Perspectives from Iran and Japan on the future for Iranian diplomacy

On April 9, 2019, the Middle East and Islam Program Department of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) welcomed an expert panel from Iran and Japan for an event called “Iran in the Middle East: Diplomacy and Future Perspectives.” The panelists included Dr. Seyed Kazem Sajjadpour, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Research and Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Dr. Saideh Lotfian, professor of Political Science at the University of Tehran; Dr. Yasuyuki Matsunaga, professor at the Institute of Global Studies at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies; and Dr. Koji Horinuki, senior researcher of the Institute of Energy Economics in Japan.
 
The discussions throughout the seminar covered a range of topics from international geopolitical tensions to environmental risks in the Middle East. However, much of the conversation focused on rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran, driven by the recent news that the U.S. government designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, coming on the heels of the U.S. reinstating sanctions against Iran earlier in 2018.
 
To open the seminar, SPF Chairman Nobuo Tanaka alluded to these themes, stating that while the international situation concerning Iran has become increasingly tense, the country has a key role to play moving forward considering its position as a large and highly educated country with abundant resources, such as energy. Mr. Tanaka also underscored the importance of SPF participating in global affairs as a private foundation by supporting exchange programs, such as the ones run by the Middle East and Islam Program Department, to encourage collaborative ties during times of uncertainty.

Dr. Horinuki brought in a divergent perspective as an Arabist, and raised several questions about Iran’s role in the current conflict in Yemen. He also asserted that Iran is increasingly seen as a source of threat by other countries in the Middle East, and that the region must work to address historical relations to resolve international rivalries.

In response to the questions raised by the panel, Dr. Sajjadpour noted that Iran has a long history of independence regarding its security and also has a strong background in decision-making based on what he called the country’s multilayered foreign policy. Dr. Lotfian built on those remarks by asserting that Iran is not an isolated country, and argued that in the next few years Iran will likely seek to confront the U.S. and establish itself as a regional power by working to strengthen ties with allies and partners.