‘Dawn’ in its editorial comments on Tuesday said the US-Iran relationship has been characterised by confrontation ever since 1979, when Tehran, following Ayatollah Khomeini’s Islamic Revolution, broke away from the American orbit and chose to chart its own path.
It added there have been several ups and downs — mostly downs — over the past four decades, but Donald Trump’s four years as president were arguably the worst.
“At one point, following the American assassination of Iran’s top General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq earlier this year, it seemed as if war was imminent. Moreover, the American unilateral exit from the Iran nuclear deal, and Washington’s ‘maximum pressure’ policy targeting the Iranian economy, ensured that both states remained in a state of perpetual confrontation,” it said.
It said now, with Joe Biden headed to the White House, the relationship may go back to being far less combative.
Dawn added indeed, engagement and dialogue are always preferable to combative rhetoric, especially in a tinderbox such as the Middle East.
“However, considering the high-pitched rhetoric that has been emanating from Washington during the Trump era, re-engaging Iran will not be easy,” said the paper.
It said If Mr Biden is serious about reopening channels with Iran, he needs to put in place confidence-building measures. “For a start, he can start peeling away the layers of American sanctions that have contributed to destroying Iran’s economy,” said the paper.
Dawn said the challenge before the new incumbent of the White House is considerable. The Pakistani newspaper warned that the Zionist regime's reckless stance against Iran, its opposition to the White House's return to the JCPOA, and the fact that some Persian Gulf countries are building ties with Tel Aviv may make it harder for Biden to soften his policy toward Iran.
Either Biden can ignore such pressure and extend the hand of peace to Iran, or continue on a collision course with Tehran.
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