The sanctions announced by the US Treasury Department on Thursday, targeted the entities cooperating with Iran’s Mahan Air, Caspian Air, Meraj Air, Pouya Air and Dena Air, which operates the airplane Iranian President Rouhani uses for his official travels.

According to Bourseandbazaar, an Iranian business news site, Dena Airways is the company which operates EP-DAA, an Airbus A340. Until November 2017, the aircraft was registered to Meraj Airways, an entity that was previously sanctioned as part of the Specially Designated Nationals list, known as the SDN list.

In Early February, German fuel companies refused to refuel Iranian foreign minister’s plane out of fear they would violate US sanctions against Iran.
The incident almost prevented Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif from attending the Munich Security Conference.

The US also imposed sanctions against nine Iranian and Turkish individuals and companies after President Trump withdraw from the nuclear deal between Iran and five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. Under the deal, US was obligated to avoid imposing new sanctions against Iran.

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At the time when this article will be printed, I may be in the plane bound for Korea and more probably already arrived at the hustle bustle city of Seoul, after wrapping up my ambassadorial duty in Iran. My last day in Tehran is coincided with the historical meeting between the two Korean Presidents.

Only one year ago, the two Koreas fired missiles to show off how capable and determined they are to destroy the other by force. The verbal threats exchanged after each fire work left a deep scar and exacerbated the already existing animosity against each other. The photo of the two Presidents reminds me of the one I saw immediately after my appointment as Korean ambassador to Iran.

It was the signing ceremony of the JCPOA in which the foreign ministers of the most powerful nations were lined up with Dr. Zarif at the center. That photo thrilled me. As a diplomat, I know how difficult it is for a small country to negotiate with the dominating powers even one by one. These Iranians who successfully manage the most influential states all alone are going to be my counterparts. I felt myself shrunk. I also jealously admired not what they achieved but how they achieved. Through dialogue, Iran did it.

On the last day in Tehran, I finally regain my pride thanks to the summit dialogue between the two Koreas. I also feel indebted to Iranians because the Korean dialogue was inspired, I believe, one way or another by the Iranian dialogue with the majors in solving the nuclear issue.

Dialogue was the major theme that I imposed on myself as Ambassador to Iran. I did not want our two countries relations to be overly dominated with commercial interests, mostly represented by trade. Dialogue is not a mere exchange of verbal sounds. It is rather a spiritual way of communication to reach your friends’ soul and heart. Korea and Iranian relation is often mystified by the large mathematical figure of trade, which is at best a myopic, selfish way that aims at your wallet, not heart.

A stabilized and balanced relation was the lighthouse that I navigated towards during my stay in Iran as Ambassador. I am not sure that my efforts were effective enough, desperate enough to bridge the geographical and cultural gap between the two countries. However, on leaving Iran, I can humbly enumerate several things that can be interpreted as a sign of dialogue in good faith. Recently a Korea section was opened at the Iranian national library. Special exhibitions for national museum artifacts were reciprocally organized both in Tehran and Seoul. Two countries’ symphony orchestra performed each other’s music. Large cultural delegation visited several times not only in Tehran but also in Isfahan. My residence was offered many times to Iranian artists for their personal exhibition.

Every Thursday, Korean embassy is open to the public for Korean movies. Even in economic fields, a system was set up for sharing technologies among small and medium companies. A framework agreement was signed in order to lend up to 8 billion euro to the large Iranian projects where Korean companies are allowed to participate. All of these would have not been realized as planned without dedicated support of the Iranian entities concerned. During my tenure here, I have been surrounded with willing Iranians who are eagerly helpful and curious in any matters related to Korea. I thank them.
Upon arrival three years ago, I found these Iranians are full of confidence, pride and expectation for the future that are yet shaped but brought by themselves through the nuclear deal. On leaving this country, I sense some anxiety and uncertainty of my Iranian friends for the future that could be externally enforced this time. But I am rather optimistic.

