Khamenei Urges for More Deceptive Foreign Policy in His Latest Speech

khamenei meeting foreign affairst ministry (1)
Written by
Moussa Afshar

On May 20, the Iranian regime’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, met ambassadors and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this meeting, Khamenei outlined his regime’s foreign policy while trying to boost the morale of the demoralized officials weeks after the MFA’s website was taken down by dissidents in early May.

For years, the clerical regime deceived the West with a façade of “moderation” while continuing its malign domestic, regional, and international activities. Following Ebrahim Raisi’s ascendance to Presidency as part of Khamenei’s plan to “consolidate power,” Tehran increased its belligerence, exploiting the weak response of Western powers.

Facing a restive society and mounting international pressure due to his regime’s illicit activities, Khamenei assured his audience he has no intention of backing down.

“Over the years, we have witnessed instances where our diplomacy has been perceived as a form of begging. When we speak of honor, we mean to reject the notion of diplomatic pleas. It is essential to shift our focus away from scrutinizing individuals based on their actions, statements, or judgments, as this mature political figure from a specific country suggested. True honor lies in directing our attention elsewhere, away from such superficial matters, and instead, emphasizing a broader perspective.”

Meanwhile, Khamenei ordered his diplomatic apparatus to continue their efforts to deceive the world community, calling it “flexibility.” It is worth noting that Tehran received enormous concessions after signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015, in which it pledged to reduce its nuclear activities, apparently. At the time, Khamenei called it “heroic flexibility.”

“Expediency implies the need for flexibility in certain situations. It is important to understand that flexibility does not contradict principles. Rather, maintaining principles while allowing for flexibility can go hand in hand. There are instances where it is appropriate to exhibit flexibility,” Khamenei said.

But Khamenei immediately emphasized the importance of pursuing warmongering policies, saying, “This flexibility should not be mistaken as a means to deviate from our journey or retreat from our goals. It is about adapting and finding innovative ways to navigate challenges, just as we would find a way to bypass a rock on our path, ensuring we continue moving forward.”

Khamenei also spoke of taqiyya, an Islamic term for a precautionary dissimulation or denial, and recommended using it in foreign policy. In other words, he tacitly ordered his diplomats to deceive the world community and lie while trying to keep a façade. In this context, none of the regime’s commitments would be trustworthy.

Boosting the Morale of officials

On the 7th of May, 2023, an Iranian group known as “Ghiam ta Sarnegouni” announced the successful takeover of 210 websites, software applications, servers, and databases of the regime’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This operation and the group’s ability to access and publish numerous confidential documents caused much stir in the regime, particularly among its diplomatic apparatus.

While avoiding referring to the incident, Khamenei advised Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian to “nurture and prioritize its personnel’s motivation, faith, and determination.”

“This entails ensuring that they are provided with the necessary support and resources to maintain their enthusiasm and commitment,” he said, adding that “By cultivating a dedicated and resolute team, the MFA can effectively navigate the intellectual and propaganda storms originating from abroad, upholding the principles of the revolution and the Islamic Republic.”

“Look to the East” policy

In recent years, following the rising tension between Tehran and Western powers, Khamenei has been speaking of the so-called “Look to the East Policy,” or, in other words, relying more on China and Russia.

Attempting to guarantee the support of the two world powers in the nuclear negotiations, Khamenei has shown a willingness to offer strategic concessions. As a part of this plan, Raisi’s government finalized and signed the 25-year Cooperation Program with China in January 2022, auctioning Iran’s natural resources.

According to a New York Times in July 2020, the Iran-China deal would “vastly expand Chinese presence in banking, telecommunications, ports, railways and dozens of other projects. In exchange, China would receive a regular — and, according to an Iranian official and an oil trader, heavily discounted — supply of Iranian oil over the next 25 years.”

Moreover, Tehran has inextricably entwined its fate with Moscow and is unabashedly participating in the aggressive conflict unfolding in Ukraine. The noteworthy escalation of Iranian drones being employed by Russian forces in Ukraine has garnered widespread attention, rallying the global community against the clerical regime’s flagrant meddling.

In his speech, Khamenei praised this as “collaboration and alignment of significant and influential countries worldwide with the Islamic Republic of Iran on key aspects of international politics is an extraordinary development.”

He urged the MFA officials to “seize this opportunity to enhance diplomatic ties, foster understanding, and promote cooperation with” Russia and China, as they “are engaging with and supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran in various currents and fundamental principles of international politics.

China’s assistance to Tehran does not involve a cash windfall or capital injection into Iran’s market. Beijing is aware of the high cost of supporting Tehran, given its blacklisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) due to institutionalized corruption and U.S. sanctions imposed for various reasons, including terrorism and nuclear proliferation. China views Iran as a small component of a broader economic strategy and is diversifying its interests accordingly. Besides, Russia is not in a situation to help alter the clerical regime’s fate amid nationwide protests and unprecedented international isolation.

Conclusion

Amir Abdollahian, unwavering in his loyalty to Khamenei, pledged to execute his directives with utmost devotion. He brazenly regarded the regime’s obstruction of JCPOA revival negotiations as a triumph for his Ministry while vowing unyielding support to the so-called “Axis of Resistance” – a veil for terrorist organizations like Hezbollah. Furthermore, he asserted his commitment to subverting international sanctions actively, phrasing it as “neutralizing” them.

Khamenei’s remarks, coupled with Amir Abdollahian’s commitment to carrying them out, reinforce the futility of engaging in dialogue with a deceitful regime. Hoping to alter their behavior through negotiations is akin to attempting to fit a square peg in a round hole. It is high time for the international community to intensify the pressure on the regime, for tyrants comprehend only the language of resolve.

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