Foreign Policy under Pezeshkian: A Reformist Conservative

Few anticipated that Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian's first actions as Iran's newly elected president would involve outlining his foreign policy manifesto regarding neighboring countries, regional allies, Europe, and the USA. However, in the past week, he addressed questions and ambiguities that arose shortly after his victory was announced.

NOURNEWS: "Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, a cardiology specialist, former parliament member, and ex-minister of health"—this brief description was all that international media knew about the reformist-backed candidate. This was in stark contrast to Saeed Jalili, known for his years leading the Supreme National Security Council and unsuccessful nuclear negotiations.

Before the first round of elections, political and media circles focused on analyzing the stances of Saeed Jalili and, to a lesser extent, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Consequently, when Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian was announced as the president-elect, many questions arose from the media, such as his stance on the Axis of Resistance, nuclear-linked negotiations and sanctions relief, potential new allies, and the future direction of Iran under his leadership.

Some supporters view Pezeshkian as a savior aiming to resolve social and economic crises by rebuilding global connections. In contrast, his rivals' supporters during the campaign saw him as someone who might offer significant concessions to Europe and the USA to reduce international pressures and sanctions. Both perspectives have been evident in past reformist and conservative administrations, from anti-Western to pro-Western approaches, negotiations with the USA and Europe under Hassan Rouhani, and developing relations with Russia and China under Ebrahim Raisi and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Throughout his campaign, Pezeshkian was frequently asked to clarify his stance on various dichotomies: West or East, friendship or enmity, reformism or conservatism, engagement or isolation. Pezeshkian advocated for constructive interaction with the world based on the principles of "dignity, wisdom, and expediency." Over the past week, he has taken meaningful steps to outline his government's direction, starting with a letter to Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, indicating his priorities. This approach was reinforced with a letter to Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' political bureau.

Pezeshkian's third signal was an Arabic article in the regional newspaper " The New Arab," emphasizing Iran's top foreign policy priority of expanding cooperation with neighboring countries. A subsequent English article in the "Tehran Times" illuminated broader horizons, excluding only Israel from engagement.

In his latest article, Pezeshkian revealed a "pragmatic" policy aimed at balancing relations with all countries, while prioritizing regional neighbors, and maintaining friendships with Russia and China. He described relations with Europe and the USA as neither a dead-end nor a highway but a challenging path that could be smoothed.

Pezeshkian's diplomatic statements and articles implicitly responded to Europe's recent dual approach—focusing on election participation and a lukewarm reception of the new president—to foster the illusion that Iran needs ties with Europe or the USA. Pezeshkian, however, demonstrated that while keeping communication channels open, he rejects Europe's "critical engagement" policy and remains committed to serious cooperation with the geographical East, not the ideological East. Thus, we witness the emergence of a president who, as a reformist conservative in foreign policy and global interaction, adheres to principles and commits to reform.