The Inter-Korean dialogue may in return churn mood of dialogue in the stage of international affairs. I trust the capability of Iranian diplomacy which stunned the world three years ago. Guarding the deal with sympathetic friends could be easier than making one in a hostile and enforcing atmosphere. Iran, seen outside by a diplomat of thirty years’ experience is much more influential than Iranians thought to be inside.
My stuff is already shipped away. The things I carry with are intangible. My deep indebtedness to Iranians, admiration for their maturity and thoughtfulness, their overdosed hospitality and kindness are fully loaded in my heart. If our two peoples’ hearts are to be charged like mine, heartfelt dialogue among us will expand and cultivate a full blown relation between Iran and Korea.

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However, above all dissatisfactions of the plan exerted by various concerning groups in Iran is the Rouhani administration’s failure to convince the leadership that the deal was a success for Tehran, the new US sanctions against the country have been intensified in the months that followed the deal and the US officials tend to use threatening rhetoric when dealing with Iran. Prior to the Geneva talks, the negotiating team, and of course Rouhan, enjoyed the Supreme Leader’s full support when he described them as ‘sons of the Revolution’.

A day before the talks in Vienna begun, the Leader, addressing large mass of Iranians, openly talked about his discord with the negotiation’s process.

“Some of the officials from of the previous and current administration believe that we have to talk to the US to resolve the nuclear issue,” he said. “Ok, then. We said go ahead and talk to them about this specific topic, but I said in my speech at the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year that I would not disagree with such talks while I am not optimistic about its outcome. Now, look at their ludicrous remarks [against Iran],” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader’s remarks came following his prolonged discussions with the Rouhani administration and the nuclear team about Iran’s promises in the Geneva deal which limited a vast part of its nuclear activities. The promises are believed to be detrimental to the progress of Iran’s nuclear program; however, the Leader insists that Tehran should be committed to them because he knows that failing to observe them would make things even worse for Iran.

“What the Foreign Ministry has started will be continued, Iran will not violate its commitments but I am saying now it will not get anywhere,” he said on Monday.

Anyway it seems that Foreign Minister Zarif accepted some of the criticism and is willing to try to satisfy some of them in the Vienna talks. 

Iran’s Leader favors a resolution at the end of the talks which allows Iran to pursue an industrial enrichment program. Moreover, the exact number of active centrifuges and the fate of Arak Heavy-water facilities should also be discussed in the talks.

The fact is that most of the critics of the Geneva deal in Tehran maintain that the Iranian negotiating team has missed many privileges in the talks so far like 20% enrichment and annihilation of the reserves. Policy makers in Tehran believe that that a proper final agreement should contain transparency procedures rather than mechanisms to confine its progress. The agreement should also link and unify Iran’s talks with the IAEA with the P5+1.

Negotiation in Vienna are more difficult for Mohammad-Javad Zarif and his team who are trying to prove their ability to acquire not a deal but a “good deal” that can be sold at home. They may believe that the Iran’s leader’s New Year Speech, less than two month later, maybe kind of ultimatum for them.

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The progress for Iran to reach a long-sought deal with world powers is hindered as French Foreign Minister undermines a preliminary deal Iran finally managed to clinch with the US and the UK over its nuclear issue, by finding “serious stumbling blocks”.While foreign ministers of the P5+1 spontaneously join the ongoing Geneva talks between Tehran and the world powers, rising optimism that a deal would be reached at the end of a long-sought nuclear dispute with Iran, hopes for a significant progress in talks fade away as reports say France and other powers have found “serious stumbling blocks” in Iran’s proposed package.

While foreign ministers of the P5+1 spontaneously join the ongoing Geneva talks between Tehran and the world powers, rising optimism that a deal would be reached at the end of a long-sought nuclear dispute with Iran, hopes for a significant progress in talks fade away as reports say France and other powers have found “serious stumbling blocks” in Iran’s proposed package.

Reports from Geneva say French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has refused to agree with the draft of Iran proposed joint statement. Fabius’ remarks came as the extended talks entered their third day on Saturday and a lot of progress was obtained with the US and the UK, two major powers previously believed to be the strictest of other powers regarding Iran’s nuclear issue.

