My message to the new world

TEHRAN – On May 19, 2024, the untimely death of President Ebrahim Raisi, a deeply respected and dedicated public servant, in a tragic helicopter crash precipitated snap elections in Iran, marking a pivotal moment in our nation’s history.

Amidst the war and turbulence in our region, the Iranian political system has demonstrated remarkable stability by holding elections in a competitive, peaceful and orderly manner, dispelling the insinuations made by some “Iran experts” within some governments. This stability and the dignified manner in which the elections were held underscore the discernment of our Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and the dedication of our people to the democratic transition of power, even in the face of adversity.

I ran my election campaign on a platform of reforms, promotion of national unity and constructive engagement with the world, which enabled me to win the trust of my compatriots at the polls, especially young women and men who are dissatisfied with the general situation. I deeply appreciate their trust and I am fully committed to cultivating consensus, both domestically and internationally, to deliver on the promises I made during my campaign.

I want to emphasize that my administration will be guided by the determination to preserve Iran’s national dignity and international stature at all times. Iran’s foreign policy is based on the principles of “dignity, wisdom, and prudence,” with the formulation and implementation of this state policy being the responsibility of the President and the government. I intend to use the full authority vested in my office to pursue this overarching goal.

In this regard, my government will pursue an opportunity-oriented policy, creating a balance in relations with all countries, consistent with our national interests, our economic development and the requirements of regional and global peace and security. Accordingly, we will welcome sincere efforts aimed at easing tensions and respond with good faith with good faith.

Under my administration, we will prioritize strengthening our relationships with our neighbors. We will advocate for the creation of a “strong region” rather than one in which any single country seeks hegemony and dominance over others. I firmly believe that neighboring and fraternal nations should not waste their precious resources on erosive competitions, arms races, or unjustified restrictions on each other. Instead, we will seek to create an environment in which our resources can be devoted to the progress and development of the region for the benefit of all.

We are keen to cooperate with Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and regional organizations to deepen our economic ties, strengthen our trade relations, promote joint venture investments, address common challenges and move towards establishing a regional framework for dialogue, confidence-building and development. Our region has been plagued for too long by war, sectarian conflict, terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, water scarcity, refugee crises, environmental degradation and foreign interference. It is time to address these common challenges for the sake of future generations. Cooperation for the development and prosperity of the region will be the guiding principle of our foreign policy.

As nations with abundant resources and shared traditions rooted in the peaceful teachings of Islam, we must unite and rely on the power of logic rather than power. By leveraging our normative influence, we can play a crucial role in the emergence of the post-polar world order by promoting peace, creating a calm environment conducive to sustainable development, encouraging dialogue, and dispelling Islamophobia. Iran is ready to play its fair share in this regard.

In 1979, after the Revolution, the newly established Islamic Republic of Iran, motivated by respect for international law and fundamental human rights, severed ties with two apartheid regimes, Israel and South Africa. Israel remains an apartheid regime today, adding “genocide” to a record already tarnished by occupation, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, settlement building, possession of nuclear weapons, illegal annexation and aggression against its neighbors.

First, my Government will urge neighbouring Arab countries to work together and use all political and diplomatic levers to prioritize a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, to end the slaughter and prevent the conflict from spreading. We must then work diligently to end the prolonged occupation that has devastated the lives of four generations of Palestinians. In this context, I wish to stress that all States have a duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention to take steps to prevent genocide, not to reward it by normalizing relations with the perpetrators.

Today, it seems that many young people in Western countries recognize the validity of our decades-long position toward the Israeli regime. I would like to take this opportunity to tell this courageous generation that we consider the accusations of anti-Semitism against Iran because of its principled position on the Palestinian issue to be not only patently false, but also an insult to our culture, beliefs and fundamental values. Rest assured that these accusations are as absurd as the unjust accusations of anti-Semitism that are leveled at you as you demonstrate on university campuses in defense of the Palestinian right to life.

