How the west can end the nuclear stand-off with Tehran

Hassan Rohani’s victory in Iran’s presidential elections has resurrected a spirit of hope in the hearts of our people. It is a victory for moderation, intellectualism and good sense. The new president will deliver the kind of all-inclusive government that Iran needs if a new page is to be turned in relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the world.

This is, first, because the president-elect’s approach to foreign policy will be one of constructive co-operation with the aim of reducing tensions. Second, he is uniquely placed to develop a win-win compromise regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions: Mr Rohani won a landslide victory in the popular vote and he has the approval of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader.

If the west grasps this opportunity, the nuclear conflict can be settled peacefully, heralding a new era of mutual co-operation between the two sides. A just peace in the Middle East and Gulf can blossom. However, if the west does not comprehend the meaning of this important opportunity, both sides will suffer and sink deeper into the quagmire of distrust and confrontation.

Mr Rohani will seek the removal of the UN Security Council’s sanctions as well as the attainment of peaceful nuclear technology. As one who has for many years observed the conflict between the west and Iran over the nuclear issue, and who wishes peace and security for all, I advise the west to seize this new opportunity and not to repeat mistakes of the past. Reaching a constructive compromise depends on five golden rules.

The first is recognition of the fact that although the political, economic and cyber warfare of the west against Iran has inflicted harm and damage on the livelihood of the nation, it has failed either to stop or to reduce the quality or quantity of the peaceful nuclear programme.

The second is that the main topic of discussion should be mechanisms for international observation of Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme to prevent any possibility of deviation – not limiting Iran’s nuclear rights.

The third is that successful diplomacy, like business, is dependent on “equal value exchange”. As such, any compromise should be on the basis that concessions by Iran are matched by concessions by the west.

The fourth is that the exchange should occur at the same time. It is natural that mutual exchange occurs step by step; however, it should be “cash for cash”. Any Iranian action should be met by simultaneous western action. The west’s policy of asking Iran for something, in return for commitment to the lifting of sanctions at some time in the future, is neither acceptable nor constructive.

Finally the west needs to learn that mutual trust is built through engagement and action. Trust has become a scarce commodity in nuclear negotiations. The road to mutual trust is travelled over time. It can be built and harvested only through actions, compromise and considering the interests of all parties. Trust cannot be built through isolation, silence, intimidation, sanctions, pressure and empty promises.

If the west had compromised with Mr Rohani when he was a nuclear negotiator under the last reformist administration a decade ago, and had not made excessive demands, the nuclear issue could have been settled by now. As a consequence, Mr Rohani would have been president of Iran back in 2005.

Thus, the west should seize the new opportunity presented by the Iranian nation, and should not repeat past mistakes, so that the discourse of “moderation and rationality” can rule Iran’s government and society for years to come.

The country of Mr Rohani’s era, as the bridge of constructive co-operation between the west and the Islamic world, can bring just and stable peace and security to the Middle East. The goal of Iran is peaceful use of nuclear technology – and Tehran will pursue its right to that under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

According to the fatwa of the supreme leader, the production, storage and use of nuclear weapons is forbidden and a sin against God. The west must now understand the value of Mr Rohani’s presidency if a realistic solution to the conflict with Iran over its nuclear capabilities is to be achieved.

The writer is an Iranian cleric who has served the leadership

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2013.