EuropeIran's new president: defense doctrine without nuclear weapons
SDA
13.7.2024 - 11:15
ARCHIVE - Iran's President-elect Massud Peseshkian. Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP/dpa
Keystone
Iran is not building nuclear bombs, according to newly elected President Massud Peseshkian. "I would like to emphasize that Iran's defence doctrine does not include nuclear weapons," the president wrote in the "Tehran Times" when presenting his foreign policy course. The USA should come to terms with this reality and refrain from further insinuations.
13.07.2024, 11:15
SDA
In 2015, Iran committed to severely restricting its nuclear program in the Vienna nuclear agreement. In May 2018, then US President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact, which was intended to prevent Iran from building nuclear bombs. He also tightened sanctions. In return, Tehran greatly expanded the enrichment of uranium and restricted inspections by the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Israel warns against Iran's nuclear program
During a recent visit to the USA, Israel's Defense Minister Joav Galant once again warned against Iran's nuclear armament. "The greatest threat to the future of the world is Iran," said Galant. Time is running out.
Israel sees Iran's nuclear and missile program as its greatest existential threat.
Peseshkian made it clear that nothing will change in relations with the arch-enemy. The President accused Israel of apartheid, war crimes, genocide and ethnic cleansing, among other things. Israel has already repeatedly rejected these accusations in the past.
President under high pressure from voters
Together with his new top advisor and former chief diplomat Mohammed Jawad Sarif, Peseshkian hopes to resume nuclear negotiations and lift the sanctions that are paralyzing the Iranian economy. This is also what his voters expect of him. The Iranian economic crisis of the last five years needs a foreign policy solution. This would first and foremost be the resumption of nuclear negotiations.
Iran's new president presents future foreign policy
Peseshkian will be sworn in to parliament on July 30 and will then officially take up his post. In his article entitled "Message to the world", he presented his planned foreign policy course. According to the article, he is primarily concerned with good relations with the governments in the region and the Islamic states. He would like to continue his intensive cooperation with Russia and China, while at the same time planning a "constructive dialog" with European countries.
Apart from Croatia and Serbia, no European country has yet congratulated Peseschkian on his election victory. This has led to questions in the country as to whether the West has any interest in a dialog with him.
Peseshkian does not want to rule out contacts with his political arch-enemy, the USA, but the USA would also have to revise its hostile policy.