Mehr reached out to Greg Simons, a researcher based in Sweden for an interview about the recent Iran-Russia strategic partnership agreement, a summary of which is as follows:<\/p>\n
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\u201cI would say this is a very important step where Russia and Iran, as two key members of the Global South, are creating these non-western centric, non-US-controlled institutions and systems of relations,\u201d he said about the first question about the importance of the Iran-Russia agreement.<\/p>\n
He further described the agreement as a brake to not just passively accept the US-led economic warfare. The strategic deak represents an attempt to show to other countries who wish to be subjects rather than objects of the US and international relations. Of course, what Iran and Russia want to show to the other countries is that you have to be united against the collective West. Because you have more capability and capacity to overcome the effect of this economic warfare, he said.<\/p>\n
They want to show to the rest of the world a far more just system is possible, according to Simons.<\/p>\n
In response to a question about the impact of the agreement between Russia and Iran on the future negotiations between Iran and the Europeans, the professor said that the Europeans are just unable to do much against the United States as they have no capabilities and are undergoing severe economic crises and other forms of crises.<\/p>\n
Simons further noted that the Europeans are completely subordinate to Washington\u2019s dictates and geostrategic initiatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one of the European countries voiced their concern and did anything about the canceling of Iran nuclear deal. You can see how the Europeans behaved in terms of supporting and enabling genocide and ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in Gaza. There was no condemnation of the Israeli military against Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen as well on the part of the Europeans,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
In response to the question how the agreement is going to influence Iran\u2019s status and role in other institutions and cooperation agreements like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union and BRICS, the researhcer said that the agreement enables greater integration with those institutions of the Global South. He added that the Global South\u2019s institutions are different from the institutions in the Global North which are exclusive. He explained more that the Global South\u2019s institutions like BRICS are inclusive.<\/p>\n
And, finally, in response to the question whether Donald Trump\u2019s return to the White House and the possible broadened transatlantic gap will benefit countries like Iran and Russia, he said that Trump is more honest and open but what he says is allowed.<\/p>\n
Simons said that the US will not change its approach under Trump as it has been always like that. He added that the US is playing a zero-sum game and always follows that at the expense of other countries. \u201cThe US is playing the zero-sum game not only against its enemies and competitors but also against its allies,\u201d he said. He continued to note that Trump\u2019s vulgar remarks are an open demonstration of the US playing a zero-sum game. \u00a0<\/p>\n
He said that Trump\u2019s open honesty will accelerate the process in the Global South. \u201cLook at what happened in the last years with the UAE and Saudi Arabia that are moving away from this US dominance to something more balanced, One can only see a greater movement towards that. Of course, it is gonna strengthen the positions of Russia, China and I think Iran also. The Europeans are being shown for what they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe world increasing, the Global South does not want to be an object. They want to be sovereign. They want to be a subject, especially during this turbulent period, where you have the transformation of the global order moving away from the Global North towards the Global South,\u201d the Stockholm-based researcher concluded.<\/p>\n
KI<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n