China and Russia have always supported us in difficult times. We highly value this friendship. Our 25-year roadmap with China represents an important step toward establishing a mutually beneficial “comprehensive strategic partnership,” and we look forward to engaging more extensively with Beijing as we move toward a new world order. In 2023, China played a central role in facilitating the normalization of our relations with Saudi Arabia, showcasing its constructive vision and forward-thinking approach to international affairs.

Russia is a valuable strategic ally and neighbor of Iran, and my government will remain committed to expanding and strengthening our cooperation. We are working for peace between the Russian and Ukrainian peoples, and my government will be ready to actively support initiatives aimed at achieving this goal. I will continue to prioritize bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia, particularly within the framework of BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Recognizing that the global landscape has evolved beyond traditional dynamics, my administration is committed to fostering mutually beneficial relationships with emerging global actors in the South, particularly with African countries. We will strive to enhance our collaborative efforts and strengthen our partnerships for the mutual benefit of all parties involved.

Iran’s relations with Latin America are well established and will be closely maintained and deepened in order to foster development, dialogue and cooperation in all fields. The potential for cooperation between Iran and Latin American countries is much greater than what is currently realized, and we hope to further strengthen our ties.

Iran-Europe relations have had their ups and downs. After the US withdrew from the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) in May 2018, European countries made eleven commitments to Iran in an attempt to save the deal and mitigate the impact of the US’s unilateral and illegal sanctions on our economy. These commitments included ensuring efficient banking transactions, effective protection of companies from US sanctions, and promoting investment in Iran. European countries have reneged on all of these commitments, but unreasonably expect Iran to unilaterally fulfill all of its obligations under the JCPOA.

Despite these missteps, I look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue with European countries to put our relations back on track, based on principles of mutual respect and equality. European countries must understand that Iranians are a proud people whose rights and dignity can no longer be neglected. There are many areas of cooperation that Iran and Europe can explore once European powers accept this reality and put aside their self-proclaimed moral supremacy and the artificial crises that have marred our relations for so long. Opportunities for collaboration include economic and technological cooperation, energy security, transit routes, the environment, as well as counterterrorism and drug trafficking, refugee crises and other areas, all of which could be leveraged to the benefit of our nations.

The United States must also acknowledge the reality and understand, once and for all, that Iran does not – and will not – respond to pressure. We entered into the JCPOA in 2015 in good faith and have fully fulfilled our obligations. But the United States illegally withdrew from the deal, motivated by purely internal feuds and desires for revenge, inflicting hundreds of billions of dollars in damage to our economy and causing untold suffering, death, and destruction to the Iranian people – particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic – by imposing unilateral extraterritorial sanctions. The United States has deliberately chosen to escalate hostilities by waging not only economic warfare against Iran, but also by engaging in state terrorism by assassinating General Qassem Soleimani, a global counterterrorism hero known for successfully saving the people of our region from the scourge of ISIS and other vicious terrorist groups. Today the world is witnessing the dire consequences of that choice.

The United States and its Western allies have not only squandered a historic opportunity to reduce and manage tensions in the region and around the world, they have also seriously undermined the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by showing that the costs of adhering to the principles of the non-proliferation regime could outweigh the benefits it could provide. In fact, the United States and its Western allies have abused the non-proliferation regime to manufacture a crisis around Iran’s peaceful nuclear program—in open contradiction to their own intelligence assessment—and use it to maintain sustained pressure on our people, while they have actively contributed to and continue to support the nuclear weapons of Israel, an apartheid regime, a compulsive aggressor, a non-NPT member, and a known possessor of an illegal nuclear arsenal.

I want to emphasize that Iran’s defense doctrine does not include nuclear weapons, and I urge the United States to learn from past miscalculations and adjust its policy accordingly. Policymakers in Washington must recognize that the policy of pitting countries in the region against each other has not worked and will not work in the future. They must accept this reality and avoid escalating current tensions.

The Iranian people have given me a strong mandate to vigorously pursue constructive engagement on the international stage while insisting on our rights, our dignity, and the role we deserve in the region and the world. I extend an open invitation to all who wish to join us in this historic endeavour.