Diplomacy Essential to Ease Tensions Over Nuclear Issue

EghtesadOnline: Iranian officials should opt for diplomacy and dialogue to calm the escalating tensions over the nuclear issue, as it is the most effective solution to address the growing challenges confronting the country, says a senior political analyst.

News ID: ۷۴۷۳۶۸

19 May 2019

"I insist that dialogue is the only way out of the country's current problems. No solution, except diplomacy, can help Iran," Ali Bigdeli also told the Iranian Diplomacy website in a recent interview.

Bigdeli stressed that Iran should advance negotiations over matters of dispute through the Europeans.

"We should pursue a logical policy and a diplomatic approach based on the ground realities," Financial Tribune quoted him as saying.

US President Donald Trump has urged the Iranian leadership to talk with him and said he could not rule out a military confrontation given the heightened tensions between the two countries.

Trump, who last year pulled Washington out of a 2015 nuclear deal between six world powers and Iran, and reimposed wide-ranging economic sanctions, has expressed a willingness to meet Iranian leaders in the past. The Islamic Republic says his overtures are not sincere and the US cannot be trusted.

Not Surrender

The analyst noted that holding talks does not mean "surrender" as Tehran has its own "means of leverage" and "trump cards".

"We have to utilize all these resources. We have a major role in the international system and the global diplomatic structure,” he said.

The expert maintains that continuing talks with Europe over existing bones of contention could have prevented a decision by the United States to name IRGC a terrorist group.

In April, the United States formally designated IRGC a foreign terrorist organization, marking the first time Washington has formally labeled another country's military a terrorist group.

Bigdeli said Iran's announcement that it would ease its adherence to the international nuclear pact with world powers, which curbed its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief, could have negative repercussions.

Tehran recently halted its sales of excess enriched uranium and heavy water, and warned that if Europe and the other remaining signatories do not reach agreement within two months on a way to salvage the nuclear deal, it will start enriching uranium to higher levels again.

"The issue of enrichment is one of those sensitive matters, which could lead to the formation of an international alliance against Tehran and the referral of its case to the Security Council," said the expert on international affairs.

Bigdeli noted that Iranian authorities are aware that quitting the deal will have no benefit for Iran and could even make the situation worse, adding that the Islamic Republic should move toward de-escalating tensions through diplomatic channels.