THE New Straits Times interviewed Iran Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, during his visit to Malaysia last Thursday.
In the 20-minute interview, before his meeting with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he discussed and shared insights on Malaysia-Iran bilateral ties as well as United States sanctions on Teheran.
Javad, who has been foreign minister since 2013, played a prominent role in negotiating the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and major international powers before the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran on Jan 16, 2016.
The following are excerpts from the interview:
Q: Can you describe the bilateral relations between Malaysia and Iran?
A: We have very strong bilateral relations with Malaysia. We believe Iran and Malaysia have many areas that complement each other and we can use them to advance the interests of the two nations as well as of the region. In doing so, we can prevent the impact of illegal measures of the US from affecting our bilateral relations.
This includes using our own currencies, engaging in barter trade, providing what Malaysia needs in return for what we (Iran) need, without going through mechanisms that will not benefit us but enable the US to use its prevalences in a dollar-based economy, to advance its own national interest. What we see today is a weaponisation of the US dollar which is seriously on the rise, and has pushed countries like Russia and China to use their own currencies in trade.
Iran is using its own currency in its dealings with Turkey, India, Russia and China. We can do it with a wider range of countries that will reduce the excessive use of the US dollar by the United States.
Q: What are the areas Malaysia and Iran can work together on?
A: We have been a big customer of Malaysia’s palm oil. We have major requirements in rubber and tyre manufacturing. Malaysia also requires some things that we produce.
We are also having a preliminary discussion on having a barter system to exchange arms for Malaysia’s Defence Ministry for palm oil. We have very good defence capabilities. Our defence industry is very advanced.
Q: On the Gulf crisis, can the Persian Gulf be freely used by all to export oil? Has Teheran considered the destabilising factor in the crisis?
A: We have 1,500 miles of coastline on the Persian line, we also have the same on the Sea of Oman. We also control the northern part of the Straits of Hormuz. The US wants to create a coalition against Iran to gain security in that region. That coalition will only create more tension and add insecurity in the region. The US has to stop interfering. By doing that it will help secure (the region).
Q: Your comments on US conditions to Iran on the nuclear issue?
A: It is not a condition, it is extortion. The US is saying that if Iran wants its people to eat, it has to follow what the US says. They can dream on. It will not come true because Iran has lived 7,000 years not by listening to the whims and wishes of people who don’t know what they are talking about.
Q: Recently, Dr Mahathir had called for a tripartite alliance involving Malaysia, Turkey and Pakistan to speak for the global Muslim community, your comments on that?
A: Iran welcomes the effort by Malaysia to reform the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). We believe there needs to be both reform as well as independence. OIC was created in order to defend the rights of the Muslims, primarily Palestinians in relations to aggression and policies of Israel. We have always been ready to engage in dialogues with our Saudi neighbours because we don’t believe in confrontations. We believe there are more commonalities that bind us together rather than differences that separate us. There are very dangerous developments in the Middle East. Israel is now attacking three Arab countries — Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. The Arab League needs to take action in order to defend its own member states, and the international community should reject Israeli aggression against the Muslim and Arab countries.
Q: On Islam and Muslims, how can the ummah challenge the Western hegemony in tackling issues of regional and international interest?
A: The Western hegemony is long gone. We live in a post-Western world and the Muslim ummah need to be cognisant of this fact. So before doing anything, we need a cognitive transformation in the Muslim world as we now live in a different global environment.
The Western world can’t even provide security for themselves let alone protect others. What buys security is cooperation and engagement. We would like to call on our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Islamic world to face the reality. This is not idealism but realism. If people look at the past and think in the past, they are not realists but trying to relive an experience which is long gone.