Tehran, Europe Closer Together
In her two-day official visit to Iran, Catherine Ashton, the official in charge of foreign affairs and security in the European Union, met and conferred with the President, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Dr. Velayati, head of the Strategic Research Center, and Mr. Shamkhani, the Secretary of the High Council of National Security. This visit is significant from different aspects and must be seriously analyzed.
Mrs. Ashton’s visit is the continuation of the active trend of foreign policy of the country in the administration of Prudence and Hope. This trend was pursued following the victory of Dr. Rohani last June and a new dialogue was established in Iran’s foreign policy. This visit is the result of the Geneva nuclear agreement reached on November 24th with the P5+1 and its implementation agreement. It is also in line with the meetings between Dr. Rohani, Dr. Zarif and the nuclear negotiating team and the P5+1 and the European party. Therefore, Mrs. Ashton’s visit is the result of a series of significant and continuous issues which have happened in the country’s foreign policy. The important point is that the trend of Iran’s foreign policy developments is moving towards an openness in relations with the significant countries of the world including the European countries. This is while, during the past few months, there have been no resolutions and no new sanctions adopted by the EU, the US, or the Security Council against us.
Mrs. Ashton’s visit could create new horizons in the trend of Iran’s cooperation with the EU. On one hand, the EU views this visit within the framework of progress made in one of the most important and sensitive cases of the international community which tests the common foreign policy of the European Union. Thus, the success of this ten-year case (at least since ElBaradei’s report reached the Board of Governors of the IAEA) and bilateral relations with Iran have special significance not only for the EU but the entire western world and the Security Council.
Mrs. Ashton’s visit officially ended the boycott of the diplomatic visits of high-ranking European officials to the Islamic Republic of Iran which had started from the beginning of the ninth administration and continued until recently and we are no longer faced with such boycotts. There will also be visits made between the high-ranking officials of Iran and Europe in the future. Mrs. Ashton’s visit could be the beginning of a trend; a trend which could be accompanied by the expansion of relations in all aspects. Of course it must be noted that the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the EU will not easily be promoted and the wall of mistrust must gradually be lifted. The relations will not become normal overnight. Relations will become normal and grow in a bed of different issues.
Mrs. Ashton’s visit could facilitate the process of reaching a comprehensive agreement in Iran’s nuclear issue. The nature of negotiating with the highest ranking Iranian officials indicates the significance which the EU and the P5+1 place for negotiating with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
It should, nevertheless, be noted that Mrs. Ashton’s visit is to test Iran’s readiness and determination in resolving the nuclear issue; an issue which not only impacts Iran’s relations with the world, but also bilateral relations with the EU which is the biggest economic bloc of the world. It seems that Mrs. Ashton has given this message to the Islamic Republic that the EU and also its 28 member countries seek to begin a new round of cooperation with the Islamic Republic but at first the final negotiations on the nuclear issue must succeed and then the prospect for expansion of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran would be prepared. This interpretation is clearly shown in the statements made by Michael Mann, Mrs. Ashton’s speaker, following their return from Iran.
On one hand, it must be stated that there are still some differences and obstacles on the path of Iran’s relations with the EU such as human rights issues. I believe that one must not consider these issues as an obstacle on the path of relations. Of course Iran must talk and discuss issues with the EU but the issue of human rights is basically one of the foreign policy tools of the European Union and is proposed in its relations with all countries of the world. The European Union is a soft power and the establishment of dialogue is its working tool. In all of the cooperation agreements between the EU and the countries of the world, there is a chapter named human rights, thus, this issue is not proposed only about Iran. Human rights dialogue must again be established with the European Union.
Mrs. Ashton’s visit has objectives beyond a visit made by a high-ranking official with a foreign minister. In international relations, some visits have more significance than bilateral relations and impact other countries and regional and international players. Mrs. Ashton’s visit is one of such significant international visits. This visit could create new perspectives for both parties. During the past few months, there have been numerous visits made by political, economic, trade and parliamentary delegations from the European countries to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Big trade delegations and the foreign ministers of many European countries came to Iran or will come in the near future. All of these delegations are waiting for the results of Mrs. Ashton’s visit to Iran especially the outcome of the final negotiations with the P5+1.
Therefore, all of the western and European countries follow these talks in order to be able to plan the future of their relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The results of these talks will certainly impact other countries of the world and other regional and international players.
If Iran’s negotiations with the P5+1 with regard to the nuclear issue succeed, there will be a new era of relations with the European Union and its member countries which is unprecedented since the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.