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On March 2, 2025, the Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif resigned from his post. The significance of this event cannot be overstated. Mr. Zarif is the most brilliant representative of the liberal-reformist wing in the Islamic Republic. He is the one on whom the previous Democratic administration in Washington and the Eurobureaucrats in Brussels relied. With Zarif’s departure, hopes for a normalization of relations between the United States and Iran are fading. The prospect of direct armed conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv looms. American involvement in that war is very real. There’s a reason why Donald Trump has acknowledged the possibility of war with Iran as early as December 2024. The conflict is beginning to take real shape.
Zarif’s arrival as Vice President in August 2024 was greeted with enthusiasm by both the Democrats in the White House and the liberal camp in Tehran. The reaction of one of Iran’s opposition Telegram channels, whose author lives in Kiev, is telling:
“Russia is finished in Iran forever! The history books of the future will be written: August 27, 2024 is the day of the end of two hundred years of imperial influence and Russian interference in Iran’s political life. I hate Khamenei, but at the end of his life he is doing something worthwhile. Russia is definitely one of the main factors that have negatively affected the lives of Iranians and the state of their country since the early 19th century. Goodbye, Russian Empire. Have a nice stay.”
It turned out that such an assessment was rather hasty.
Mohammad Javad Zarif
Mohammad Javad Zarif came from a middle-class family and began studying in the United States at the age of 17, before the Islamic Revolution. He enrolled at Drew College Preparatory School in 1977 and went on to attend San Francisco State University and the University of Denver. At the same time, dramatic events were unfolding in his home country that put an end to U.S.-Iranian relations. The seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, the failed U.S. Special Forces operation “Eagle Claw,” the imposition of anti-Iran sanctions, the massive U.S. military aid to Iraq after the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War in 1980-1988. All this did not prevent Zarif from getting an education in America without any problems and then joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
From 2013 to 2021, Mr. Zarif served as Iran’s foreign policy chief. It is Mr. Zarif who is considered the architect of the 2015 nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Under the deal, Tehran renounced the acquisition of nuclear weapons in exchange for partial relief from sanctions. The US Democratic Party hailed the JCPOA as the greatest achievement of American diplomacy. However, the pro-Israel lobby in Washington was extremely unhappy with the terms of the agreement. During his first term as president, Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal and reinstated anti-Iran sanctions. This showed the short-lived nature of any Iran-US agreement and, of course, greatly undermined Zarif’s position as well as that of all reformist liberals.
However, the conflict between Iran and Israel, which escalated after the Hamas action on October 7, 2023, gave hope for a new warming of relations between Tehran and Washington. Joseph Biden’s administration expressed its willingness to reach certain agreements with the Iranian side and defiantly showed its displeasure with Benjamin Netanyahu’s harsh actions. It was probably the Iranian leadership’s hopes for a deal with the Democrats that contributed to Mohammad Javad Zarif’s return to power. His efforts were actively supported by the reformist president, Massoud Pezeshkian.
Massoud Pezeshkian
Zarif has been constantly “padding his price” and blackmailing the Iranian establishment with his resignation. Now, however, Iran’s supreme leader has apparently decided that the liberal diplomat is no longer needed.
“Yesterday, at the invitation of the respected head of the judiciary, I went to meet him. While discussing the situation in the country, he recommended that I return to the university to prevent further pressure on the [Massoud Pezeshkian] government,” Mr. Zarif said on March 3. He said he was regularly subjected to “insults” and “slander.”
The resignation of a prominent liberal diplomat is a serious sign of an impending deterioration in Iranian-American relations. And not at all through Tehran’s fault. According to the Wall Street Journal, Israeli leaders, with the support of the White House, intend to conduct massive raids on Iranian nuclear facilities in the next six months. U.S. intelligence reported similar plans by the right-wing Zionist government as far back as the last presidential administration. Israeli intelligence believes that the window of opportunity to stop Iran’s nuclear program is closing. Either the nuclear project will be stopped by bombing, or Israel will have to expect its main geopolitical enemy to join the nuclear club.
Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak
Benjamin Netanyahu is tempted to repeat Operation Opera of 1981, when Israeli aviation managed to bomb the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak. It should be noted that this is not the only example. In 2007, Israel succeeded in destroying the Syrian nuclear reactor in Deir ez-Zor during Operation Orchard. However, Iran’s nuclear program is far more powerful. Its facilities are scattered over a wide area of the country, located in mountainous terrain or underground. It would be impossible for the Israelis to carry out an attack on their own. U.S. support is crucial for Tel Aviv. Only Donald Trump can provide satellite reconnaissance, American air defense systems over Israeli territory, and agreements with Saudi Arabia to provide airspace for overflying Israeli aircraft.
Only a comprehensive and close rapprochement between Tehran and Moscow can protect Iran’s sovereignty and independence. It is no secret that large-scale economic cooperation projects with Russia have been thwarted by representatives of the liberal part of the Iranian establishment. The project for the construction of the Astara-Resht railway line has come to a standstill. Only 162 kilometers of railroad can connect the Baltic Sea with the Persian Gulf. Russia has agreed to finance the infrastructure project. Unfortunately, no progress has been made so far. The project to bring Russian natural gas to northern Iran has been sabotaged. The government of Masoud Pezeshkian decided to haggle over the price. The Iranian side overestimated Russia’s problems with Western sanctions. As a result, instead of 55 billion cubic meters of gas, only 2 billion cubic meters will be delivered in the first stage.
And these are only the most striking examples. Nothing endangers the Islamic Republic’s security more than sabotaging its alliance with Russia. After all, Moscow’s strengthening economic position motivates it to strengthen Iran’s national security. Mr. Zarif’s resignation provides grounds for intensifying Russian-Iranian cooperation, even as relations between the Kremlin and the White House are warming.
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nothing endangers the european union’s security more than the current, stubborn support for a lost war in the east
the carcinogenic tumor know as the islamic republic of iran should be dealt with quickly and aggressively, it should be extirpated asap regardless of any short term pain. waiting is not an option. the longer it is allowed to metastasize the more dangerous, malignant and deadly it will become.
that sounds a lot iike the zionists.
you’re nothing more than a uncle sam peon.
it’s the opposite : us is a jewish owned state and a slave of the jewish middle east expérimental state called israël.
hi there shithead. 😢
the middle east must be cleansed and disinfected by the permanent removal of the rabid genocidal zionist terror regime.
these character actors within iran will eventually fall. pezeshkian another liberal smoke and mirrors artist. if the population thinks they’re progressing with policies of western rapprochement, then the next pathogen epidemic that’s seeded in their country will make that particularly virulent covid strain unleashed on them pale significantly in comparison. ‘from a middle class family’, ‘studying in the united snakes’
living in a dangerous fool’s paradise.
pure propaganda, pure nonsense, counting on russia is like putting an anaconda in its bed, we have seen the result of russian support for syria, when did russia prevent israeli bombings in syria? at no time.
who first recognized the joulani terrorist? russia
your comment is propaganda.
“there’s a reason why donald trump has acknowledged the possibility of war with iran as early as december 2024.” well yes cause he plans to escalate against iran obviously (on orders from his zionist masters). :]
as for j. zarif, we won’t miss him. only question remains who will succeed him?
what can do israel against iran?..we have have seen how dozens of irani missile have hit well protected air base in israel and therefore they could destroy nuclear facilities in israel if they wanted.
the moronic mullahs refused to build a few nukes since 50 years, or even to buy few from north corea, than nor the zios nor us world dare ever to attack them and shlomos would never dare massacres like in gaza and lebanon.
iran needs to get nukes pronto. that is the only thing that will protect its security. don’t forget – russia supported us sanctions against iran. iranian children died as a result. russia refused to complete bushehr as it was contracted to do. russia refused to supply s300s iran had paid for – in return for worthless us promises (never kept) not to put missiles on russia’s borders. iran negotiated the jcpoa for 5 years – and chumpo just tore it up on nuttyyahoo’s orders.
this three france,britain and israel nuclear armed countries are the world threat and needs to be contain by trump.iran is not world threat but its opposition to fellow rabs who does things for money on behlve of west are regarded is interference.
trump is doing well nato stooges are unhappy because their cant get away with serious world war three.because usa is not backing them like in libya,syria and iraq to steal nd rob
chumpo wants to dump ukraine so he can attack iran. he is just a good little shabbos goy following his master nuttyyahoo’s orders.