Finding warmth in the embrace of Iran

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai was adept in leading a 22-strong delegation to Iran this week to strengthen bilateral ties. Tehran, newly released from the yoke of economic sanctions, is shifting gears in its relations with the international community.

Don’s visit resulted in Iran and Thailand agreeing in principle to raise annual bilateral trade to US$1 billion. The Iranian Embassy in Bangkok says Thailand hopes to use Iran as an export gateway to other countries in the Middle East. Our business community should welcome this opportunity to expand into uncharted territory. In one area, the food products that dominate Thai exports could easily include halal items catering to Muslim dietary requirements.

From March through September last year Thailand exported $168 million worth of goods to Iran and imported $90.6 million worth in return from Iran. These figures now stand to rise dramatically.

Meanwhile Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s European tour is garnering significant news coverage as the first occasion in nearly two decades the country’s president has travelled there, signalling Iran’s return to the world community.

Iran had long been isolated because of its nuclear ambitions. Too often foreign observers spotted indications that it was building more than mere power plants. Too often Tehran was loath to let international inspectors examine the sites in person. Its reversal of this policy and the agreements subsequently reached promise to change the face of Middle East politics – and the conduct of business. Rouhani’s visit to Italy and France has given the world business community the green light to seek deals with Iran. 

France is not backing down in its strong stance on Iran’s nuclear deal and its support for armed groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and for Syria’s Bashir al-Assad. It surely recognises, however, that the fighting in Syria and Iraq is a proxy war being waged by Saudi Arabia, Iran and their respective Western sponsors and that there are no “good guys” involved. Indeed, all of the players – whether states or non-states – have questionable records. As the slaughter continues, no heed is being given to concepts like democracy and human rights.

But, while the West continues to seek an acceptable balance in its dealings with Tehran, it is clear that coercion, its former approach of choice, has made way for policies based on mutual respect. Iran’s re-acceptance into the international community brings with it the responsibility to live up to specific commitments.

Rouhani has expressed concern about “extremists” both in the US and his own country who disdain the nuclear deal that brought all this about. Significant numbers of Americans and Iranians believe their leaders have yielded too much too soon, before questions of trust were properly addressed.

On the contrary, US President Barack Obama deserves praise for staying focused on engagement and compromise to make the deal possible. Obama understood that continued coercion through sanctions would only result in Iran expanding its nuclear programme dangerously. The world is now a safer place because he made the overtures and Rouhani accepted the terms.

In local terms, improved Western relations with Iran have generated little enthusiasm among Thai Muslims. Predominantly Sunnis, they continue to view Iran through a religious lens – and Iran is ruled by a Shi’ite clergy. Thus, right here in Thailand, we have a microcosm of global affairs, along with the need for people to look past the surface and learn to respect others’ differences.