TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The election of Hassan Rouhani as the new Iranian president has generated new hope for the nation. Rouhani, 64, is believed to have more moderate views that can be more easily accepted by Western nations that are suspicious of Iran's nuclear activities.
Head of the Center for Public Diplomacy and Media at Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ramin Mehmanparast, says there is no significant change in Iran's foreign policies related to Rouhani's new position replacing former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmdinejad. Last Tuesday, June 25, Mehmanparast spoke with journalist Natalia Santi and photographer Dwianto Wibowo from Tempo in Jakarta about the election results and the hopes of the Iranian people.
Excerpts:
Are there any changes in Iran's foreign policies after Hassan Rouhani's election as president?
The last election was the best election held in our nation. Approximately 73 percent of the people of Iran participated. There was incredible spirit from the candidates and the public. Over 420 foreign journalists covered Iran's elections. The elections this year proved Iran to be one of the freest countries in the world where the people can directly determine the future of their nation.
Iran has a new rigid foreign policy. However, to reach its goals, there will be several ways to implement it. Rouhani's election has provided a huge opportunity to enhance relations with countries around the world. (However) western countries must realize that the only way to do so is by altering their approach. Therefore, western countries, like the United States, who wish to befriend us, must respect us and our rights as a country and a nation.
Do you think Rouhani will be more accepted (by the world) than Ahmadinejad?
In defending the country, all of the presidents elected by our people and all our state officials have the same views. However, they had different methods in achieving national goals according to what they preached during the campaign.
Rouhani's method is to seek constructive interaction through a new approach with the West.
Have there been any changes from the West after to Rouhani's election?
If western officials prioritize a logical attitude according to their national interests, I am certain they will alter their policies related to Iran. Iran is a large nation that has a huge influence on its region. Iran's great potential cannot be ignored. We can create stability and play a more meaningful role than before, provided that the West will make use of this potential and stray away from attitudes and policies that have so far been aimed at antagonizing us.
With the United Nation's many sanctions and resolutions, how is the current economic situation in Iran?
As you know, there are many resolutions passed by the UN security council and even sanctions against us by the United States that are one sided and far from being logical which we consider to be cruel for our nation and country. The many resolutions hit against us were due to the same reason. When we conducted our nuclear activities, we did it in a peaceful manner with peaceful objectives under the full supervision of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). We are a member of the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and harshly object to weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons.
What is funny and ironic is that the nation that set a sanction against us is a nation that owns nuclear weapons and tests them every day. It is also the only nation in the history of the world that has ever used nuclear weapons (on another nation). It is the United States. They have 10,000 nuclear weapons. They can destroy the world ten times over with the weapons they have.
Despite that, despite the pressure, we have experienced much growth and development. When people enter Iran, they cannot believe how a nation, with all of the pressure against it, can still be a developed country. With our various complex and state of the art technology, we have become one of the 10 most developed countries in the world. However, we have garnered no support and we hope the sanctions and embargo against us can be lifted so our country can grow even more.
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Description: Mehmanparast spoke about the election results and the hopes of the Iranian people.
