New UK MP warns ‘difficult decisions to come’

Ebrahim Beheshti

Britain's Iran policy not swayed by Sunak’s views

New UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned of “difficult decisions to come” as he became the UK’s second unelected prime minister in seven weeks on Tuesday, promising to “fix” the economic mess which he blamed, in part, on his predecessor.

The former UK finance minister, who is of Indian origin, replaces Liz Truss’s resignation following a “mini-budget” that sparked turmoil in financial markets.

“I have been elected leader of my party and your prime minister, in part, to fix them [mistakes],” he said, speaking in an address after his appointment by King Charles III.

Sunak, a proponent of Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU), has taken the helm at a time when Britain is battling economic problems. The economic repercussions of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war have cast a dark shadow over society and caused extraordinary inflation.

Nasrollah Tajik, Iran’s former diplomat, is not very optimistic about Rishi Sunak’s ability to lead the country out of the current predicament. In an exclusive interview with Iran Daily, Tajik said that the UK is dealing with numerous structural complications, and Brexit is still claiming victims.

“The economy is determinant in the UK, and what matters for the people is their cost-benefit calculations.”

Tajik believes that the coronavirus pandemic and the war between Russia and Ukraine, which fueled inflation, as well as the energy crisis, have made life hard for the people and Sunak alike.

“Sunak will not be successful for the same reason that Liz Truss was not successful,” Tajik stated, adding that the turmoil within the Conservative Party will persist.

Abdolreza Faraji Rad, Iran’s former ambassador to Europe and an International affairs expert, is not as pessimistic about Sunak’s chances. The diplomat also believes that the current priority of the UK is to survive the economic crisis.

“Since he once served in the cabinet and the treasury, Sunak is more capable than Truss,” said Faraji Rad, pointing out that Sunak had predicted from the beginning that the economic policies of Truss would fail.

Describing a non-white prime minister as a prestige point for the UK, he added that Sunak himself will be more motivated to succeed in solving some economic problems.

Addressing Sunak’s anti-Iran positions, Nasrollah Tajik notes that the system dwarfs the individuals. It means that as the leader of the Conservative Party, Rishi Sunak must follow the policies of the party, not his personal opinions.

“What connects Iran and the UK are the JCPOA and the Middle East’s affairs,” Tajik said, adding that if Iran pursues rational policies, it need not worry over Sunak’s personal views, especially since Sunak is likely to focus on domestic affairs.

Faraji Rad, too, believes that politicians typically become more conservative and mindful of policy-making processes when they are in power.

“If the JCPOA is not revived after the mid-term congressional elections in the U.S., then the U.S. and Europe will exert more pressure on Tehran on the pretext of Iran supporting Russia, and the UK will follow suit,” Faraji Rad added.

“If the UK is to exert more pressure on Tehran, it would be because it follows the footsteps of the U.S. and Europe, not because of what the prime minister personally believes.”