The US has not offered any green light to Emirates
Silence is Iran’s wrong policy
An interview with Seyed Jalal Sadatian, an expert on regional issues
In recent years, Iran has tried to expand cooperation with Persian Gulf states. This policy has been apparent in Iran’s negotiations and agreements with countries like Qatar. The Iranian president’s suggestion for cooperation with Persian Gulf Cooperation Council is one other manifestation of this policy. But the Iranian foreign minister has deemed the positions of United Arab Emirates as harsher than before, and has accused some regional states of being spokesmen for the US and UK.
Here is an interview with Seyed Jalal Sadatian, on the issue.
Why does Iran deem Emirates’ positions as harsher than before?
Emirates’ attempts to prove claims on Iranian isles have become more various these days. There were many attempts on the cultural side and the issue of isles has even been put in school books on Emirates. In any occasion or assembly, or in political meetings inside and outside the country, Emirates proposes discussions on the issue. It never misses an opportunity to elaborate on his claims.
On the contrary, Iran has tried to show the fakeness of such claims in a different manner. Iran ignores the claims so as to avoid making them customary. Emirates wants to make the issue of isles the foundation for direct or indirect negotiation with Tehran, but Iran does not approve of that. Iran does not want to negotiate the isles issue as an independent subject for negotiations. But Emirates has tried to put pressure on Iran and exploit any opportunity to revive the issue; and hopes to take advantage from Iran’s disagreement with the west. Once, Iran was the US ally in the region and Emirates did no dare speak. But now the regional countries hope to exploit Iran’s anti-western attitude and they have even offered the US to establish military bases in the isles in order to win the game. But the truth is that the US has never given Emirates any green light on the isles issue.
So why does Iran insist on connection of Emirates’ claims with the roles and influence of US and UK in the region?
It is a wrong policy. One of the mistakes of the Iranian foreign ministry is that it wants to attribute the Emirates claims to the US. It is not true. But the UK is another story. The UK was the creator of this problem.
The US has approved Iran’s sovereignty on the isles. But Britain was always pursuing a deceitful silent policy. They do not clearly approve Emirates’ sovereignty over the isles but at the same time, they remain silent in approving Iran’s sovereignty over them.
Iran should not accuse the UK of provoking Emirates on the isles issue. It is a wrong policy. At the same time, the Americans have never expressed approval over Emirates’ claims. And if they do, the Iranian foreign ministry would react.
Do Iran’s attempts to develop cooperation with Persian Gulf states have any influence on the isles issue?
Diplomacy is not purely black or white. There may be simultaneous alliance or hostility or divergence or convergence on the diplomatic side. Iran and the Persian Gulf states have reasons to pursue divergence and convergence at the same time. But Iran has tried to cooperate in any case and with any state.
If the Persian Gulf states act according to Iranian interests, Iran would see his enemy as a rival and his rival as a friend or a neutral side. In such situation, Iran would try to continue cooperation. In some cases where the interests of Iran collide with the other side, there would be attempts to somehow control the disagreements.
Iran’s developing cooperation and relationship with regional countries is aimed at keeping peace on frontlines and expanding political, economic and cultural ties. But there have always been differences and clashes over interests and goals.
The issue of Emirates’ claims is not that important to overshadow Iran’s relationship with regional countries. If Iran’s relations with regional countries be improved, the Emirates’ view towards the isles issue would somehow change. During Khatami’s presidency, we witnessed a change of course in Emirates’ positions towards Iran; which was a result of Iran’s approach and Saudi Arabia’s advice to Emirates.