Former French Ambassador in Tehran: We Need Iran to Solve Middle Eastern Crises

On Wednesday, February 26, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran arrived in Paris to meet with his French counterpart. This visit comes several months late. Hassan Rouhani is the first Iranian president to visit France in 17 years, following Mohammad Khatami's visit during Jacques Chirac's presidency. Rouhani's trip occurs amid reports of a tough stance from Paris regarding Iran during the past two years of nuclear negotiations, while the French Foreign Minister has also emphasized serious disagreements with Tehran, particularly concerning the future of Syria. To discuss Rouhani's visit to Paris, I spoke with Francois Nicolo, the former French ambassador to Tehran from 2001 to 2005. Given that recent nuclear negotiations indicated a hardline position from France towards Iran, and the French Foreign Minister has stated that there are disagreements with Iran regarding Syria, were you surprised that the Iranian president's trip to Europe includes France? If Rouhani is in Paris, it is because he was invited by Francois Hollande. Hollande was one of the first leaders to send an invitation to Rouhani just days after the nuclear agreement was reached, which was communicated by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and immediately accepted. You may recall that Rouhani was supposed to visit Paris in November, but it was postponed due to attacks, and now it is happening. This trip is very good for Rouhani as it takes place a few weeks before an important election in Iran, and it can draw attention to him and show the Iranian public how the country is returning to the international community. You served as the French ambassador in Tehran during a time when Iran was heavily negotiating with Europeans about its nuclear program under President Mohammad Khatami. How do you assess the revival of Iran-Europe relations now compared to that period? There are similarities between the two. There is an effort to open doors to the West and establish relations. However, Khatami's attempts failed for various reasons, including the West's skepticism towards Iran and uncertainty about the motivations for opening up. Khatami was also not a strong president and faced powerful opponents within the Islamic Republic. Today, we see another attempt, but there is a better chance, especially since the nuclear issue has been resolved. During Khatami's time, the nuclear crisis peaked and became a serious obstacle to normalizing relations with the West. Resolving the nuclear issue has been a priority for Rouhani, and now it is resolved, sanctions have been lifted, and the results will be evident in the coming months. Another influential factor at this moment is Rouhani's character compared to Khatami, who I believe is a politician in the good sense of the word, while Khatami was more of an intellectual who lost his way in politics. This is Rouhani's arena; he has energy and a good chance to fulfill his promises regarding internal and external openings. So far, reports ahead of the Iranian president's trip to France have focused heavily on its economic benefits for Iran. In your opinion, how likely is it that this trip will also yield political gains for both sides? Such trips always have two aspects: political and economic. The economic aspect is certainly important, but even in that regard, there are many political implications. For example, when Hassan Rouhani, as president, speaks publicly about preparing and signing contracts, it serves to show the people in Iran that the economy is improving and progress is on the way. However, I believe the political messages of such a trip are more important than the economic ones. Iran is entering a new phase of relations with the world by reviving its relationship with France and Italy. Another aspect of this issue is the increasing role of Iran in the Middle East. With the nuclear barrier removed, this role has been limited. Now Iran can act more freely and with better potential for action. We know that to solve the crises in the Middle East, especially Syria, we need Iran's presence. My last question for you, Mr. Nicolo, is about the margins of this trip. Reports have emerged about covering some nude statues in Italy, and now in France, it is said that the lunch or dinner banquet between the Iranian and French presidents has been canceled because Iran did not want alcoholic beverages to be served. In your opinion, how much do such margins impact the main text? I think these issues are exciting for journalists and the public, but they are not major problems. In fact, I believe these topics help to understand the reality of the differences between civilizations. We have different approaches to the nudity of statues or the drinking of wine. However, I think these problems are resolved, and I cannot imagine that they would be serious issues.