This approach of Iran had important achievements after the Islamic Revolution, and at the end of the 43rd year of the victory of the revolution, the 43rd case is briefly mentioned. These cases can independently be the subject of research by humanities professors and students in Iran and the world.
1 - The Islamic Revolution of Iran, which had become victorious with the slogan “Today Iran, Tomorrow Palestine”, became the reason for the emergence of intifada and isolation of the Zionist regime by cutting off relations with this regime, stopping the supply of oil to Israel, and supporting the cause of the freedom of Jerusalem and the Palestinian land. A new chapter in the struggle of the Islamic world against the Israeli regime for the liberation of Palestine began after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
2 - By Stopping the sale of Iranian oil to South Africa and supporting the SWAPO liberation movement of Namibia and subsequent diplomatic measures, Iran had an effective role in the process of Namibian independence and the collapse of apartheid. On March 21, 1991, Sam Nojoma arrived in Namibia from Europe by an Iranian plane and announced the independence of this country.
3 - Stopping Iran’s oil supplies to the Philippines during the Ferdinald Marcos dictatorship, in support of the country’s Muslims (Moros) and the subsequent diplomatic measures, led to negotiations between the government and the Moro liberation movement and strengthened the position of Muslims in the Philippines.
4 - Before the victory of the revolution and being a member Baghdad Pact and subsequently the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) Iran was unable to join the non-aligned countries. However, after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in February 1979, the conference of ministers of non-aligned countries held in the capital of Sri Lanka approved Iran’s membership in the Non-Aligned Movement.
5 - Before the Soviet attack on Afghanistan, the Soviet ambassador in Iran met with Imam Khomeini and informed him about the issue, but he faced the Imam’s opposition. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Iran started supporting the Mujahidin of Afghanistan, and in 1980, at the invitation of Iran, the United Front of the Islamic Revolution of Afghanistan, consisting of eight groups, was formed and defended the territorial integrity of its country. Along with other Islamic countries, Iran boycotted the Moscow Olympics due to the occupation of Afghanistan. This move was a symbol of Iran’s independence as a non-aligned country.
6 - On August 7, 1979, after the bombing of southern Lebanon by the invading Israeli army, Imam Khomeini asked the Muslims of the world to choose the last Friday of the month of Ramadan as “Quds Day” in order to show their support for the legitimate rights of Palestinians. Today, in addition to Iran, “Quds Day” is commemorated in different countries of the world by organizing gatherings and conducting rallies to condemn the aggressions of the Zionist regime against Palestinians.
7 - In the sixth meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Havana in 1979, Baghdad was selected as the location of the seventh conference of the leaders of the movement. However, due to the effective actions of Iranian-Islamic fighters on the war fronts against the Baath regime and Iran’s diplomatic activities, this decision was changed unanimously, on September 17, 1982, and the location of the 7th summit was changed from Baghdad to New Delhi.
8 - Before the victory of the Islamic Revolution and due to the alignment of the policies of the Pahlavi regime with the hegemonic powers, Iran only had diplomatic relations with the apartheid regime in South Africa and ten other African countries. However, after the Islamic Revolution political missions of Iran were opened in countries such as Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Namibia, and Zambia and gradually reached twenty-six missions.
9 - At the 8th summit of the heads of the NonAligned Movement member states in Harare - the capital of Zimbabwe - in September 1986, the presence of an Iranian delegation headed by Ayatollah Khamenei, the then president, strengthened relations with some African countries, including Zambia, which proved Iran’s impact on the collapse of apartheid.
10- Nelson Mandela’s freedom from the prison of the racist regime of South Africa with the support of Iran and the acceleration of the process of the collapse of apartheid was one of the effects of the Islamic Revolution, and the late Nelson Mandela acknowledged this fact in his visit to Iran after the downfall of the apartheid regime.
11- Declaring Salman Rushdie’s apostasy became a symbol of Imam Khomeini’s defense of the sacred issues and ideals of Islam. This brave decision not only reflected upon the power of Islamic scholars but also gave rise to waves of anger and protest on the part of Muslims against Salman Rushdie. The move threw light on the dimensions of such sacrilegious acts and made Muslims realize that they should defend Islamic values.
12- After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and inspired by Islamic teachings, the late Imam Khomeini proposed Islamic unity as a strategic slogan for Muslims, and by naming the birthday of the great Prophet of Islam (PBUH) as the “Unity Week” the discourse of Islamic unity became popular.
13- Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and at the suggestion of Iran, the republics of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan joined the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) the most important objective of which is the improvement of the sustainable economic development conditions of the member countries.