In an interview with Al-Monitor’s Laura Rosen, a senior P5+1 diplomat has spoken of a disparity between members of the group. since last year, Iranian negotiators have repeatedly complained about the lack of unity in the group which has deterred reaching a solid agreement with Tehran.

French negotiators are said to take the strictest position in the talks against Iran, witnesses of the talks have said, and their bald statements have repeatedly derailed the progress of the talks.

A member of the Iranian negotiating team told IransView that during Almaty I and II talks which took place in February and April 2013 in Kazakhstan, French Foreign Ministry Director-General for Political and Security Affairs Jacques Audibert, who served as the French top negotiator then, prompted Saeed Jalili to warn of leaving the talk session.

“While Jalili was elaborating on a PowerPoint slideshow provided by the Iranian team, Audibert undiplomatically reactioned to a slide titled as ‘Common grounds of Iran – P5+1 cooperation’ and said they had not come to cooperate with Iran to reach a deal, but to stop Iran’s nuclear program,” the diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “In response, Jalili said he would leave the room if the group is seeking to fight in the talks.”

The diplomat further added that Ashton and even Americans were dissatisfy with french positions and P5+1 tried to stop Audibert from making such statements during the next rounds of talks.

Observers in Tehran say that France take a stark position towards Iran while the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei has invited French officials to cooperate with Iran several times.

“I would like […] to point out that officials of the French government have been openly hostile towards the Iranian nation over the past few years and this is not a clever move by French government officials,” said Ayatollah Khamenei during a speech on March 21, 2013.

“A wise politician should never have the motivation to turn a neutral country into an enemy. We have never had problems with France and the French government, neither in the past nor in the present era. However, since the time of Sarkozy, the French government has adopted a policy of opposing the Iranian nation and unfortunately the current French government is pursuing the same policy. In our opinion, this is a wrong move. It is ill-advised and unwise.”

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The Leader voiced his strong support for the ongoing initiative of the current administration to engage in the talks with the West, including the US, to address Tehran’s nuclear impasse, and censured certain political parties who frowned upon the government’s diplomacy towards the West by installing derogatory banners and essays in the press.

Some of the banners showed the English-language slogan “The U.S. Government Styles Honesty,” and depicted a goateed Iranian official (presumably meant to resemble Zarif) sitting across from a U.S. counterpart who, under the table, conceals symbols of perceived American aggression.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution advised the current administration against relying on the talks for resolving domestic issues. “We believe that officials should lean on domestic potentials to solve the matters. Successful countries in foreign diplomacy are those who place reliance on their domestic power.”

“We shall not trust a smiling foe. The Americans give us a venal smile at the negotiating table expressing tendency for talks, but at the very same time repeat that they have all the options on the table; what on earth may they do then?” the Leader went on to say.

Americans are most considerate when it comes to Zionists; but “we are free of such considerations. Since its incipience, we have regarded this regime as an illegitimate and bastard establishment.”

He underlined that talks with the US would only concern the nuclear issue, and posited, “Talks with the P5+1 group concern only the nuclear issue and nothing else.”

Referring to his New Year speech in the holy city of Mashhad, he said  that “as I have previously said I am not optimistic about the talks, though, God willing, the negotiations would not harm us.”

“By the talks the Iranian nation would enter into a superior intellectual phase,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

“If the talks are successful, so much the better. But if they fail, the country shall stand on its own feet afterwards,” the Leader said confirming a previous speculation by Iran’sView.

Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned the nuclear issue of Iran with the West as well, and said, “Iran’s voluntary suspension of its enrichment program for two years in 2004 delayed the country at least two years in its nuclear agenda; however, it finally turned out to be our benefit… during the two years that Iran volunteered to suspend (uranium) enrichment, the West showed no sign of building confidence and easing sanctions against Tehran, so that the Leader mandated the then-administration to restore nuclear activities. Iran regards the 2004 failure as an instance for not trusting the West.”

