Soon world leaders will join together in New York. The world expects the new President of Iran, Hassan Rohani, to be in the spotlight. In an interview with NBC, President Rohani insisted that Iran has no intention of developing weapons of mass destruction. On his Twitter account Hassan Rohani wished Jews worldwide a Shanah Tovah. In addition, Iran released eleven prominent dissidents and human rights activists, including Nasrin Sotoudeh, Mohsen Aminzadeh and others. His gestures are welcomed and show good signs particularly that the era of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad’s hateful rants toward Israel and the USA have ended and a new era has begun for Iran.
President Rohani was elected this year as a relatively moderate candidate, one willing to make Iran’s nuclear program more transparent and to denounce weapons of mass destruction, saying that “under no circumstances would we seek any weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, nor will we ever.” Further, “We are only seeking peaceful nuclear technology,” he told NBC,. Iran is willing to negotiate over the nuclear program which the US and Israel fear is close to creating a bomb, and as such, President Rohani is willing to have dialogue with President Obama.
Recently, President Rohani and President Obama exchanged letters after the Iranian elections, and I believe the two Presidents will make a historic handshake between the Iranian President and the U.S President. If this historic handshake happens, and most likely it will, it will be a new beginning. The enmity between the US and Iran since the 1979 revolution will be broken, and the talks will open a new peaceful chapter between the two countries. Direct talks between the countries show the two regional and global orders’ interest in the region. This could change the rules of the game in the Middle East in general. This also will show the rise of Iran as a potential partner in the solution of region’s problem. I always believed that in the end the West and the U.S would support Iran and counter the Sunni majority in countries such as Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. America and the West cannot exclude Iran from the new peace process in the region
Iran is an important country in the Middle East with its rich oil and gas. Located in the west of Asia, Iran holds an important role in international energy security and world economy because of its large petroleum and natural gas reserves. Normalization of Iranian politics with the West, the US, and Israel will make Iran the most powerful regional players. The world needs Iran’s oil, and Iran needs to sell its oil to the West to improve its economy. The reason Iran is trying to normalize the relationship with the West is because of the West and USA’s financial restrictions preventing Iran from selling goods for hard currency, and resulting in a drop of oil revenue, a rise of unemployment We all know that two hegemonic powers between Turkey and Iran compete for Islamic leadership in the region. For a long time Iran was hostile to the US and Israel. America supported Sunni Muslims to counter Iran, but if Iran normalizes its relations with the West and the USA, the balance of power will change there. The majority of Sunni Muslims do not welcome the Shia religion becoming a superpower. If Turkey and other Muslim countries keep isolating Israel, Israel has to search for dialogue with Iran. The Iranian people are desperately waiting for reformers in Iran after some eight years under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who denied the Jewish holocaust and wanted death to America, Neither denying the holocaust nor hating America help Iran, but rather hurt it and instead invigorates Iran’s competitors like Turkey.
Therefore, Rouhani’s election came as a great relief for the Iranian people who are suffering from its worst financial crisis for more than two decades. During his inauguration speech, President Obama said, “We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” Today there is new beginning for Iran, and it is unclenching its fist and reaching out to the US. It is time for the US to unclench its fist in kind. It is in the American interest to forge a political relation with Iran. Having only relations with the other Sunni Muslim countries does not help America in the end because whether Sunni or Shia, they all hate America and do not want America there, but also the Sunnis do not like Iran. Iran does not like Sunnis either since Sunnis are the majority, and we see most of these countries are Sunni not Shia Consequently, America’s policy toward Iran is worse than toward other Sunni Muslim countries, a policy which does not help America’s interests. America should have an equal approach, that is, a non-military approach, to solve the Syrian crisis. This will have more benefit to the US, Syria, Iran, and Russia other than benefiting only regional players. Iran is ready to talk for a new beginning with the US and the West. It is the time.
Dr. Aland Mizell is the President of the MCI and a regular contributor to The Kurdistan Tribune, Kurdishaspect.com, Mindanao Times and Kurdish Media.You may email the author at:aland_mizell2@hotmail.com