Criticism of unilateral foreign policy continues in Iran

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Amid its worst internal crisis in 40 years, the Islamic Republic now faces daily criticism of its foreign policy, even in its government-controlled media.

Many pundits and politicians question a one-sided foreign policy in favor of China and Russia and call for balance and the resumption of suspended nuclear talks with the West. They also leveled strong criticism at Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, saying he was not capable of leading the country’s foreign relations.

The attacks began after he attended a regional summit in Jordan, where he met European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, expressing Tehran’s willingness to resume nuclear talks. No tangible results emerged from this trip.

Mohammad Sadr, a member of the Opportunity Council, harshly criticized Iran’s dependence on Russia and China in an interview with the centrist Entekhab News, accusing the two countries of not being allies Iran’s strategic plans, but to follow only their own interests. He further criticized Foreign Minister and President Ebrahim Raisi for failing to give an appropriate response to China’s signing of a statement with Gulf Cooperation Council states that questioned the ownership of the country. Iran on three islands in the Persian Gulf.

Mohammad Sadr, member of the Islamic Republic Opportunity Council

In the reality of the Islamic Republic, everyone knows that these decisions are made in the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and not in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or by the President.

Earlier last week, others, including academic and foreign relations expert Pirouz Mojtahedzadeh, also attacked Iran’s ideological foreign policy and the performance of the Foreign Ministry, while former diplomat Ahmad Azizi called on Khamenei’s office to take over the responsibilities of the Foreign Ministry.

Sadr also criticized Iran’s policy on relations with Saudi Arabia, adding that Riyadh is waiting for the US Republicans to win the presidency before revealing its true intentions towards Iran. Sadr called for a realistic foreign policy that would put the country’s national interests first. Iran, he said, should maintain relations with all countries except Israel, and seek to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, or JCPOA.

Academic and foreign policy expert Mehdi Motaharnia

An international relations expert, Mehdi Motaharnia, told the Fararu website in Tehran that while Iran pursues its current foreign policy of alignment with China and Russia and sees itself as an enemy of the United States and Europe, there will not soon be a third option vis-à-vis the EU-US-Israel alliance and the new alliance between Arab countries and Israel. He warned that China and Russia have also failed Tehran.

Fararu observed that the country’s biggest political upheaval in the past 43 years has crippled the government and asked Motaharnia if there was a third way out for Iran.

Motaharnia replied that Iran’s tilt towards Russia and China left nothing of its original policy of non-alignment. Consequently, everything against the West finds its legitimacy. This inevitably leads to an identity crisis for the political system.

He added that Tehran must not only redefine its relations with the West, but also reform its internal governance. Motaharnia said this will determine the international community’s approach to Iran in the months to come.

Meanwhile, as some Iranian hardliners, such as newspaper editor Kayhan, have harshly attacked Amir Abdollahian’s attempts to resume talks with the West, former diplomat Fereidouin Majles said in an interview with the moderate website Roiuyda24 that the approach of some of Raisi’s supporters would lead to further isolation of Iran. Majlesi said ironically that if everyone wants to determine the fate of the JCPOA in their own way, let’s shut down the Foreign Ministry and let the Tehran Municipality regulate Iran’s relations with the rest of the world. Majlesi accused Foreign Ministry critics of not caring about Iran’s interests.

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