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From: Bob Rigg <[email protected]>
Date: 6 December 2013 19:13
Subject: Iran seeks to mend ties with world as deadlock eases [Xinhua]
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News Analysis: Iran seeks to mend ties with world as deadlock eases
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-12/06/c_132947832.htm
English.news.cn <http://www.xinhuanet.com/english2010/> 2013-12-06
20:16:13
by Yang Dingdu, He Guanghai
TEHRAN, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's diplomatic campaign to improve relations
with the world is gaining momentum after an interim deal broke the
decade-long deadlock on its nuclear issue.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's ongoing visit to Tehran is aimed to
create new dynamic relations between the two neighbors. Iranian and Iraqi
nations can build even closer relations if the current meetings in Tehran
result in dealing with the conflicts in Syria and the oil production shares
within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), analysts
said.
Congratulating on the recent nuclear deal between Iran and the world
powers, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Syrian Prime Minister
Wael al-Halqi visited Iran last week, each seeking to improve or strengthen
ties with the Iranian moderate government. Iran and P5+1, the United
States, Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany, struck a deal in
Geneva on November 24, in which Iran agreed to freeze part of its nuclear
program in exchange for limited ease of sanctions.
In addition to regional diplomacy, the upcoming visit of Chinese State
Councilor Yang Jiechi will further open the door for Iran's interaction
with major world powers.
Iran has pledged to improve relations with the world. In his inauguration
speech, Iranian President Rouhani said he would have "constructive
interaction" with the world.
REGIONAL TIES
After years of declining relations, Iran is taking steps to mend ties with
Gulf Arab states, said Sadeq Zibakalam, professor of politics in Tehran
University.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed-Javad Zarif spent his time in the past
days visiting the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in an
attempt to ease tensions with Gulf Arab states.
At the end of his tour to Oman, Kuwait and Qatar, Zarif said Tuesday that
there were interests in the visited Arab countries to improve ties with
Iran, adding the improved ties "will benefit peace and stability in the
region."
On Wednesday, Zarif also met with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid
Al-Maktoum in the United Arab Emirates and invited Emirates' President
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan to visit Tehran.
Iran's ties with Kuwait became sore after the oil-rich Arab state charged
several Iranian and locals for spying for the Islamic republic in the past
years. Iran has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting "terrorists" in Syria.
Saudi Arabia on the other hand is wary of Iran's efforts to promote Shiite
Islam in the region. Both Iran and the UAE have a long-standing dispute
over the ownership of three Persian Gulf islands controlled by Iran.
Despite disputes with Iran, the Persian Gulf states have cautiously
welcomed the deal between Iran and the world powers. For its part, the
Saudi government said the deal could be a first step toward a comprehensive
solution, "provided that there is goodwill."
Iran has also shown willingness to seek reconciliation with Saudi Arabia.
"The misunderstandings are solvable," the Iranian foreign minister said.
In addition to mending ties with Persian Gulf states, Iran is working to
further cement relations with its neighbors and allies in the region. In
the two weeks following the Geneva deal, Iranian President Rouhani has
already met with Syrian prime minister and Turkish foreign minister in
Tehran on bilateral ties and the Syrian crisis.
Also, Rouhani met with Iraqi prime minister on Thursday and called
Iran-Iraq relations strategic, urging for expansion of ties in all fields.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also told Maliki there was no
limit for promotion of ties between the two countries.
Iran and Iraq are so close that countries in good terms with Iran will have
better access to Iraq. Those who have trouble with Iran will also have
trouble gaining access to Iraq, said Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a research
fellow at the Institute of North American and European Studies of Tehran
University.
Iran's diplomatic campaign will continue to influence the region as Afghan
President Hamid Karzai is scheduled to travel to Tehran next week to
discuss a new security pact between Afghanistan and the United States. Iran
has already voiced concerns over the deal with its Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham saying "Iran does not believe the security
agreement will be in the interests of the people and government of
Afghanistan in the long run."
WORLD TIES
The Geneva deal has ushered Iran into a new era of diplomatic relations
with the world, especially with western powers, Zibakalam said.
President Rouhani has stressed that his country can solve its problems with
the world and improve relations through cooperation. He also said that the
"hostile" relations between Iran and the United States should be corrected
to avoid confrontation.
Rouhani's telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart upon leaving New
York in September and Zarif's meetings with the U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry over in the past months have broken the taboo of talks with the
United States which was unimaginable a few months ago.
The significance of direct U.S.-Iran contacts lies also in the fact that
both sides have displayed an unprecedented political will to engage in
resolving a number of issues pertaining the bilateral issues.
Although, Iran says recent talks with the United States was only on the
nuclear issue and not on the mutual ties, but experts believe the talks may
break the ice for Iran-U.S. ties after years of hostility. In many ways,
the point that Iran and the United States' high-ranking officials sat and
talked directly over a number of issues was even more significant than the
deal on nuclear issue, Zibakalam said.
For the first time after 35 years, Iran and the United States are close and
have reached an understanding, Zibakalam said, calling the direct contacts
"a historical" event. "Both sides need this new era, this new development,
this new climate," he added.
Iran is also experimenting with sports diplomacy to narrow distances
between the two countries. On Thursday, the pro-reform Sharq newspaper
wrote the officials in Iran's Volleyball Federation is planning for a
10-day joint camping with the U.S. volleyball team in Tehran.
While normalizing ties with the United States is still beyond reach, Iran
has already taken steps in rebuilding ties with Britain after two years of
severance of diplomatic ties. Iran and Britain announced the appointment of
a nonresident charge d' affaires to each other's country in November.
Semi-official Fars news agency reported that Iranian and British diplomats
on Wednesday agreed to improve their bilateral relations in a step-by- step
procedure.
China's Yang and Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will soon visit
Tehran, further boosting Iran's efforts to improve ties with major world
powers.
World needs Iran to solve problems in the Middle East. "No problem can be
solved without Iran. Be it the crisis in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq or any
other burning issue in the region, Iran's support and cooperation is needed
for any possible solution," Zib
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