Peace isn’t possible without us

From Iraq and Afghanistan to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, from relations with Europe to the dialogue between Islam and Christianity. The view of the Islamic Republic of Iran in an article by the Deputy Foreign Minister for Europe

by Ali Ahani, Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, the President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), in Istanbul, 23 December 2010
[© Afp/Getty Images]

Collaboration with Europe
Relations with Europe date back to antiquity, there have always been several spheres of collaboration, though with ups and downs. Today it is our real common interests that demand we use all our capabilities, going beyond some policy approaches on the European side. Let's look at trade. Years ago, the volume of trade with Europe accounted for 60% of Iran's total trade exchange, today it is 40%. The Europeans have been replaced by others. And if Europe maintains this trend, the volume will reduce again. Trade with China, which previously stood at two billion dollars, is now 30 billion. Businessmen do not wait.
Another area of cooperation is energy. Europe depends largely on Russia and the EU is seeking to diversify its sources of supply. Iran is a source of oil and gas on which Europe can count, but it ignores it, for political reasons. Nabucco [the pipeline that will bring gas from Asia to Europe, bypassing Iran, ed.] proves as much. The experts themselves believe that neglecting the great energy source of Iranian gas will give Nabucco no profit margin in the future.
The dialogue with the Europeans has always been alive at the level of human rights, investment, the fight against drugs, emigration, the environment. Today, the nuclear issue has blocked everything, or at least has much weakened them.

A look at the current crises
Let us now look at the current crises: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Areas in which the United States and European governments are struggling to find a path.
They are all crises we want to alleviate. After the American occupation of Iraq our position was clear at once: against the invasion and in favor of the democratic process in the country. We were the first to recognize democratic Iraq as a State, despite the criticism of certain Arab countries that accused us of collaborating with the U.S., but for us it was a choice of principle in favor of democracy. We have been in contact with the different groups in the country, encouraging a national coalition government, at the same time stating that the occupying powers should leave the country as soon as possible. Fortunately, the political process has moved in that direction, and on this basis we have always supported the Iraqi government. The problems aren’t over, but the direction the country is taking is the right one.
Afghanistan has its own specific complexity. Three factors tangled up an already complicated crisis: extremism, terrorism and drugs. Interrelated factors, in effect. After nine years of military occupation I wonder if stability and security have improved. My answer is no.
Consider drugs: before the occupation 200 tons per year were produced, last year it has come to 7,000 tons, of which more than 90 percent lands in Europe. In answer to the questions on anti-drugs activities the Americans replied that their presence was an operation against terrorism, not drugs. For them there was obviously no problem. For Europe there was. We have insistently proposed to the Europeans the setting up of a joint operation to stop the flow of opium at its source. They responded positively, then they never followed it up.
The Afghan context is becoming more worrisome. Extremism is becoming more marked. Our opinion is that the solution of the Afghan crisis should be found within the region. Outsiders do not know the roots of the crisis, and the fight against terrorism has had no success with only European and American troops. Indeed, at the regional level we have undertaken an initiative with Afghanistan and Pakistan, at the level of Heads of State and Foreign Ministers holding several meetings, and we intend to intensify these discussions. We believe we can arrive at concrete solutions. The support of the international community, of the UN and European countries, could contribute positively: let us hope so. And certainly Italy plays a part in joint projects for the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the creation of jobs, so that a more favorable economic environment is created in the country.
In parallel the Afghan security forces, the police and the army can be trained: resolving the crisis in that way.
Iran shares 940 km of border with Afghanistan, in thirty years three million lawful and illicit refugees have entered our country, and we have supported the heavy cost of reception, in giving them help. At this moment there are three hundred and thirty thousand Afghan children studying in Iran, and five thousand university students. This in addition to the social problems that they create for us, the violence, the killings...
Building stability in Afghanistan is in our national interest. That is why we are open to collaboration with the Europeans.
In the Middle East the EU has so far not played a decisive role, it is a donor and spectator. After the Treaty of Lisbon it is to be hoped it will find a better role as independent agent. The Middle Eastern context is complicated, there have been many peace projects, and I wonder why none of them has ever given fruit.
One of the reasons is the approach of Israel, which does not believe in peace and ignores UN resolutions, not to mention the issue of settlements and the siege of Gaza. Again in this case the designers of peace projects have not looked at the roots of the crisis, among which there is, conspicuously, the fate of Palestinian refugees, who should be enabled to return to their native lands and decide their own future by a democratic vote. If this happens it will be a good omen for the future of the Middle East. We can't ignore the real protagonists in the field. In Tehran we have always responded with criticism whenever the EU has pointed the finger at Hamas and the Palestinian forces, treating them as terrorists and not as a voice in the matter. But they are the true protagonists on the Palestinian scene, and any peace project can only go through them.
On the US government's attempt at peace, for now we are skeptical. How can the US government give adequate attention to the problems when it adheres to the positions of Israel and its own domestic Jewish lobby, particularly on the issue of the return of refugees and the Palestinian situation in general? Considering all this, no solution can be reached.
That's what we think, we may be wrong, but I try to speak frankly.

From the left, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, at the signing of the agreement for the exchange of low-grade enriched uranium with nuclear fuel, Tehran, 17 May 2010
[© Associated Press/LaPresse]

Relations with the Holy See
And here we come to relations with the Holy See. From my recent meetings with His Excellency Mamberti and Cardinal Tauran and I realize that there is every chance for collaboration. Cardinal Tauran's visit to Iran, for the seventh session of the interfaith Colloquium between the Catholic Church and Islam, is proof. With the Holy See we share opinions on important global issues. One of the problems afflicting humanity is the turning away from religion. We both note that the distance between society and religion is increasing, sometimes there is a phobia against religion, as in the project of that American pastor who wanted to put copies of the Koran on a pyre. The Holy See, in the person of Cardinal Tauran, has adopted a clear position of condemnation, neutralizing the action of this gentleman, whereas unfortunately some European authorities reward people who insult Islam and religion in general. It is a dangerous path. To prevent these phenomena a common effort is required. We share the final declaration of the Synod of Bishops of the Middle East about the judgment on occupying the land of others, and the need for global nuclear disarmament.
We welcome the dialogue between Islam and Christianity. Religious minorities must be respected. As we expect that the rights of Muslim minorities in Europe be respected, it is equally obvious that the Christian minorities in the Middle East and other countries be respected also. We insist on peaceful coexistence based on respect: Iran is an example of peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians. The latter, like the Jews as well, enjoy full respect and have their representatives in Parliament, their churches and their synagogues, they enjoy freedom of worship. This must apply everywhere in the world.

The issue of Turkey
We know that some European countries are opposed to Turkey's accession to the European Union. We must be realistic. We know that such opposition has historical reasons that go back to the time of the Ottomans... The reality of today, however, has created a situation in which Turkey could, instead, become a member. One wonders if this is in the interest of Europe. Certainly the presence of Turkey in the European Union will help the latter to a better understanding of the Islamic world. And, all things considered, it is in the European Union's interest. Despite the reluctance of some countries.