Iran’s last ambassador to USSR: Tehran needs to change strategy vis-à-vis Russia

In an interview with the Tehran-based Entekhab news outlet, Nematollah Izadi also said Iran has inadvertently implied that it has no choice other than Russia at times of crisis and this has caused Tehran to get stuck between Russia and the West, which tries to portray Iran as an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

“If we first can create a kind of balance in relations with the West and Russia in a scientific way, then we have come up with an appropriate solution”, Izadi added.

A new strategy, he said, should be defined in foreign policy and Tehran should address the balance between the East and the West.

According to the former Iranian ambassador, this policy can send the appropriate message to the West and Russia.

Izadi also stated, “Our main problem is that Russia thinks Iran has no other solution except Russia…the key to solving this issue is to start a dialogue with Europe”.

Izadi underlined that Western governments’ claims that Iran sent missiles to Russia is aimed at proving Iran’s involvement along with the Russians in the Ukraine war and this will automatically increase the pressure on Iran.

Izadi also spoke about the Zangezur corridor in the Caucuses. He further maintained that Russia is using the threat to create the corridor along Iran’s border with Armenia, as a leverage to prevent Iran from interacting with the West.