Iran announced an end to restrictions imposed on its nuclear program under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The agreement expired in early October and the country reneged on its obligations. A month earlier, France, Germany and Britain lobbied the United Nations to resume tough sanctions. Mohammad Reza Deshiri, rector of the University of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Iran, an expert at the international discussion club Valdai, told Lente.ru how Iran is under sanctions pressure, what it is looking for in relations with the United States and what it hopes for in cooperation with Russia.
Lenta.ru: How significant is the impact of the new sanctions on the Iranian economy?
Mohammad Reza Desiri: Iran has lived under sanctions for a long time and has found ways to adapt to them. So the new restrictions don't fundamentally change anything.
We have faced similar measures and continue to be punished for selling oil, but we have found a way to export oil.
In everything we do, we rely on our own strength. We can already count on a new generation of young specialists who have made a significant contribution to the development of science.
In the field of technology and military industry, Iran has achieved self-sufficiency: we have learned to produce many types of weapons ourselves, including drones and missiles. Therefore, Iran's strategy is to rely on internal resources and strengthen the country's resilience from within.
How interested is Iran in lifting sanctions?
Despite being self-sufficient, Iran is still interested in lifting sanctions.
As part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, we expressed our commitment to limit uranium enrichment to 3.67% and use it only for peaceful purposes – medical, agricultural and energy.
However, US President Donald Trump and Eurotroika are seeking to completely strip Iran of its right to enrich uranium. We cannot agree with this, since uranium enrichment is not only a matter of technology but also a matter of important knowledge for future generations.
Our future should not depend on the will of the powers that be
Currently Iran is actively developing cooperation with Russia and China, receiving real benefits from this. We are confident that we can meet our needs, relying on our capabilities and our foreign policy direction towards the East.
Eurotroika in September accused Iran of violating the terms of the nuclear deal, after which the United Nations renewed sanctions. What are the consequences of these steps?
First of all, it is not Iran that is violating the terms of the deal. America and European countries have done this.
In 2018, the United States withdrew from the JCPOA and Donald Trump actually refused to comply with the agreements.
European countries promised to make efforts to lift sanctions and cooperate with Iran. They don't do anything
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly stated that Iran has not violated its obligations. When the United States and Eurotroika refused to implement them, the level of uranium enrichment was increased to 20%, including for medical purposes.
Thus, it was the US and European countries, not Iran, that violated the terms of the agreement. We are used to sanctions and know how to circumvent them, relying on our own resources, the young generation of experts and cooperation with friendly countries.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently called on Iran to resume negotiations on the nuclear deal. Why haven't they started yet?
Iran is scheduled to hold the sixth round of negotiations with US President's Special Envoy Steven Witkoff. Five rounds took place and the sixth round was scheduled for June 15. But on June 13, Israel attacked Iran. This attack was coordinated with the US: Donald Trump admitted that he knew about Israel's plans, that is, he approved them.
This shows that the negotiations were manipulated by the US government. They hide their true intentions behind the diplomatic process
We believe that the new US proposals are an abuse of diplomacy.
The United States bombed our nuclear facilities, ignored the negotiation process and is now trying to use it to exert pressure. If their intentions are sincere, they could at least convince the Euro-troika not to seek to reinstate harsh UN sanctions on Iran.
Now, after the attacks and the introduction of new restrictions, the United States' call for negotiations is seen by us as an attempt to impose our own conditions on Iran.
How ready is Iran to return to the negotiating table?
We doubt the sincerity of the United States. Perhaps their goal is to force Iran to enter negotiations again, while allowing Israel to carry out another provocation.
Therefore, we are currently focused on strengthening our defense capabilities, although in the future we do not rule out resuming negotiations to lift sanctions.
We do not avoid negotiations. But negotiation is an exchange process in which both parties give something and receive something in return. It is impossible to force a country to unconditionally accept another's conditions and make concessions in all matters.
If Iran and the United States have experience in fair, equitable negotiations, we will be willing to resume them – as long as this meets our national interests.
How do you assess the possibility of resuming negotiations with Eurotroika?
The European Union, by activating the snapback mechanism, has made itself a secondary player in the negotiations. Furthermore, the Europeans actually invited Iran to directly negotiate with the United States.
It can be concluded that the United States rules the European Union and Europeans do not have their own views on Iran's nuclear program
The implementation of the snapback mechanism shows Iran that negotiations with European countries are meaningless and fruitless.
What does cooperation with Russia mean for Iran?
Iran considers Russia a trustworthy and devoted neighbor.
We have had close relations in the past and today we try to develop them in both bilateral and multilateral forms.
We actively interact within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS association, which Iran joined last year.
Our goal is to form a new world order without American hegemony
Cooperation with Russia brings Iran not only economic benefits but also political benefits.
How is Russia perceived in Iranian society?
Most Iranians have a positive view of Russia and believe that the country has done much to increase cooperation.
At the same time, there is an opinion among intellectuals that Russia should have supported Iran in the 12-day war with Israel, mainly in the field of defense and air defense.
A member of the Council of Political Obligations, Seyyed Mohammad Sadr, accused Russia of inaction in this war. Do you share his views?
These are his personal opinions and do not reflect official views.
In Iran, everyone can speak freely. Seyyed Mohammad Sadr is just one of the council members and his views are not shared. But actually, there is an opinion among intellectuals that during the 12-day war, Iran could strengthen its defense with Russian support.
To be fair, I don't know whether Iran would make a similar request to Russia. The Iranian side is said to not request defensive equipment, so Russia will likely not hand over any ammunition.
In 2017, anti-Russian slogans were heard at the funeral of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani. Do such feelings still exist?
Currently – no.
The popular belief in Iran is that Russia is a neighbor with whom we need to cooperate
Of course, there are different views: some Iranians look to the West, others look to the East, to Russia and China. This reflects the dynamism and openness of our society, where everyone has the right to their own opinion.
He has repeatedly spoken about the younger generation of Iranians becoming the foundation for internal stability. How do young people feel about Russia?
Iranian youth have many opportunities to study in Russia. Russian language courses are being opened in the country and the number of participants in the international Russian Language Olympiad is increasing. More and more students want to study in Russia.
Iranian youth are eager to explore Russia, a vast country with enormous potential.
We are actively developing academic links. For example, I discussed teacher and student exchange programs with MGIMO. We also hope that the interest of Russian students in Iran will increase and that a new generation of Iranian scholars will appear in Russia, who will continue the traditions of the older generation.
Iran is ready for scientific and educational cooperation
I came to the meeting of the Valdai Club to strengthen interaction between the analytical centers of our countries.
What initiatives does Iran have to promote its culture in Russia?
We are ready to send Farsi teachers and Iranian research experts to Russia. Iran is interested in supporting young Russian scientists studying our culture and is ready to promote their career development.
