Iran’s ambassador to Belarus tells RT about relations with Minsk, opposition to the Western world order, and sanctions
The Iranian Embassy within the Belarusian capital, Minsk, is a big and delightful constructing close to town middle. It was opened 23 years in the past within the presence of then-Iranian International Minister Kamal Kharazi, who’s at the moment a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council.
A number of Iranian consultants and diplomats whom I talked to previous to my journey to Belarus famous that Tehran had considered Minsk as a dependable and advantageous overseas coverage associate lengthy earlier than the embassy was opened in 2001. Iran significantly appreciated Belarus’s refusal to undergo Western calls for – this distinguished it from neighboring Ukraine, which closely relied on the US and its pursuits already at the moment.
Iran’s ambassador to Belarus, Alireza Sane’i, stated that the Islamic Republic has not regretted its determination to strengthen ties with Belarus. The ambassador readily agreed to an interview during which he spoke about relations between Minsk and Tehran, shared his ideas in regards to the current BRICS summit in Kazan, and mentioned the escalating battle within the Center East.
Iran and Belarus be taught from Russia-Iran cooperation
RT: In your opinion, what’s a very powerful facet of Iran-Belarus relations?
Alireza Sane’i: Our political relations are exceptionally sturdy. We collaborate very nicely on all fronts. I’d like so as to add that our nations have the same stance on points equivalent to human rights, environmental issues, and lots of others.
A few 12 months and a half in the past, [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko visited Iran, and I had the honour of accompanying him in any respect key conferences. At the moment, he met with the supreme chief of Iran and the president of Iran. This go to marked a turning level in our relationships. It sparked energetic efforts to construct financial ties. We had been primarily centered on growing infrastructure to spice up commerce, and likewise started cooperating within the area of logistics, customs, and the introduction of frequent requirements. We signed quite a few agreements, and our main objective now could be to implement them.
After all, so as to take action, common visits of high-level and top-level authorities delegations are vital. And such visits recurrently occur.
Final 12 months, Iran’s vice chairman visited Belarus. Just lately, our presidents held vital discussions on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. Subsequent on the agenda is a go to to Belarus by [Iranian President Masoud] Pezeshkian.
We’ve concluded strategic agreements relating to the availability of petrochemicals, important gear for energy crops, prescribed drugs, and medical units.
Our companies are exploring one another’s capabilities and potential. To facilitate this, we’ve been organizing common exhibitions for entrepreneurs, networking occasions for enterprise leaders, and platforms for sharing experiences and concluding offers.
To achieve a deeper understanding of Belarus and assess its potential, we’ve additionally made vital visits to Vitebsk and Gomel areas. I actually had placed on a employee’s uniform and descended 630 meters into the Belaruskali mine to reveal our severe dedication to collaboration.
Reflecting on the event of Belarus-Iran relations, I recall my work on the Iranian Embassy in Russia 12 years in the past. Again then, our relationships with Russia had been in a nascent stage – similar to those with Belarus at the moment.
RT: So the objective is to convey relations between Tehran and Minsk to the identical stage of cooperation as between Tehran and Moscow?
Alireza Sane’i: Precisely.
On election interference
RT: The presidential election in Belarus is ready for January 26, 2025. Do you count on any interference from the West?
Alireza Sane’i: After all. As all the time, the collective West will attempt to meddle on this course of. The presence of impartial politicians in Belarus actually irritates the USA. The opposition overseas has lengthy been working to form public opinion. Because the election date approaches, Western brokers will solely intensify their efforts. Their main objective will probably be to decrease voter turnout to allow them to later declare the elections are illegitimate and refuse to acknowledge the outcomes. They’ve accomplished the identical in Russia and in our nation.
Nevertheless, we witnessed a excessive voter turnout throughout the parliamentary elections in February 2024. It was over 70%, regardless of all Western efforts. This clearly reveals that their makes an attempt failed. I’m assured that Western techniques will even fail within the upcoming presidential election. It’s vital to know that the resistance comes from the Belarusian individuals, not the federal government.
