.” As part of […]
Iran’s Opposition to WMD: A Strategic, Not Political, Decision
Zarif emphasized that Iran’s opposition to weapons of mass destruction is “not a political slogan but a strategic choice rooted in historical experience.” He said Iran’s nuclear program has never been intended as a military deterrent but as “a symbol of dignity and national independence.” “Our nuclear efforts were never about domination,” Zarif explained. “They have always been a test of resilience against pressures aimed at forcing surrender.”
Lessons from Israel’s Miscalculation
Addressing recent Israeli aggression and Iran’s response, Zarif said Israel “made a grave miscalculation” by underestimating Iran’s unity in the face of attack. “Iran demonstrated that it can target all of Israel, while in most parts of our country, not even a gunshot was heard,” he said.
He added that Iran’s real strength lies “not in centrifuges but in the knowledge, expertise, and creativity of its scientists — a power that cannot be destroyed.” Zarif urged the United States to abandon its “illusion of Iran’s surrender” and instead engage in “genuine, equal dialogue.”
“Dignity Gap” as the Core of Misunderstanding
Zarif attributed much of the longstanding tension between Iran and the West to what he called a “dignity gap” — a cognitive deficiency in understanding Iran’s worldview. True stability, he argued, will only emerge when Iran is recognized “not as a perpetual threat but as an equal partner with a legitimate role in the global system.”
Zarif’s Contributions and Missteps
WANA (Jan 26) – Mohammad Javad Zarif’s remarks, made during the Davos summit in his conversation with Fareed Zakaria, can be analyzed from three perspectives: accomplishments, costs, and potential motivations. Starting with the positive side, his presence in such discussions reflects an opportunity for Iran’s public diplomacy. In the realm of international media, where […]
Proposals for Iran and the Region’s Future
- Empowering the Iranian People: Zarif called Iran’s citizens “its greatest asset” and said national policy should focus on building internal capacity rather than emphasizing threats.
- Strengthening National Defense: He stressed that adopting a cooperative approach does not mean being naïve about regional threats. Iran, he said, should remain vigilant while working to reduce military expenditures in the region.
- Building a Stronger Region: Referencing past initiatives such as the Hormuz Peace Endeavor and the Amity Plan, Zarif said these could evolve into a Regional Non-Aggression Pact and joint cooperation in energy, water, trade, and cultural exchange.
- Reviving Global Diplomacy: Criticizing the West’s failure to honor its commitments under the JCPOA, Zarif said that despite historical mistrust, both sides share an interest in avoiding conflict. “The nuclear deal proved that dialogue can be fruitful,” he noted, calling for new mechanisms of confidence-building to ensure lasting peace.
“MINARET” Initiative for Regional Nuclear Cooperation
Zarif highlighted his and his colleagues’ proposal in The Guardian, titled “MINARET” (Middle East Nuclear Activities and Regional Engagement Track) — a framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation and mutual inspections. “Imagine scientists from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey working side by side in joint laboratories,” he said. “This is how mistrust can give way to cooperation.”
Moniz’s Proposal for a Regional Nuclear Consortium with Iran
WANA (Oct 11) – As the reinstatement of international sanctions against Iran effectively signals the formal collapse of the JCPOA, Ernest Moniz, former U.S. Secretary of Energy and a key figure in the original nuclear deal, has reintroduced the debate on Iran’s nuclear program with a bold proposal. In an article published in Foreign Policy, […]
A Call to “Repair Relations to Repair the World”
In closing, Zarif urged world leaders to replace “the logic of weapons with the logic of peace.” “No nation’s security can rest on another’s insecurity,” he declared. “Peace cannot be bought; it must be built through trust.” Condemning U.S. President Donald Trump’s reported order to resume nuclear testing, Zarif called it “apocalyptic hypocrisy under the guise of missile development in Russia.”
“There is no place more fitting than Hiroshima,” he concluded, “to decide to replace the madness of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) with the enlightened reason of Mutually Empowered Nuclear Disarmament and Development (MEND). Let us repair our relations so that we may repair the world.”
The Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs is an international organization that brings together scholars and public figures to reduce the risk of armed conflict and seek cooperative solutions for global security.
