“Iran Needs to Leave Nuclear Deal, Change Strategic Policies”

While the IAEA in its tenth report has once again confirmed Iran’s full commitment to its obligations under the nuclear deal, the US and Europe have lagged behind with feeble excuses and cunning, says IRGC Deputy Commander for Political Affairs Brigadier General Rasoul Sanaei-Rad.

What follows is the full text of Sanaei-Rad’s Farsi comment published by Basirat.ir, the website of an IRGC-affiliated think-tank:

Not only have the Westerners failed to fulfil their obligations, but they have deliberately pursued re-negotiation of the deal and follow-up changes that are time-bound by focusing on the missile power and the influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he added.

The United States and its allies are struggling to impose permanent restrictions on Iran without fulfilling their obligations, which are actually to meet the interests of Tehran.

Of course, this group of countries strives to show they refrain from violating the deal, but they actually violate its spirit. In fact, they stick to the dead body of the deal as a means to deceive public opinion in Iran, and hold the officials in an uncertain situation for strategic decisions and alternative solutions.

Unfortunately, some European governments have accompanied the foolish Trump in forming a united front against Iran instead of forcing the president of the United States to maintain the credibility of Western diplomacy and respect the nuclear accord.

In their opinion, this foolishness and aggressive gesture of Trump is considered as an opportunity to increase pressure on Iran to repeat the accord in other fields.

In such a situation, it is expected that the government officials decide as soon as possible to dismantle the US and its European allies’ scenarios.

A close look at the game of these states reveals the fact that they are trying to keep their promise and make the society hopeful about the future of the talks and at the same time keep the officials waiting by their repeated empty promises on the basis of their experience of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union through negotiations.

This is a strategy that postpones the resolution of the society’s problems, and at the same time creates expectations among people whose fulfilment depends on the acceptance of unilateral and oppressive conditions for an unknown timespan.

The officials’ being at a standstill and their inaction leads the society towards a useless anticipation which is beyond people’s tolerance, but can be resolved through public diplomacy and perceptual management to make changes in thoughts and behaviours.

Perhaps the explicit remarks made by the Saudi foreign minister saying that the JCPOA alone would not change the behaviour of the Islamic Republic of Iran would be a reference to the same scenario that reminds one of the experiences of the Cold War.

Interestingly, at that time as well, in order to increase the pressure on the Soviet Union, the US government advanced the policy of declining oil prices in cooperation with Saudi Arabia.

However, as the same scenario is being repeated once again, we must learn from history and never be trapped by doing the following:

• Expressing the facts about the non-adherence of the United States and Western governments to their commitments by the President (Rouhani) and the negotiating team, which is a very difficult job and is in contradiction with their earlier claims. However, the national interests and the interests of the Establishment are at a higher level, and as the beginning of negotiations was considered a sort of bravery, today it is necessary to have the courage to withdraw from this vicious circle and not to worry about its possible short-term costs.
• Making changes in strategic approaches, especially the shift to the East and using the capacity of other countries to shatter the illusions of the leaders of the Western governments who assume the only option for Iran is to maintain and promote economic relations with the West. To do so, we should move quickly to promote cooperation with other countries, and boost the strategic cooperation with Russia in confronting the ISIS threat. We must use the same model to resolve economic problems and counter the brutal sanctions of the United States and its allies.
• Implementing policy of resistance economy by relying on domestic resources and capacities and adjusting demands with supplies which needs modifications in the pattern of production and consumption, and boosting resistance culture which needs the cooperation and participation of all branches of the Establishment. Most importantly, the timely and courageous move to announce such a decision and its implementation needs a revolutionary bravery, but must be implemented by considering all aspects. Such a decision would be rejected by some conservative advisers who are inclined to the West. Hence, replacement of the decision-making advisors and being cautious in accepting the fears and warnings of the observers who encourage negotiations over the JCPOA and having the independence in making decisions is considered a certain and decisive need at least at this stage.