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Today, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif, who is in charge of the nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 since the moderate cleric Hassan Rouhani took the office in the June 14 presidential election, presented a new proposal from Iran during the 1st round of talks and left his deputy Abbas Araghchi in room to lead the Iranian negotiating team.

Iranian diplomats also began lobbying to the P5+1 few days before the talks when Morteza Sarmadi another deputy of the Iranian foreign minister visited Beijing on the eve of the nuclear talks.

Abbas Araqchi also had a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Ryabcov on the sidelines of the plenary meeting on Tuesday morning.

Russia and China, as two members of the P5+1 play a key role in balancing the group’s stance towards Iran.

During the talks, having been previously headed by hardliner Saeed Jalili, Iran and the P5+1 failed to reach a consensus even on what topics they should focus on.

Political observers in Tehran maintain that one of the most important obstacles in the former rounds of talks was that the two sides did not have a common objective and the talk sessions proceeded with unrelated, disorderly discussions.

Tehran and the P5+1 members have agreed to keep Iran’s new nuclear proposal which is titled as “An end to a unnecessary crisis, a beginning to a new horizons”  as confidential. Iran also kept its Baghdad proposal presented last year to the P5+1 confidential until the group rejected that months later in Almaty.

Iranian diplomat described the major steps Iran has assumed for reaching an agreement with the other side of the talks were said this morning through a Powerpoint presentation by Zarif.  The steps can be summarized  as being:

– Accepting Iran’s nuclear right for developing, investigating, producing and using nuclear energy;

– Employing truth-finding strategies;

– International cooperation for fulfillment of Iran’s rights;

– Halting all the sanctions imposed on Iran; and

– Cooperation in common interests and concerns.

Both sides of the talks are sending positive signals about the nature of today’s negotiations. But the most important change we are witnessing is the realistic viewpoint of the parties and expectations is balanced as we hear from the early statements of the officials.

 “We will try to reach preliminary results by tomorrow morning, but anyway we do not expect to reach a final solution by tomorrow,” said Abbas Araghchi while briefing Iranian media after the end of first plenary today morning.

He also expressed hope for next round of talks to take place less than one month later.

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This Article is originally published in Al-Monitor

The phone conversation between US President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, during the final hours of Rouhani’s visit to New York, was unexpected enough to dominate the media spheres of both Iran and the United States. The reactions of the Iranian people have been significant and mostly positive. Even the Principlists and conservatives, whose ideology is not similar to that of Rouhani, have not reacted negatively to Rouhani’s diplomacy or that of his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in New York.

Before Rouhani’s trip to New York, to participate in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had granted permission for positive signals and “heroic flexibility.” This resulted in the majority of the Principlists, conservatives and even the members, or sepah, of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) supporting — or at least not opposing — the government’s actions. Although a small number of extremists attacked Rouhani upon his return at Mehrabad Airport, these people are so isolated that even the Principlists criticize them.
The jokes being exchanged in the streets of Tehran, on the morning of Sept. 28, show that the residents of the capital are awaiting the continuation of the process which started in New York. “I will open a McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise in Tehran,” joked Tehran resident Arash, 27. “This time next year, I will fly directly to New York, and I will buy an iPhone 6 from the Apple store,” tweeted Hussein Allayee, a computer engineer, considering the possibility of the political relationship between Iran and the United States being restored.The markets of Iran, however, reacted more conservatively compared to the previous times. Tehran’s stock exchange continued a paced growth for the past few days: the dollar market initially dropped, then went up and finally returned to the price it was on Sept. 26.Iranians in general reacted very quickly, became emotional really fast and just as rapidly lost their interest and got bored. This positive atmosphere — which is the result of the discussions between the foreign ministers, and the presidents, of Iran and the Unites States — will soon be replaced with demands for tangible results. However, any informed political observant knows that solving the problems and misunderstandings between Iran and the United States requires long negotiations and discussions.

Read this article in Full here.

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