Iran's new foreign policy toward Europe

Iran’s Hassan Rouhani seems to be the man of a "new course": the Iranian president has brought about changes in the country’s foreign policy, after years of Ahmadinejad’s antagonism with the West. Now Iran is trying to come out of its isolation, reducing its production of enriched uranium and starting a dialogue with Europe and the rest of the world. But suspicions remain, especially in the United States which, before lowering their guard, want to see concrete results in terms of cuts to the nuclear-military program.

"We need more time, and more confidence," said the former Deputy Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Gholamali Khoshroo, guest speaker at the conference entitled "Iran 's new foreign policy toward Europe, challenges and opportunities", organized by the IAI in Rome.

"Today my country is trying to change,” said Khoshroo, but to do that we need the support of Europe. We are renewing relations with Saudi Arabia and we should do the same with other countries of the region. Italy, as President Rohani has said, has always been a strategic partner of Iran, on both the economic and geopolitical fronts. We are very close to your country, which has been one of the first and most ardent supporters of the restarting of dialogue between the West and Iran. You are our gateway to Europe. I hope this dialogue will be fruitful."

Khoshroo’s talk presented a country that is trying to exit from the diplomatic impasse of recent years, from the isolation that has caused serious damage socially and economically. The former deputy minister also spoke about "Iranophobia", that negative and punitive approach pursued until recently by great powers, like the U.S., against Iran. Khoshroo stated: "The West is still afraid of us. Especially the United States, which continues its policy of embargo. But things are going to change: America is changing, Obama is not Bush, and I hope that the dialogue opened by President Rouhani may soon lead to the end of this embargo and to a relationship based on mutual trust."