14- In January 1992, the Islamic Republic of Iran being its mediation in the Karabakh conflict, which was the most difficult move related to this conflict, with the aim of ensuring the territorial integrity of the countries of the region. The meeting of Azerbaijan and Armenia leaders in Tehran reflected the peak of Iran’s efforts to end one of the most complicated conflicts among the former Soviet Union republics.
15- After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the outbreak of war in the Balkans, Iran engaged in many diplomatic efforts to defend the rights of Muslims in the region for which the president of Bosnia and Herzegovina repeatedly thanked Iran.
16- Following the escalation of civil war in Tajikistan in 1993, having gained experience from its mediation in the Karabachos conflict, Iran engaged in serious negotiations with Russia for a peaceful solution to this crisis. As a result, the final peace agreement of Tajikistan and nine important other documents as appendices were signed by the president of Tajikistan and the leader of the Islamic Movement of Tajikistan on June 27, 1997, in Moscow in the presence of countries and organizations that were active in mediation, and peace was established in Tajikistan.
17- After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Iran expanded its relations with Lebanon, as a result of which this country became resistant to Israeli attacks. The formation of Hezbollah and the protection of Lebanon from Israeli attacks were the positive effects of Iran’s correct policy with regard to Lebanon.
18- Acceptance of the Resolution 598 of the UN Security Council put an end to the war of the Iraqi army against Iran. Acceptance of this Resolution 598, along with the sacrifice of Iranian Islamic warriors, proved the effectiveness of Iranian foreign diplomacy. Iran managed to get back all the territories occupied by the Saddam army.
19- The 8th Summit of the heads of Islamic states was held in Tehran with the participation of the heads of 55 Islamic countries and their high-ranking officials on the 7th of December 1997. The summit was inaugurated with an important speech by the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in which he presented proposals for the establishment of a common Islamic market, the establishment of a common Islamic parliament, the establishment of the Islamic Court of Arbitration, and efforts for the permanent membership of the Islamic world in the UN Security Council.
20- Having a strategic view about the issue of “Islamic Unity”, Ayatollah Khamenei, the rightful successor of the late Imam Khomeini (RA), proposed the discourse of “Diplomacy of the Islamic Unity” and in his decree of appointing Ayatollah Araki as the Secretary General of “The World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought”, asked him to give importance to the “Diplomacy of the Islamic Unity” as a strategy for the escalating unity among Muslims.
21- The 16th summit of the heads of nonaligned member states was held in Tehran from, from 16th to 31st August 2012 with the presence of 24 presidents, 8 prime ministers, and 3 kings as well as 9 vice presidents and 80 ministers (60 of which were foreign ministers), 2 parliament speakers, and 9 special envoys and also the UN Secretary-General.
22- Iranian researchers rank first in the field of stem cell science in the region by surpassing regional rivals such as Turkey and the occupying regime of Palestine. Also, Iran’s position in the production of stem cells has hiked from the 31st to the 14th in the world.
23- Iran’s nuclear diplomacy was started to defend its inalienable right to have nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Iran welcomed cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and accountability in technical and legal aspects to thwart excuses on the part of the United States and its allies.
24-The joint statement of the NAM foreign ministers - during the 15th summit - in support of the peaceful nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its repetition by the IAEA board of governors approved of Iran’s nuclear diplomacy.
25- The second summit of the leaders of the Caspian Sea countries which was held in the fall of 2007 and, through the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran, concluded with a statement in which the leaders of these coastal countries unanimously opposed the presence of foreign forces in the Caspian Sea.
26- The meeting of a high-ranking Iraqi delegation headed by the deputy foreign minister of that country with Iranian authorities in Tehran on 19th and 20th February 2008 resulted in clarification of ambiguities and eradication of the existing problems with respect to the land and river borders between the two countries within the framework of the 1975 treaty.
27- The 10th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was held in Tehran on March 11, 2009, with the presence of presidents and high-ranking officials of the member states. This summit concluded by issuing a statement accepting Iran’s constructive proposals.
28- The resistance front was officially formed as a regional coalition between the countries and powers of West Asia such as Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The objective of this front is to put an end to the hegemony of the West in the Middle East region and the illegitimate Israeli occupation of Palestine.
29- With the aim of helping the Muslim people of Iraq and cooperating to ensure the security of this country, the Islamic Republic of Iran had three rounds of talks with the Americans about Iraq. The policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards Iraq was based on comprehensive support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country and emphasis on the withdrawal of the occupiers and handing over all internal institutions and mechanisms to the legitimate and elected government of Iraq, which became the foundation of the deep friendship between Iran and Iraq.