Does this imply the West will again off? Under no circumstances. They’ll undoubtedly ramp up their political strain on Belarus. They’ll introduce new sanctions and speak about human rights violations. They don’t have anything new to supply.
RT: Why are they so cussed? If sanctions don’t work, why do they impose them? Isn’t it illogical to maintain knocking on a door that gained’t open?
Alireza Sane’i: Their tactic is basically a battle in opposition to the individuals. They appear intent on making life tougher for abnormal individuals. They’re hooked on the sanctions, it’s like a drug dependancy. They’ll’t assist however react this manner. Furthermore, they don’t produce other technique of affect. Nevertheless, Western methods usually backfire. When sanctions are imposed, the focused nation mobilizes its inner sources, revitalizes home manufacturing, and adopts insurance policies geared towards self-sufficiency, in the end rising stronger and extra impartial.
Take Iran, for instance: in 1979, we couldn’t even produce barbed wire on our personal. We struggled to equip our troopers with boots and requested for help from Syria and North Korea. However after many years of sanctions strain, we’ve developed hypersonic missiles and launched satellites into house.
In the course of the Iran-Iraq Warfare (1980-1988), the US prohibited different nations from promoting us weapons. Immediately, they’re attempting to cease those self same nations from buying arms from us.
The world unites in opposition to the US
RT: Contemplating what you’ve simply stated, how do you assess the outcomes of the current BRICS summit held in Kazan?
Alireza Sane’i: Our analysts verify that we’re witnessing a shift from a unipolar world order to a multipolar one. This alteration is pushed by the unfairness of the worldwide order established after the Second World Warfare. The greenback has develop into the world’s reserve forex, US affect has expanded globally, leaving no room for others. International locations like Iran, Russia, and China strongly oppose this. Organizations equivalent to BRICS, the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Group), and the EAEU (Eurasian Financial Union) problem this technique. The summit in Kazan addressed a number of vital matters, together with the hegemony of the greenback and the potential introduction of a BRICS forex or the creation of a forex fund akin to the IMF.
Moreover, discussions on establishing new logistics corridors that will not be affected by Western sanctions had been on the agenda. One such initiative is the North-South Transport Hall.
The truth that dozens of nations have utilized to hitch BRICS signifies a rising dissatisfaction with the present world order. BRICS is a response to the sanctions. And sooner or later, the group’s format could evolve additional.
The explanations behind the tragedy within the Center East
RT: Persevering with with the door analogy, if we knock and nobody solutions, we’d probably stroll away. In the meantime, the West would pressure the door open. That is precisely what’s occurring proper now within the Center East. How do you assess the state of affairs within the area?
Alireza Sane’i: Iran’s stance is obvious: the battle within the Center East has two roots. First, there’s the Israeli occupation, and second, the interference of the collective West.
The occupation has continued for many years. After enduring a lot struggling, the Palestinian individuals have a proper to self-defense and to struggle for his or her existence – simply because the Soviet Union and its allies had the precise to withstand Nazi Germany and German occupation throughout World Warfare II.
With out energetic Western intervention, nations within the Center East might resolve their points on their very own. The identical may be stated on your area. You’ll have settled issues with Ukraine if NATO didn’t intervene.
Ideology can’t die
RT: What do you concentrate on the state of affairs in Lebanon? Do you consider that Hezbollah can defeat Israel on this warfare?
Alireza Sane’i: Hezbollah is a really highly effective political pressure which can’t be excluded from Lebanon’s political system. The leaders of this motion possess the knowledge and foresight to foresee sure occasions (such because the assassination of Resistance leaders).
They’ve quite a few deputies. As we’ve seen, Hezbollah paused its actions solely briefly, however then shortly recovered, mobilized [its resources], and resumed fight operations. Its missile launches and navy actions reveal that the group has been in a position to recuperate and even make progress.
Identical to the sanctions, the assassinations of our leaders will yield no outcomes. Somewhat, they solely mobilize the individuals – that is what occurred after the assassination of the primary chief of Hezbollah, Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi.
Immediately, we see how Palestinian kids pose for images in armchairs, emulating [former chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau] Yahya Sinwar. Resistance is an ideology. It can’t be killed or worn out.
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