Iran’s President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian said he hopes to improve ties with Europe, despite accusing the continent of backtracking on commitments to ease the impact of US sanctions.
“Despite these mistakes, I look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue with European countries to put our relations on the right track, based on principles of mutual respect and equal conditions,” Pezeshkian wrote in the English-language Tehran Times newspaper.
Pezeshkian went on to say that there were numerous areas of cooperation to explore once “European powers come to terms with this reality and move beyond the moral high ground and manufactured crises that have plagued our relations for so long.”
In 2018, under then-President Donald Trump, the US pulled out of the landmark nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – a move the EU, UK, France and Germany later said they “deeply regret” – and reimposed sanctions.
European countries have made 11 commitments to Iran to “try to save the deal and mitigate the impact of illegal and unilateral US sanctions on our economy,” Pezeshikian said.
“European countries have reneged on all these commitments, but they expect Iran to unilaterally fulfill all its obligations under the JCPOA,” he added.
He said the commitments included “ensuring efficient banking transactions, protecting businesses from US sanctions and promoting investment in Iran.”
Pezeshkian won Iran’s presidential election on Saturday, defeating rival Saeed Jalili, Iran’s former nuclear negotiator, in a crucial vote amid rising tensions both at home and abroad.
The reformer favors dialogue with Iran’s enemies, particularly over its nuclear program, and sees it as a means of addressing the country’s internal issues.
“I want to emphasize that Iran’s defense doctrine does not include nuclear weapons and urge the United States to learn from past miscalculations and adjust its policy accordingly,” Pezeshkian wrote.
“Decision-makers in Washington need to recognize that a policy of pitting regional countries against each other has not been successful and will not be successful in the future,” he added.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has the final say in all matters of state. Pezeshkian will eventually defer to Khamenei, who has condemned those seeking to improve relations with the West, on foreign policy issues.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
