VIDEO: There Is No Change in US-Iran Relations

Mohammad H. Fadaifard, the Iranian Ambassador to Croatia, gave an interview to Javno on Barack Obama's policies and Middle-East tensions.

Has anything changed in relations between Iran and the United States since Barack Obama became president?

Iranian-American relations is, in principle, an historic and complex issue which has roots in incorrect American policy towards the Iranian people. Since 1953, when the United States organised a military coup dethroning the national government of Dr. Mosaddegh and returning Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to power as the American officials have officially acknowledged. America has been often involved in many actions and has interfered with the Iranian people. Support of the dictator Shah, against the Iranian people and manipulating him for dominance over the region, as well as plundering of Iranian wealth continued until 1979.

In 1979 the people of Iran, under the leadership of Imam Khomeini, started the Islamic revolution and dethroned the Shah's regime established the Islamic Republic with 99.8 percent of the votes. Since 1979, United States has, under different alibis, also tried to defeat the revolution and has made a series of conspiracies such as an economic embargo, the blocking of Iranian assets and accounts, the state attempted coup, provoking terrorist groups in the country and abroad for acts of terrorism against Iran, and persuading Saddam Hussein into aggression against Iran, which lasted for 8 years.

Therefore fundamental change in American behaviour towards Iranian people and government is necessary in order to witness changes in the relations between Iran and the United States. Since President Obama began his term of office, the slogans about the type of attitudes towards Iran have changed, but we still have not felt any practical change in the procedures and policies of the United States towards Iran.

If not, are there any signs that the tense relations could be defused?

We should wait and see whether the U.S. intends to change its policy toward Iran. If the policy of "carrots and sticks" continues, then I have to say that this policy is already long invalid and will not lead anywhere. But if they take the policy of appropriate behaviour with recognition of their past errors, then we can be hopeful of improving the situation.

 
Do you think that President Obama can change anything in the foreign policy of the United States and can he do anything to stop global recession?

Because of the incorrect conduct of the government of the United States in the past 8 years, the world’s public opinion does not have a positive view about our country, especially towards its foreign policy. The main reason for this is the wrong policy of the United States in the Middle-Eastern region.

Necessary changes with regard to past wrong policies should be made in order to change the public opinion's view, and President Obama has been elected under the slogan of 'change'. Mr. Obama first has to take care of the domestic economic problems of the United States, then the world's economic problems.

What are the current relations between Iran and Israel or do you have any relations at all?

We don’t recognise Israel as a state, therefore we have no relationship with Israel and we are not going to have any relationship in the future either.

Can president Obama, and how can he, influence the relations between Iran and Israel. Can he have a positive role in these relations?

No presidents including President Obama, can affect our principal policy of non-recognition of occupation.

 
Since there were mutual threats of war between Iran and Israel, is it possible and how this would be carried out considering the distance between the two countries?

Through several thousand years of history of Iran, Iran has never been a militarily threat against others. Iran, neither accepts being under foreign domination nor will dominate others itself. However Israel has constantly threatened Arab nations in the region as well as Iran and the Iranian people.

Over the past few decades Israel has been the main cause of threat and aggression in the region and periodically has attacked a neighbouring state. Their last aggression was 33 days of war against Lebanon in the summer of 2006, and the recent 22 days of genocide against innocent children and women of Gaza were by using restricted weapons. Of course, in both of the last wars, Israel was defeated and failed to achieve any of its goals.

Israel has constantly threatened Iran with military attacks, but they are not at the level of being able to attack Iran. Iran has never desired war with anybody, but is fully prepared and ready to defend itself of any aggression in the best way and make the aggressor sorry for the attack. I do not think that someone is so foolish to test Iranian reaction with such an attack.

What should either side do to relieve the tension in that part of the world?

The major reason for the tension in the Middle-East is occupation.

If the occupied territories would be given back to their original owners, including Palestinians, Lebanese and Syrians and the Palestinian rights would be given back and then given the right to return back to their homes the tensions would automatically be resolved.

It is probably difficult to say who to blame for the tension between Iran and Israel, but where does so much hatred comes from? Is not Quran preaching peace and love towards the people?

You have fully understood that the Quran always induces peace and love among people. Not only the Quran but also other books of Devine Religions including Christian and Jewish faiths recommend peace and love among people.

No Devine Religion gives advice on aggression and the killing of innocent women, children or people in general, anywhere.

The Islamic Religion, while encouraging its followers to the efforts to establish peace, love and justice, also advises the resistance to aggression and punishment of the aggressor, especially when the aggressor is hiding behind a religious mask.

Is it pride that does not allow Iran to make the first step towards reconciliation or is there something else?

We have tried our best. As I said, the major problem is the occupation in the Middle-East, when the occupation started, the whole question of tension started in the Middle-East

The recession is already felt in Croatia. Does Iran feel the recession and how it is mostly manifested? Has Iran changed?

Our economic system is very different from the system of western countries; it is sort of a mixed economy not a capitalistic economy, therefore that recession that is felt, here, in western countries has not at least reached Iran yet and has not effected us much but since our economy depends a lot on oil export and of course we have some trade with other countries, sooner or later it may affect as well but our experts are trying to find some solution to prevent any future negative effect of this recession on Iran. But so far it has had no effect.

Recently Reza Pahlavi’s son appeared in some media and announced he had aspirations to the throne of Iran. Is this even possible? Is the return of the Pahlavi Dynasty possible?

The Iranian peoples’ revolution, under the leadership of Imam Khomeini in 1979, against dictatorship of Shah, dethroned the 50 year reign of Pahlavi's Kingdom, and with 99.8% of votes in the same year chose the Islamic Republic system.

The first Pahlavi, came to power in Iran by the military coup with direct support of Britain in 1920. Crimes and betrayal of this family against the people of Iran over 50 years of governing in Iran, which was under the direct support of foreign countries, especially the United States of America, was the main reason for the peoples’ movement and the fight against the Shah, the result was the victory of the revolution in February 1979.

Reza Pahlavi III, either does not know anything about the changes in Iran in the last 30 years, or about reducing their mental pain, because the of stealing of treasure from Iran's people by his family.

Do you think that Pahlavi’s son has the support of the West, especially from Barak Obama, since he made those statements after Obama was elected?

By planning a military coup in 1953 against national government of Dr. Mosaddegh, the United States of America returned the fugitive Shah to Iran. During the Revolution of 1979, Shah again fled the country and the U.S.A tried to repeat the same scenario of 1953 by trying to return him to Iran again which provoked students’ anger in Iran leading to the attack of the American Embassy in Tehran.

I do not think that the West would re-invest in the failed pawns but it is possible that their intelligence organisations use these people as a means of pressure against Iran by spending millions of their tax payer's money.

Is the Pahlavi family seeking any real-estate in Iran?

Before his escape from Iran in 1979, Shah took away a huge amount of money which belongs to the Iranian people. His family members should return that money to Iran.

Do you think that Croatian policy supports Israel more than Iran?

This question should be answered by Croatian officials.

How would you like to be perceived by Croatian politicians, and especially by Croatian citizens?

What I represent here an ancient, historical, devoted, courageous, and justice and peace loving nation, and my duty is to establish better relations between the two peoples and countries on the basis of common interests of both countries. I think most of the features that I listed above for the people of Iran, adorn the Croatian people as well, and especially there exists a theory that the two nations are from the same root.

Watch part of the interview here: H. Fadaifard: We Have No Relationship With Israel.