The developments occurring in the international arena in recent months have had another bad message for the Western powers that Iran has changed its point of view and interaction methods with Europe.
In the same period, formation and enhancement of anti-West blocs, such as the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), along with more close cooperation among countries that are unhappy with the discriminatory attitude of the West in particular the United States, have turned into important concerns of authorities in Washington and European main capitals.
** Russia wants Iran’s assistance in dodging sanctions
Two analysts working with the Atlantic Council think tank analyzed that although Russia has been turned into a country living under severe sanctions by the US and Europe, the war in Ukraine created new opportunities for Iran to develop closer ties with an international power.
The US, the European Union, and the G7 have imposed harsh sanctions on Russia, but the multilateral embargo pushed the Russians into a situation where they asked Tehran to assist them in getting around the sanctions because the Iranians have several decades of fighting the United States sanctions policy.
Since the onset of the Ukraine war in February 2022, the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi praised Moscow’s action-oriented foreign policy.
The analysis shows that the Iranian authorities have distanced themselves from their previous strategic patience and adopted a firmer approach in respect of their long-term conflict with the US.
Aside from potential rivalry between Moscow and Tehran in the field of oil, which has been fading within the framework of OPEC+, leaders of both nations have common stances, when it comes to standing against the unilateral system and the United States' bullying and sanctions-oriented approach, calling for a paradigm shift of international structure.
** Change of Iran’s viewpoint on nuclear talks
One of the aftermaths of the recent development has been the change in Tehran’s attitude towards different international issues, including the talks in Vienna, Austria, to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
The Atlantic Council reported that the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018 prompted many Iranian officials and even Iran’s Parliament Research Center to reach the conclusion that lifting economic sanctions on Iran seems to be impossible; thus, long-term normalization of trade relations with other countries is of great importance and necessity.
Hence, the Iranian authorities have pursued nullifying the sanctions, which needs expansion of ties with other countries under embargo in order to guarantee flexible foreign trade.
Moscow-Tehran agreement to replace SWIFT with their national financial systems shows that Russia and Iran are able to bolster bilateral trade in a bid to make amends for the impact of the US-imposed sanctions.
** Securing national interests with the help of the East
The think tank also wrote that one of the most important measures taken by Iran, which caused concern among the Americans, is Tehran’s accession to the SCO, indicating that the Islamic Republic is seeking fresh strategic partners and it will no longer wait for the Westerners.
Iran’s economic relations with China and Russia, as well as other member states of the SCO, have increased in recent years, which is one of the consequences of the imposition of sanctions.
** Iran’s unique capacity for North-South Corridor
The Atlantic Council on behalf of numerous American experts and officials expressed concern about the close ties between Moscow and Tehran, which can help Russia to overcome the West because the Iranians enjoy a long experience in evading sanctions.
According to the think tank, the war in Ukraine can destroy the geopolitical and geo-economical dynamics of the West in the world and Iran sees the changes in its own favor; nevertheless, Tehran is keen on expanding its influence far from West Asia to expand ties with Russia, China, and Pakistan.
The completion of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which entails marine, railway, and road paths from India to Europe, is a strategic step for Russia and Iran to improve their situation in different areas.
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