The Illusive Iranian stance on Kashmir

The Illusive Iranian stance on Kashmir

Dr. Jassim Taqui

Answering a question on the Iranian stance on the Indian massive repression of the Kashmiri intifada in occupied State of Jammu and Kashmir, the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost, replied briefly and illusively that Tehran supported dialogue between the three parties to the conflict. His diplomatic answer was so brief that he even did not name the three parties. Obviously, he meant India, Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Honardoost failed also to condemn the Indians for using brute force, killing, over 50 children and wounding more than 100 mostly stones-throwing Kashmiri children. He avoided answering a question in the Questions- Answers session on the legitimate right of  the people of Kashmir to self-determination in line with the UN Security resolution in 1948.

However, Honardoost answered a question on cementing the bilateral relations by stating that Tehran proposed to increase the volume of Trade to $5 billion and that the gas pipeline was still on.

Earlier, Dr. Kazem Sajjadpour spoke in details about “Iran and its surroundings,” as a distinguished scholar. He stated that Iran was located in the most complex region of the world. He maintained that the geopolitics of the region dictated on the leadership of Iran to interact with their neighbors differently. Universally, Iran is compelled to deal with its neighbors equally but the so-called the “particulatey” aspect of the neighbors breeds imminent differences. He dismissed the impression that Iran continues to act as a” theocratic state,” which is colored with sectarian consideration.

Defending the foreign policy of Iran, Sajjadpour stated that the Iranian foreign policy was not dictated by external powers reminding the audience of the motto of the Iranian Revolution from its very inception  was “independence,” in matters pertaining to foreign policy. However, he indirectly conceded the Iranian proxy war in the GCC and the Middle East since Iran had a civilization of over 6000 BC.

Sajjadpour, however, contradicted himself by stating that the cooperation with the neighbors promoted Iran’s national security.