Iran and Europe see new opening in ties

Richard J. C. Galustian

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Italy and France, the first two European countries he visited since Implementation Day, is a very positive development for regional stability.

With most if not all sanctions lifted by the European Union, Rouhani, accompanied by the suave Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, held critical meetings during their Southern European visit. The ties that bind were illustrative and in full display of Iran as an emerging international power and player.

Iran signed a dozen or so deals with Italy. with very positive prospects for Italian businesses: From oil services group Saipem to shipmaker Fincantieri, which will be involved in the revival of the Iranian shipbuilding industry as well as in the mercantile and offshore fields; from Ansaldo Energia and Condotte; to Gavio and Pessina Costruzioni, which was picked to build and manage five “turnkey” hospital facilities in project financing.

To boot, the Islamic Republic signed over 30 deals with France in agriculture, health, industry, telecommunications, aeronautics, sustainable development, transport. French President François Hollande commented that he couldn’t even remember all of them. America lags behind as it still has some sanctions in place and Rouhani was quick to remind all almost at every opportunity of that fact when he spoke.

President Rouhani, from meeting with Pope Francis, to his laughter over the covering of statues, something the Iranians hadn’t requested, a sense of awe of a new opening between Iran and Europe was evident. This powerful development is the launch of a new gateway to stability in the Middle East.

Stability is not the word many would use to greet the arrival of Iran back in the global economy as sanctions are lifted, but that just might be the outcome.

With Tehran backing proxy forces, and its brief detention of American sailors in the Gulf recently, some remain apprehensive of how its arrival as a regional power will affect the turbulent Middle East.

Tehran’s political fission is an internal affair between Iranians, as the conservatives struggle with more secular forces to agree what kind of state should now reach out to the world. Their February elections will be critical.

And Iran is reaching out. Not with weapons and armies, but with trade and goodwill as demonstrated by the Italy and France visit by Rouhani and his hundred strong delegation. Unlike its neighbours, Iran is an economic hinterland, now impoverished, but with sanctions lifted able to offer prosperity independently of the country’s oil and gas.

So the apprehension that greets Iran’s return to the world is misplaced. Iran has no territorial ambitions; no need to invade its near neighbours or confront the United States or anyone else in the region. Why should it? With its huge well educated population it is poised to become an economic powerhouse in the region. Internally, that is where the pressure is coming from, with a population determined to enjoy the benefits of fitting into the global jigsaw. Iran is not riven by the sort of existential crises gripping so much of the Arab world.

And the clearest indicator of Iran’s new role came in the most unexpected way; those US sailors who mysteriously sailed off course were detained, accorded full rights, fed, offered medical treatment and allowed to go with full due international process observed. It was a sign, for those wanting to look for it, of a new Iran; reserved, careful, but prepared to play by the rules of the outside world, as it rejoins it.

If the West decisively embarks on military campaign to destroy IS wherever it may be, it will without doubt win. There is no longer a need to hesitate. The West may even need Iran’s military help to do so. We should ask Iran for its help.

Meanwhile as stated many times during Rouhani’s European tour by all involved “Iran is Open for Business”.