Shamkhani: Iran is Not Seeking to Re-establish Relations with Washington

Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated in an exclusive interview with the British newspaper Financial Times that even if a comprehensive nuclear agreement is reached, the Islamic Republic is not seeking to re-establish relations with Washington. This interview was published on Monday, December 22, and parts of it also focus on developments in the Middle East, where Shamkhani emphasizes that Iran's position in the region has become stronger due to its role in the peaceful change of the Iraqi government and the continuation of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. According to the Financial Times, Shamkhani does not confirm reports of cooperation between Iran and the U.S. against their common enemy in Iraq, the Islamic State group. The Iranian official states that Tehran informs the U.S. of its actions in support of Shiite militias through the Iraqi government, but he also emphasizes that U.S. airstrikes against ISIS have been fruitless. Iranian and American officials have repeatedly denied reports and analyses regarding their military cooperation against ISIS. These reports peaked when the Wall Street Journal reported on a confidential letter from Barack Obama, the President of the United States, to Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, emphasizing the common interests of Tehran and Washington against the Islamic State group. "If a nuclear agreement is not reached, we will not die," Shamkhani said. The main part of the Financial Times interview with Shamkhani concerns nuclear negotiations and the outlook for Iran-U.S. relations, where he states, "Everything depends on the honesty of the Americans in nuclear talks." According to Ali Shamkhani, Iran-U.S. relations could be such that both sides do not use their capabilities against each other in the region. However, in response to the question of whether meetings between Iranian and American diplomats during negotiations could lead to friendly relations between the two countries, he emphasizes: "No, negotiations are only related to the nuclear issue." He also discusses the possibility of not reaching a nuclear agreement and its consequences, stating: "If an agreement is not reached, we will not die, and if we reach an agreement, we will not go to heaven." Last month, following the extension of nuclear negotiations between Iran and world powers, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that "America and the colonial European countries gathered to bring the Islamic Republic of Iran to its knees in the nuclear issue, but they could not, and they will not be able to in the future." Hope for resolving "misunderstandings" between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The final part of this interview with Ali Shamkhani also focuses on Iran-Saudi relations, where he expresses hope that he can reduce tensions between the two countries in his role as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran. He stated: "These misunderstandings or sharp rivalries must change their nature and transform from a hostile form to normal political competition." Ali Shamkhani is one of the few senior officials of the Iranian government who is considered Arab. He is also the only Iranian to receive the Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal, the highest award from Saudi Arabia, an event that occurred in 2004 due to his role in reducing tensions among the Gulf countries. Iran and Saudi Arabia have disagreements on various issues, including the Syrian civil war and past protests in Bahrain.