Iran's new President Pezeshkian calls for regional peace amid ethnic tensions - opinion

After the sudden death of the president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, a new president was appointed for the Islamic Republic of Iran, and his name is Masoud Pezeshkian, an ethnic Azeri.

Is the fact that Pezeshkian’s origin is Azerbaijani the reason that the new Iranian president made statements about regional cooperation that would benefit the entire region of Iran and the Caucasus?

It could very well be, but it could also be a misrepresentation and a cynical use of the ethnicity of the new Iranian president to lull those who watch Tehran’s actions.

Iran’s new president has already stated to the media: “I firmly believe that neighboring countries should not waste their valuable resources on destructive competitions, arms races, or unwarranted containment of each other. Instead, we will endeavor to create an environment in which our resources are directed toward the progress and development of the region for the benefit of all.”

According to Pezeshkian, it sounds as though he wants a calmer future, less nuclear armament, and more regional cooperation.

Beyond statements and talk, there are also facts on the ground. On July 15, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran was reopened, indicating a renewal of relations between the two neighboring countries and a shared desire for a better future.

The declarations of peace and regional cooperation did not come only from the side of Iran, but also from the partner of this future cooperation, Azerbaijan. In official statements of the Azerbaijani government, it is said that Azerbaijan is in favor of building a stable peace in the region, and in addition, it is said that there should be political cooperation with all the countries of the region, not only between Tehran and Baku.

It seems that these two countries have embarked on a new path, the path of peace.

However, it is not certain that Tehran’s peace talks with Azerbaijan and the region should be accepted so easily, since other things are happening under the surface. While the president of Iran was speaking flattering words to Azerbaijan, the ambassador of Iran in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, was interviewed on a news channel based in Armenia and funded by the United States about the displaced Armenians from Karabakh.

Mutual understanding

“Our stance on the rights of Karabakh residents is clear. We acknowledge the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and emphasize this point, but at the same time, we believe that the rights of the Armenian residents of Karabakh must be respected. This issue is like a wound that needs to be treated. If left untreated, it might reopen. When discussing stable peace, this wound must be considered,” said Mehdi Sobhani, the Iranian ambassador to Armenia.

He continued and claimed that “I myself talked to the people of Karabakh. When the refugees came, I went to Kapan myself and talked to them afterwards. They said, ‘We did not leave our homes voluntarily.’ No one leaves their home voluntarily.”

You can see his lack of objectivity in the interview since he did not mention anything about the displaced Azerbaijanis from Armenian lands which were originally territories of historic Azerbaijan. It may be because the Armenian sentiment reminds them of the Palestinian sentiment, and the Iranians decided to strengthen the message of “stolen lands,” which will also reflects on other arenas to which the Iranian octopus sends its tentacles.

But what does not add up in these statements of the Iranian ambassador in Armenia is the media outlet he chose to speak to. It is Radio Liberty, which is a media outlet that is based in Armenia and receives American funding and even provides a platform for political statements against Iran. Did an Iranian diplomat choose to be interviewed by the media of the “Great Satan”? This sounds strange.

One explanation is that it’s not about “anesthetizing the enemy” but about a political split between the various forces in Iran. On one hand, the new president of Iran, Pezeshkian, of Azerbaijani origin, a reformist, took office and wants to outline the path he considers right for his homeland. On the other hand, Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Sobhani, who served as an officer in the Quds Force in Syria, where he did his best to spread the Islamic revolution throughout the Muslim world. In addition, Sobhani is related to the Iranian journalist Ahsan Mohab, who is considered to be a very harsh critic of Azerbaijan and tends to constantly slander that country.

It can be understood from this that Iran is going through a political shock. After the previous president of Iran, Raisi, died in a helicopter crash, a new president was appointed. A reformist president, not ethnically Persian, comes to power in the country at a time of regional instability and war (although not directly) with Israel. This event shook up Iranian politics and made many people from the conservative Right in Iran think and wonder what could happen to them soon.

We will probably soon be hearing a lot of militant statements from the people of the Iranian Right. As mentioned, people who fear for their political future tend to become especially populist.

The writer is a Middle East scholar and commentator on the region.