30- One of the biggest achievements of Iran for exporting energy sources has been the expansion of the South Pars Gas-Condensate field in the Sea of Oman. With the development and completion of phases 12 to 24, daily liquid gas extraction from this common field reached more than 700 million cubic meters from 285 million cubic meters in 2013, fulfilling the dream of Iranians to have an equal share of natural gas. Increasing gas production to 1000 million cubic meters - equivalent to about 6 million barrels of oil per day - was one of Iran’s goals that materialized later, making Iran the third largest natural gas-producing country in the world after the United States and Russia with a share of 6.1%.
31-With the implementation of Afghanistan reconstruction projects, including road construction, railway construction, electrification projects, and educational and cultural projects by Iranian companies, the Islamic Republic of Iran, has taken effective measures to facilitate economic and cultural relations with this country, as well as introduce the technical capabilities of Iranian companies.
32-In his speech at the 63rd annual meeting of the United Nations Narcotics Commission in Vienna, Jagit Pavadia, the President of the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board, appreciated the measures taken by Iran in combating drug trafficking and its continuous communication with the United Nations structures. In this meeting, a document of cooperation was signed between Iran and the United Nations Office against Crime and Narcotics based on which it was decided that the United Nations would provide assistance to Iran in terms of required equipment and training, especially in the field of narcotics and the fight against psychedelics.
33-With the view to reducing dependence on the West, the Iranian diplomatic apparatus switched towards the East, especially Asia. The expansion of all-around cooperation with close friends, such as Russia, China, and India, reflects upon the success of Iran’s diplomatic system in this regard.
34- In order to realize one of the goals of foreign policy and to diversify foreign cooperation, efforts were made to expand Iran’s presence at the world level by expanding cooperation with other regions of the world such as Africa and Latin America.
35-The signing of the document for the protection of confidential documents of Iran and Russia, the opening of the Consulate General of Iran in Ghazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, and the joint defense cooperation commission were among the measures taken to strengthen relations with Russia.
36- Russian President, Vladimir Putin’s first visit to Iran during the summit of leaders of the Caspian Sea countries institutionalized these relations. Having the second summit of the presidents of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in Tehran, with the presence of 32 delegations from the member states, was one of the significant achievements of Iran’s diplomatic system in the expansion of parliamentary cooperation with the Asian continent.
37- On Wednesday, February 3, 2021, the International Court of Justice issued its verdict regarding the United States’ preliminary objection to the Court’s competency in looking into Iran’s complaint regarding the violation of the 1955 Treaty due to the imposition of illegal sanctions by the United States against Iran. In this verdict, all preliminary objections of the United States were rejected by the court and the court established its competence to deal with this case. This was an important international achievement for Iran.
38- One of the most significant measures with respect to human rights was the summit of foreign ministers of the Non-Alignment Movement regarding cultural diversity and human rights in Tehran with the presence of more than 80 ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of culture of the member states. The representatives of the NAM member states participating in this summit approved of the establishment of “The NAM Center for Human Rights and Cultural Diversity” in Iran.
39- Iran’s effective presence in the international talks about the situation in Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan strengthened Iran’s influence in the region and resulted in the defeat of terrorist groups, especially ISIS and Al-Nusra, marking another achievement of Iran’s foreign policy.
40-Following the assassination of the anti-terrorism champion, Martyr Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, and his comrades by the United States at the Baghdad airport the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a number of ballistic missiles at the Ain al-Asad US military base in Al-Anbar province of Iraq inflicting heavy losses.
41- On the 27th of March 2021, the foreign ministers of Iran and China signed the 25-year strategic cooperation document between the two countries. This document has been registered with the official title of “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between I.R. Iran, P.R. China” and covers such areas as political, security, defense, cultural, agricultural, economic, scientific, tourism, oil and energy, telecommunication infrastructure, and communication technology, trade, and health.
42- As the leader of the resistance axis, Iran was able to have a decisive influence in sensitive areas in collaboration with its regional allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. This regional alliance is regarded as the most important achievement of the regional policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is used as a measure for the protection of national security, as well as a tool to put pressure on rivals and enemies, namely Israel and the United States.
43- Increased interaction with neighbors and regional countries in recent years, has led to the signing of more than 96 joint documents of cooperation and MOUs between Iran and other countries in the last year, from among which the documents signed with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are the highest in number. The contract for a gas swap from Turkmenistan to the Republic of Azerbaijan through Iran is also an important achievement in this regard. The acceptance of Iran’s membership as a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on 20 September 2022 was an important diplomatic achievement for the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
**7129