Iran’s government is making its lasts steps, therefore is showing its concern and fear about many issues which each of them are becoming a painful challenge without having any solution for it.
Two of these subjects which are related to its foreign policy but have a serious impact on the regime’s internal policy are its approach to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“All our foreign policy issues are directly or indirectly involved in foreign policy issues. The withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA and the cessation of the fulfillment of its obligations is a big stone in front of us that has stopped our movement, and as long as we do not remove this stone from the path, it will be very difficult for us to continue.”
“Western governments, which claim to resolve the JCPOA immediately, they do not hate it because of their hostility that we remain these subjects unresolved, as all of our movements in the development of economic relations, economic diplomacy, the development of relations even with our neighbors and our strong presence in international forums are tied to this problem.” (Khabar Online, August 26, 2021)
Despite all the regime’s boasts having the upper hand, these phrases show that the regime’s foreign policy and the connected interior policy are stuck. So that even for simple trade and trade relations with neighboring countries, despite many countries are showing their goodwill, and serious determination to engage, but the regime still faces serious problems, at least the problem is that they say if our countries decide to engage, they fear that because of cooperating with the regime they get caught up in sanctions.
Therefore, many of the regime’s officials say that the priority of the new government will be to solve the JCPOA case. In addition to the issue of the JCPOA, the issue of removing Iran from the list of high-risk countries of the FATF is the second priority, if not a parallel priority. The issue of passing FATF-related laws has also deprived the regime of large-scale financial transactions and international banking transactions.
Even if the regime’s assets are released by resolving the implementation of western parties’ obligations in the JCPOA and the regime is going to use these assets to invest domestically, it will definitely need healthy ways to bank and credit exchanges, one of which is membership in FATF, that has created a big headache, because the regime must money laundering and its financial support of terror proxy groups in the Middle East.
Its third problem is losing its dominance in the Middle East which is isolating the regime.
“In the next priority, we can also discuss improving relations with our neighbors, and by fueling Iran fear, our enemies have been able to move away from many potentially friendly and partner countries from Iran to regulate their relationship with Israel. We must take Iran-fearing weapons from the enemies of Iran and remind our neighbors of the good relations that have always been our country’s foreign policy plan and practically take action to solve the problems between us.” (Khabar Online, August 26, 2021)
Changing the entire government and expelling all the members of the so-called reformist faction from the government will not help and solve any of the regime’s problems and priorities. According to observers, the regime is forced to solve these problems, or will it witness the slow dusk of its 42-year reign.
