Interview with James M. Dorsey, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
New Iranian leadership demonstrates its readiness to change its foreign policy approach to the West. How would you explain these changes? And is this approach supported by a majority in Iran?
The change in foreign policy is mutually beneficial. Iran's interest goes far beyond wanting to get international sanctions lifted. Dignity and respect are key concepts in Iran. A permanent agreement with the five United Nations Security Council members plus Germany would return Iran to the international fold as a full-fledged member. It would rewrite the power balance in the Middle East recognizing Iran as a key political and economic player in the gamut of issues the region is confronting. There is little doubt a majority of Iranians support this. While hardliners are skeptical, ultimately they too stand to benefit.
What do you think about the rapprochement process between Iran and the US?
Once one gets past the nuclear issue and travels further down the road of rapprochement it is likely to become apparent that the US and Iran have interests in common and that Iran can contribute to solutions of a variety of problems including Syria, Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
And what about the future of relations between Iran and Israel? We have already heard signals from both sides of the mutual intentions to improve these relations.
It will take a long time for Iran and Israel to rebuild relations. That will certainly not happen before Israelis and Palestinians have reached a peace agreement. That does not preclude secret, informal contacts.
What new may we expect from Iran’s policy towards its neighbors, Azerbaijan in particular? There have been many problems in bilateral relations due to pro-Western course of Azerbaijan. Do these fears still exist?
Obviously, improved relations with the West will ease Iranian-Azerbaijani relations. For one, the threat of Azerbaijan being used as a base in an attack on Iran. That, of course, will not solve all problems like Iranian Azeris’ demands for greater rights but will put relations on a different, more cooperative trajectory.
One of the members of the Iranian Parliament with the Kurdish origins suggested to change the name of the Western Azerbaijan province and create a Kurdish province on its territory. What do you think of that? May Iranian authorities support this idea? And may this initiative cause clashes between Kurds and Azeris there?
Iran is a multi-ethnic, multi cultural nation that will have to grant greater rights to all. This will not necessarily resolve all ethnic issues but make finding mutually acceptable solutions easier.
Iran has expressed its wish to help Azerbaijan and Armenia to solve the Karabakh problem. Do you believe that Iran indeed can play a fruitful role in stabilization of situation on its Northern borders?
Iran could but it will first have to win Azerbaijan’s confidence that it is a neutral mediator.
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